Profile
Michael is the Managing Partner at Derrevere Stevens Black & Cozad, where he also chairs the firm’s subrogation and real estate divisions. With a robust legal background, Michael earned his Bachelor of Science in Accounting from The Florida State University College of Business in 2005, followed by his Juris Doctorate from the Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad Law Center in 2008.
Having joined the firm as an Associate in 2008, Michael quickly rose to Partner status in 2013, achieving this milestone just before his 30th birthday. In 2022, Michael was elected by his partners as its Managing Partner, succeeding the firm’s Founder, Jon D. Derrevere.
Michael is dedicated to providing exceptional legal services to clients across both Florida and New England. His practice spans a wide array of legal areas, including complex civil litigation, insurance subrogation, construction defects, family law, products liability, commercial and residential landlord-tenant disagreements, contract disputes, as well as premises liability.
With an emphasis on utilizing legal technology to provide better results for his clients and a better work/life balance for his co-workers, Michael devotes a portion of his practice to helping develop the next generation of legal technology. He also has a special place in his heart for preparing digital evidence presentations for hearings, mediations, and trials.
A Floridian at heart (and by birth), Michael proudly identifies as a Vermonter, even though he is not a third-generation Vermont resident. With both of his children coming into this world in Burlington, and having eloped with his soulmate in Winooski, nothing feels quite like home for Michael these days as does South Burlington.
Recent Posts
- Michael B. Stevens to Speak on the Implied Co-Insured Doctrine at the 2021 National Association for Subrogation Professionals’ Annual Conference on November 7-8
- Derrevere Stevens Black & Cozad Taps Michael B. Stevens as its New Managing Partner as the Firm Continues its Technological and Geographical Expansion Beyond Florida and into New England
- Michael B. Stevens to speak at the National Association of Subrogation Professionals 2019 Annual Conference in Washington, D.C.
Education
- Nova Southeastern University – Juris Doctorate
- Florida State University – Bachelor of Science in Accounting
Practice Areas
- Digital Evidence Presentation
- Civil Litigation
- Insurance Subrogation
- Product Liability
- Premises Liability
- Complex Business Disputes
- Landlord Tenant Law
Admissions
- Florida
- Massachusetts
- District of Columbia
- Vermont
- New Hampshire
- Connecticut
- Rhode Island
- Maine
- U.S. District Court (M.D. Fla)
- U.S. District Court (S.D. Fla)
- U.S. District Court (N.D. Fla)
- U.S. District Court (Vermont)
- U.S. District Court (Massachusetts)
- U.S. District Court (Connecticut)
- U.S. District Court (New Hampshire)
Awards & Organizations
- Super Lawyer Rising Star 2012-2024
Associations & Memberships
- National Association of Subrogation Professionals
- Palm Beach Bar Association
- Vermont Bar Association
- New Hampshire Bar Association
- Massachusetts Bar Association
- American Bar Association
Speaking Engagements
- “AI in Subrogation: Harnessing Potential & Recognizing Challenges and Limits” – 2024 National Association of Subrogation Professionals Spring Conference
- “A Managing Partner’s Seamless Litigation Journey: Getting from Service to Settlement with the Perfect Litigation Workflow by NetDocuments, ZenCase, and ECFX”
- “We’ve Come Too Far to Go Back Now: Finding Happiness and Success Virtually Litigating and Subrogating Claims” – 2023 National Association of Subrogation Professionals Annual Conference
- “HR Workshop: Recruitment and Retention in Today’s Super Tight Job Market” – 2023 National Association of Subrogation Professionals Spring Conference
- “The Evidence is Gone – Now What” – 2022 National Association of Subrogation Professionals Annual Conference
- “Battling Back Against the Implied Co-Insured Doctrine” – 2021 National Association of Subrogation Professionals Annual Conference
- “Florida Worker’s Compensation Subrogation” – 2019 National Association of Subrogation Professionals Annual Conference
- “Ethical Management: Meet the New Rules, Same as the Old Rules” – 2018 National Association of Subrogation Professionals Annual Conference
- “Yes, but is it Classy (Ethical)?: A Year in Review of Effective/Ineffective Communications and How to Handle it with Class” – 2017 National Association of Subrogation Professionals Annual Conference
- “Waivers of Subrogation and Subrogation Prohibitions in Florida” – 2014 National Association of Subrogation Professionals Florida Chapter Meeting
Reported Cases:
Stowe Aviation, LLC v. Agency of Com. & Cmty. Dev., 2024 VT 11 (Vt. Feb. 23, 2024)
Zurich American Insurance Company v. Puccini, LLC, 271 So.3d 1079 (Fla. 3d DCA 2019)
14269 BT LLC v. Village of Wellington, 240 So.3d 1 2018 (Fla. 4th DCA 2018)
Lapi West, LLC v. Village of Wellington, 4D17-2377 (Fla. 4th DCA 2018)
Solonenko v. Georgia Notes 18, LLC, 257 So.3d 460 (Fla. 4th DCA 2018)
Solonenko v. Georgia Notes 18, LLC, 246 So.3d 1248 (Fla. 4th DCA 2018)
Solonenko v. Georgia Notes 18, LLC, 182 So.3d 876 (Fla. 4th DCA 2016)
Gaspareto v. American Mortg. Inv., 195 So. 3d 375 (Fla. 1st DCA 2016)
Finer v. Naples Opportunity Fund, LLC, 175 So.3d 293 (Fla. 2d. DCA 2015)
Castle Key Ins. Co. v. Raymond H. Duke Enterprises, Inc., 135 So.3d 578 (Fla. 1st DCA 2014)
Derrevere v. Derrevere, 138 So.3d 1038 (Fla. 4th DCA 2014)