Michael became a trial lawyer to help people who have been seriously injured and families who have lost a loved one due to the negligence of others. His philosophy is simple:
- Only take cases he strongly believes in
- Commit his and the firm’s full time and resources to each case
- Prepare every case for trial
- Accept nothing less than full and fair justice for his clients
Legal Background
After law school Michael worked as a prosecutor and tried multiple felony and misdemeanor jury trials. He then worked at one of Georgia’s largest law firms defending insurance companies in personal injury and wrongful death cases. He defended hundreds of cases and argued and won cases at the Georgia Supreme Court and Court of Appeals. This gave him a “behind the curtain” look into how defense lawyers and insurance companies value and defend cases.
Michael then began representing people and families in personal injury and wrongful death cases. He was a partner at law firms in Atlanta and Athens that specialized in personal injury and wrongful death cases before deciding to start his own law firm.
Education
Michael grew up in Athens and attended college and law school at the University of Georgia.
- University of Georgia: B.A./A.B.J. in Newspaper Journalism, 2002
- University of Georgia School of Law: J.D.
Awards and Accolades
Georgia lawyers voted Michael as one of the state’s best lawyers, naming him to the Georgia Super Lawyers – Rising Stars list. Only 2.5% of the lawyers in Georgia are selected for this honor.
- Selected as a Georgia Super Lawyer, 2022-2024
- Selected as a Georgia Super Lawyer, Rising Star, 2012-2020
- Avvo Rating of 10.0 Superb
- Best Lawyers in America®
The Ruppersburg Family
Michael and his wife have three children. They live in Athens and spend most of their free time chasing their kids around.
Michael grew up in Athens and attended college and law school at the University of Georgia.
When he’s not busy with family or work, he’s at Sanford Stadium watching the back-to-back national champion Georgia football team, learning to fly fish, looking for new barbeque restaurants to try, going to concerts and listening to music, especially his favorite band the Drive-By Truckers, listening to Grateful Dead concerts (77 Tour), reading and taking naps because his children get up too early and stay up too late.
Michael’s wife grew up in a small town in Michigan and fled what Michael calls “the Great White North” to go to school at the University of Georgia.
Michael and his wife met in college, where he promptly earned a spot on her “do not date” list. In perhaps his most important case yet, he convinced her to date him during a trip to the Georgia-Florida game (which Georgia lost) and they were married in 2013.
