Cotzen Law - The Firm

The firm

Cotzen Law P.A. is a full service litigation firm that focuses on representing clients in a wide variety of disputes, including commercial and business litigation, real estate/foreclosure litigation, employment litigation, probate litigation, appellate practice, life insurance litigation, and business disputes.

Michael Cotzen brings two decades of litigation experience in both federal and state court where he effectively and aggressively represents his clients’ interests, both in court and out of court.

Prior to becoming the principal of Cotzen Law, P.A., Mr. Cotzen worked at some of South Florida’s finest law firms and has handled hundreds of complex matters in a wide variety of disputes.

Cotzen Law - The Firm

The Firm

Cotzen Law P.A. is a full service litigation firm that focuses on representing clients in a wide variety of disputes, including commercial and business litigation, real estate/foreclosure litigation, employment litigation, probate litigation, appellate practice, life insurance litigation, and business disputes.

Michael Cotzen brings two decades of litigation experience in both federal and state court where he effectively and aggressively represents his clients’ interests, both in court and out of court.

Prior to becoming the principal of Cotzen Law, P.A., Mr. Cotzen worked at some of South Florida’s finest law firms and has handled hundreds of complex matters in a wide variety of disputes.

Cotzen Law - The Firm

Michael L. Cotzen, Esq.

Michael Cotzen
Daily Business Review

Michael L. Cotzen, Esq.

Michael Cotzen began practicing law in 1999. Prior to forming Cotzen Law, PA, Mr. Cotzen practiced at four premiere South Florida law firms - - Hall, David and Joseph; Kluger, Peretz, Kaplan & Berlin; and as a partner at Schlesinger and Cotzen and at Mansfield Bronstein. Michael has significant experience in real estate litigation and foreclosure defense, general business and commercial litigation, probate litigation, employment law, business and partnership disputes, and representing beneficiaries of life insurance policies. Mr. Cotzen has also written dozens of appellate briefs in Florida’s appellate courts and in the Eleventh Circuit. In addition, Mr. Cotzen presented a continuing education seminar for several years on Fraudulent Transfers.

Michael Cotzen has worked on many complex litigation matters in which millions of dollars were in dispute. He has also practiced in sports and entertainment law, representing athletes such as a top ten women’s tennis player, a major championship winning golfer, and an Indy race car driver.

Mr. Cotzen has twice won the Daily Business Review’s Most Effective South Florida Lawyer Award. He first won in 2011 in the probate category for the work that he did in Brigham v. Brigham, where he was part of a trial team that obtained a $9 million judgment, including $1 million in punitive damages, on behalf of his clients. He won the same award in 2013 by leading a team of lawyers on behalf of the Peninsula Condominium Association who invalidated a note in a mortgage foreclosure case, paving the way for the association to assume ownership of a luxury condominium worth more than a million dollars without an enforceable note.

Mr. Cotzen received his undergraduate degree from the University of Florida in finance and insurance, and completed his legal education at the University of Florida College of Law, graduating in 1998. While there, Mr. Cotzen received a book award in Legal Drafting for the highest grade in the class and served as a Teaching Assistant for Legal Research and Writing. In addition, Mr. Cotzen was a member of Florida Blue Key, was elected to the University of Florida Hall of Fame in 1998, and was the Chairman of Accent, the nation’s largest student run speaker’s bureau.

Mr. Cotzen is admitted to practice in the State of Florida, in the United States District Courts for the Middle and Southern Districts of Florida, and in the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit and Eleventh Circuit.

Mr. Cotzen has served on the Executive Board of Beth Torah Benny Rok Campus for eight years, including six years as one of its vice presidents. He and his wife were awarded the synagogue’s Young Leadership Award for the service commitment they have made to Beth Torah. Mr. Cotzen also enjoys coaching and managing his son’s baseball teams in North Miami Beach for the last six years. He lives in North Miami with his wife, Marla, who is an emergency room physician at Miami Children’s Hospital, and their two sons.

Mr. Cotzen is an AV rated lawyer by Martindale Hubbell, a rating bestowed on only 12% of all attorneys in the world. He also has a perfect 10.0 rating on Avvo.com and is highly reviewed by his clients on that website.

