Michelle Gilbert is admitted to the Florida Bar (1986), Washington, D.C. Bar (2020), Middle District of Florida (1988), Northern District of Florida (2005), Southern District of Florida (2006), U.S. Supreme Court (2000), and U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit (2003). She matriculated at the University of South Florida (B.A., 1982, cum laude), and the University of Notre Dame Law School (J.D., 1985). She is a member of the following associations: Greater Tampa Association of Realtors; Bay Area Real Estate Council, Inc., Board of Directors; Hillsborough County Bar Association (Real Property, Probate and Trust Law; Solo and Small Firm; Diversity; and Military and Veteran Sections); Florida Bar (Real Property, Probate and Trust Law; Business; and Solo and Small Firm Sections- Executive Council); American Legal and Financial Network; Legal League 100 (Vice Chairperson, 2016-19; Advisory Council Member, 2014-19; Special Initiatives Working Group, 2017- present); REOMAC/National Association of Default Professionals; Attorney Agent, Westcor Land Title Insurance Company and Doma Title Insurance.
She has managed the firm’s expansion into probate, estate planning, guardianship, business transaction and corporate law, and oversees Sapphire Title & Escrow Company, launched in 2015. She is court approved counsel for guardianship cases in the Florida Thirteenth Judicial Circuit. Michelle has practiced real estate and business law since 1989, specializing in default servicing legal work, including litigated foreclosures, real estate closings, evictions, and commercial litigation. She works closely with the default industry by speaking at webinars and conferences, writing for industry publications, and consulting on various issues relevant to the industry. She was named 2021 Top 25 Women of Law by DS News, as well as selected as one of MReport’s 2015 and 2018 Leading Ladies. She taught the Florida Thirteenth Judicial Circuit Certified Process Servers Course from 1993 to 2014, and has written the chapter on service of process in real estate cases for the Florida Bar, since 2010.
Michelle places great value on serving her community. She volunteers with her parish, St. Lawrence Catholic Church and School, and with Cristo Rey School of Tampa, which provides college preparatory education for low income students. She is on the Board of Directors of LifeChoices Family Medical, a women’s nonprofit holistic health care practice, and of St. Peter Claver Catholic School.