  • Reached very favorable settlement in the representation of group of employees against Fortune 100 company in employment dispute under the FLSA related to improper manipulation of timecards.
  • Defended former banker in various suits brought by investors and clients of Scott Rothstein seeking to recover tens of millions of dollars lost as a result of Rothstein’s Ponzi scheme.
  • Represented many dozens of homeowners in foreclosure matters and obtained numerous judgments in favor of homeowners on the issue of standing and statute of limitations.
  • Obtained $9 million judgment for beneficiaries of trusts against trustee for breaches of fiduciary duty in a lengthy matter which included more than a half dozen separate appeals and an appeal before the Florida Supreme Court; obtained $1 million punitive damage award; Awarded Daily Business Review’s Most Effective Lawyer Award in probate category in 2011.
  • Represented professional golfer and his management company in litigation brought by golf club manufacturer for breach of distributorship agreement.
  • Represented insured and successfully settled for amount in excess of insurance policy limit in case where insurer maintained that there was no coverage on merchant chargeback insurance policy.
  • Represented business and its owner in a trademark and copyright dispute involving the “Schticky” lint roller.
  • Represented FLSA plaintiff against the “Shamwow Guy” in case garnering national media exposure.
  • Represented jewelry distributor in pregnancy discrimination action in Puerto Rico federal court.
  • Prevailed in Third District and Florida Supreme Court proceedings that established new law on whether a lawsuit should be stayed when one of multiple defendants files for bankruptcy protection.
  • Successfully represented client in the collection of $ 1 million judgment against a debtor who claimed no assets.
  • Successfully negotiated settlement for six minors in life insurance dispute against their grandmother.
  • Represents synagogue on pro bono basis in various actions to collect school tuition.
  • Represented beneficiaries of $10 million life insurance policy in federal court jury trial against insurance company that maintained that misrepresentations were made in policy application.
  • Represented professional tennis star in action against her parents regarding ownership of Miami Beach home in a case that garnered national media attention.
  • Obtained favorable settlement for beneficiaries of life insurance policy in federal court litigation after insurance company contended that the insured committed suicide.
  • Represented trustees of trust created by the late diet guru Robert Atkins in action against Atkins’ wife and her new husband.
  • Represented paint distributor against Rust-Oleum in a six-week federal court jury trial involving alleged breach of exclusive South American distributorship agreement for sale of paint products.
  • Drafted prevailing Florida Supreme Court briefs in making new law regarding fraudulent transfers and discovery of personal financial information.  See Friedman v. Heart Inst. of Port St. Lucie, 863 So. 2d 189 (Fla. 2003).
  • Successfully resolved suitability of investments lawsuit on behalf of professional race car driver.
  • Represented wife of deceased who was sued for undue influence and lack of capacity regarding her deceased husband’s estate.
  • Represented numerous employees in negotiating severance agreements.
  • Represented several employees against 7-11 in a case involving wrongful termination and breach of contract.
  • Represents former guardians of two incapacitated individuals who were not properly compensated for the work that they performed.
  • Represented real estate purchaser who owns multi-million dollar property against the seller who failed to properly transfer the declarant rights to the property.
  • Represents nuclear imaging company in a shareholder dispute involving the ownership of the business.
  • Represented numerous real estate agents in cases where they were not paid their commissions related to sales of property.
  • Represented insured against his health insurer who refused to pay for cancer treatments.  This representation resulted in the insurer’s immediate decision cover the much needed cancer treatments.
  • Represented woman in a dispute against her pastor employer for wrongful termination and sexual assault.
  • Represent numerous homeowners in title disputes regarding their properties.

Michael Cotzen has worked on many complex litigation matters in which millions of dollars were in dispute. He has also practiced in sports and entertainment law, representing athletes such as a top ten women’s tennis player, a major championship winning golfer, and an Indy race car driver.

Mr. Cotzen has twice won the Daily Business Review's Most Effective South Florida Lawyer Award. He first won in 2011 in the probate category for the work that he did in Brigham v. Brigham, where he was part of a trial team that obtained a $9 million judgment, including $1 million in punitive damages, on behalf of his clients. He won the same award in 2013 by leading a team of lawyers on behalf of the Peninsula Condominium Association who invalidated a note in a mortgage foreclosure case, paving the way for the association to assume ownership of a luxury condominium worth more than a million dollars without an enforceable note.

Mr. Cotzen received his undergraduate degree from the University of Florida in finance and insurance, and completed his legal education at the University of Florida College of Law, graduating in 1998. While there, Mr. Cotzen received a book award in Legal Drafting for the highest grade in the class and served as a Teaching Assistant for Legal Research and Writing. In addition, Mr. Cotzen was a member of Florida Blue Key, was elected to the University of Florida Hall of Fame in 1998, and was the Chairman of Accent, the nation’s largest student run speaker’s bureau.

Mr. Cotzen is admitted to practice in the State of Florida, in the United States District Courts for the Middle and Southern Districts of Florida, and in the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit and Eleventh Circuit.

Mr. Cotzen has served on the Executive Board of Beth Torah Benny Rok Campus for eight years, including six years as one of its vice presidents. He and his wife were awarded the synagogue’s Young Leadership Award for the service commitment they have made to Beth Torah. Mr. Cotzen also enjoys coaching and managing his son’s baseball teams in North Miami Beach for the last six years. He lives in North Miami with his wife, Marla, who is an emergency room physician at Miami Children’s Hospital, and their two sons.

Mr. Cotzen is an AV rated lawyer by Martindale Hubbell, a rating bestowed on only 12% of all attorneys in the world. He also has a perfect 10.0 rating on Avvo.com and is highly reviewed by his clients on that website.

  • Reached very favorable settlement in the representation of group of employees against Fortune 100 company in employment dispute under the FLSA related to improper manipulation of timecards.
  • Defended former banker in various suits brought by investors and clients of Scott Rothstein seeking to recover tens of millions of dollars lost as a result of Rothstein’s Ponzi scheme.
  • Represented many dozens of homeowners in foreclosure matters and obtained numerous judgments in favor of homeowners on the issue of standing and statute of limitations.
  • Obtained $9 million judgment for beneficiaries of trusts against trustee for breaches of fiduciary duty in a lengthy matter which included more than a half dozen separate appeals and an appeal before the Florida Supreme Court; obtained $1 million punitive damage award; Awarded Daily Business Review’s Most Effective Lawyer Award in probate category in 2011.
  • Represented professional golfer and his management company in litigation brought by golf club manufacturer for breach of distributorship agreement.
  • Represented insured and successfully settled for amount in excess of insurance policy limit in case where insurer maintained that there was no coverage on merchant chargeback insurance policy.
  • Represented business and its owner in a trademark and copyright dispute involving the “Schticky” lint roller.
  • Represented FLSA plaintiff against the “Shamwow Guy” in case garnering national media exposure.
  • Represented jewelry distributor in pregnancy discrimination action in Puerto Rico federal court.
  • Prevailed in Third District and Florida Supreme Court proceedings that established new law on whether a lawsuit should be stayed when one of multiple defendants files for bankruptcy protection.
  • Successfully represented client in the collection of $ 1 million judgment against a debtor who claimed no assets.
  • Successfully negotiated settlement for six minors in life insurance dispute against their grandmother.
  • Represents synagogue on pro bono basis in various actions to collect school tuition.
  • Represented beneficiaries of $10 million life insurance policy in federal court jury trial against insurance company that maintained that misrepresentations were made in policy application.
  • Represented professional tennis star in action against her parents regarding ownership of Miami Beach home in a case that garnered national media attention.
  • Obtained favorable settlement for beneficiaries of life insurance policy in federal court litigation after insurance company contended that the insured committed suicide.
  • Represented trustees of trust created by the late diet guru Robert Atkins in action against Atkins’ wife and her new husband.
  • Represented paint distributor against Rust-Oleum in a six-week federal court jury trial involving alleged breach of exclusive South American distributorship agreement for sale of paint products.
  • Drafted prevailing Florida Supreme Court briefs in making new law regarding fraudulent transfers and discovery of personal financial information.  See Friedman v. Heart Inst. of Port St. Lucie, 863 So. 2d 189 (Fla. 2003).
  • Successfully resolved suitability of investments lawsuit on behalf of professional race car driver.
  • Represented wife of deceased who was sued for undue influence and lack of capacity regarding her deceased husband’s estate.
  • Represented numerous employees in negotiating severance agreements.
  • Represented several employees against 7-11 in a case involving wrongful termination and breach of contract.
  • Represents former guardians of two incapacitated individuals who were not properly compensated for the work that they performed.
  • Represented real estate purchaser who owns multi-million dollar property against the seller who failed to properly transfer the declarant rights to the property.
  • Represents nuclear imaging company in a shareholder dispute involving the ownership of the business.
  • Represented numerous real estate agents in cases where they were not paid their commissions related to sales of property.
  • Represented insured against his health insurer who refused to pay for cancer treatments.  This representation resulted in the insurer’s immediate decision cover the much needed cancer treatments.
  • Represented woman in a dispute against her pastor employer for wrongful termination and sexual assault.
  • Represent numerous homeowners in title disputes regarding their properties.

Michael L. Cotzen, Esq.

Michael Cotzen began practicing law in 1999. Prior to forming Cotzen Law, PA, Mr. Cotzen practiced at four premiere South Florida law firms - - Hall, David and Joseph; Kluger, Peretz, Kaplan & Berlin; and as a partner at Schlesinger and Cotzen and at Mansfield Bronstein. Michael has significant experience in real estate litigation and foreclosure defense, general business and commercial litigation, probate litigation, employment law, business and partnership disputes, and representing beneficiaries of life insurance policies. Mr. Cotzen has also written dozens of appellate briefs in Florida’s appellate courts and in the Eleventh Circuit. In addition, Mr. Cotzen presented a continuing education seminar for several years on Fraudulent Transfers.

Michael Cotzen has worked on many complex litigation matters in which millions of dollars were in dispute. He has also practiced in sports and entertainment law, representing athletes such as a top ten women’s tennis player, a major championship winning golfer, and an Indy race car driver.

Mr. Cotzen has twice won the Daily Business Review’s Most Effective South Florida Lawyer Award. He first won in 2011 in the probate category for the work that he did in Brigham v. Brigham, where he was part of a trial team that obtained a $9 million judgment, including $1 million in punitive damages, on behalf of his clients. He won the same award in 2013 by leading a team of lawyers on behalf of the Peninsula Condominium Association who invalidated a note in a mortgage foreclosure case, paving the way for the association to assume ownership of a luxury condominium worth more than a million dollars without an enforceable note.

Mr. Cotzen received his undergraduate degree from the University of Florida in finance and insurance, and completed his legal education at the University of Florida College of Law, graduating in 1998. While there, Mr. Cotzen received a book award in Legal Drafting for the highest grade in the class and served as a Teaching Assistant for Legal Research and Writing. In addition, Mr. Cotzen was a member of Florida Blue Key, was elected to the University of Florida Hall of Fame in 1998, and was the Chairman of Accent, the nation’s largest student run speaker’s bureau.

Mr. Cotzen is admitted to practice in the State of Florida, in the United States District Courts for the Middle and Southern Districts of Florida, and in the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit and Eleventh Circuit.

Mr. Cotzen has served on the Executive Board of Beth Torah Benny Rok Campus for eight years, including six years as one of its vice presidents. He and his wife were awarded the synagogue’s Young Leadership Award for the service commitment they have made to Beth Torah. Mr. Cotzen also enjoys coaching and managing his son’s baseball teams in North Miami Beach for the last six years. He lives in North Miami with his wife, Marla, who is an emergency room physician at Miami Children’s Hospital, and their two sons.

Mr. Cotzen is an AV rated lawyer by Martindale Hubbell, a rating bestowed on only 12% of all attorneys in the world. He also has a perfect 10.0 rating on Avvo.com and is highly reviewed by his clients on that website.

  • Reached very favorable settlement in the representation of group of employees against Fortune 100 company in employment dispute under the FLSA related to improper manipulation of timecards.
  • Defended former banker in various suits brought by investors and clients of Scott Rothstein seeking to recover tens of millions of dollars lost as a result of Rothstein’s Ponzi scheme.
  • Represented many dozens of homeowners in foreclosure matters and obtained numerous judgments in favor of homeowners on the issue of standing and statute of limitations.
  • Obtained $9 million judgment for beneficiaries of trusts against trustee for breaches of fiduciary duty in a lengthy matter which included more than a half dozen separate appeals and an appeal before the Florida Supreme Court; obtained $1 million punitive damage award; Awarded Daily Business Review’s Most Effective Lawyer Award in probate category in 2011.
  • Represented professional golfer and his management company in litigation brought by golf club manufacturer for breach of distributorship agreement.
  • Represented insured and successfully settled for amount in excess of insurance policy limit in case where insurer maintained that there was no coverage on merchant chargeback insurance policy.
  • Represented business and its owner in a trademark and copyright dispute involving the “Schticky” lint roller.
  • Represented FLSA plaintiff against the “Shamwow Guy” in case garnering national media exposure.
  • Represented jewelry distributor in pregnancy discrimination action in Puerto Rico federal court.
  • Prevailed in Third District and Florida Supreme Court proceedings that established new law on whether a lawsuit should be stayed when one of multiple defendants files for bankruptcy protection.
  • Successfully represented client in the collection of $ 1 million judgment against a debtor who claimed no assets.
  • Successfully negotiated settlement for six minors in life insurance dispute against their grandmother.
  • Represents synagogue on pro bono basis in various actions to collect school tuition.
  • Represented beneficiaries of $10 million life insurance policy in federal court jury trial against insurance company that maintained that misrepresentations were made in policy application.
  • Represented professional tennis star in action against her parents regarding ownership of Miami Beach home in a case that garnered national media attention.
  • Obtained favorable settlement for beneficiaries of life insurance policy in federal court litigation after insurance company contended that the insured committed suicide.
  • Represented trustees of trust created by the late diet guru Robert Atkins in action against Atkins’ wife and her new husband.
  • Represented paint distributor against Rust-Oleum in a six-week federal court jury trial involving alleged breach of exclusive South American distributorship agreement for sale of paint products.
  • Drafted prevailing Florida Supreme Court briefs in making new law regarding fraudulent transfers and discovery of personal financial information.  See Friedman v. Heart Inst. of Port St. Lucie, 863 So. 2d 189 (Fla. 2003).
  • Successfully resolved suitability of investments lawsuit on behalf of professional race car driver.
  • Represented wife of deceased who was sued for undue influence and lack of capacity regarding her deceased husband’s estate.
  • Represented numerous employees in negotiating severance agreements.
  • Represented several employees against 7-11 in a case involving wrongful termination and breach of contract.
  • Represents former guardians of two incapacitated individuals who were not properly compensated for the work that they performed.
  • Represented real estate purchaser who owns multi-million dollar property against the seller who failed to properly transfer the declarant rights to the property.
  • Represents nuclear imaging company in a shareholder dispute involving the ownership of the business.
  • Represented numerous real estate agents in cases where they were not paid their commissions related to sales of property.
  • Represented insured against his health insurer who refused to pay for cancer treatments.  This representation resulted in the insurer’s immediate decision cover the much needed cancer treatments.
  • Represented woman in a dispute against her pastor employer for wrongful termination and sexual assault.
  • Represent numerous homeowners in title disputes regarding their properties.

PRESS & AWARDS

Michael Cotzen Gives Back to The Community

MICHAEL Cotzen Gives Back
To The Community

Michael Cotzen Most Effective Lawyer 2013

MICHAEL COTZEN AWARDED
MOST EFFECTIVE LAWYER 2013

Michael Cotzen Most Effective Lawyer 2011

MICHAEL COTZEN AWARDED
MOST EFFECTIVE LAWYER 2011

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