Sam graduated from Miami University (OH) with a Bachelor of Arts in Diplomacy and Foreign Affairs and graduated from Nova Southeastern University Law School.
Prior to opening his solo practice, he spent over four years as a staff attorney at St. Michael’s Legal Center for Women and Children, Inc. As a staff attorney, Sam accumulated a diverse array of experience in all corners of guardianship and family law including: dissolution of marriage; paternity; supplemental modification of child support/parental responsibility and/or timesharing; Dependency, Temporary Custody By Extended Family Member, Guardian Advocacy Petitions, and adoption actions.
Sam also conducted full trials from intake to final judgment, initiated appeals, litigated temporary relief claims, argued motions, counseled clients, appeared at mediations, organized discovery, prepared trial exhibits, and drafted the gamut of all emergency, expedited, and timely family law motions and pleadings. While at St. Michael’s, Sam was the inaugural recipient of the John Mangin Distinguished Service Award.
In the past, Sam has volunteered at the Orange County Legal Aid Landlord/Tenant Housing Clinic and for the Hillsborough County Guardian ad Litem Program. As a Guardian ad Litem, he was responsible for testifying in Dependency court proceedings on behalf of sheltered children’s best interest. For his efforts in one case, Sam was awarded a special commendation by the Florida statewide Guardian ad Litem program.
During Covid, Sam wrote a feature length legal thriller screenplay about his experiences navigating the Dependency system titled The Sunshine Skyway.
Sam is a member of both the Hillsborough County and St. Petersburg Bar Associations as well as Clearwater’s Cannakaris Inn of Court (family law). Most impressively, Sam won the North American Wiffle Ball Championship as a teenager.
Whether you are on a Ramen Noodle budget or a Martha’s Vineyard budget, we can all agree lawyers are expensive. In fact, the only people who probably don’t feel that way are lawyers who own homes on Martha’s Vineyard.
That said, I strive to create value for my clients. Specifically, everything I try to do is with the thought of using the resources I am given to solve problems without my clients incurring any more expenses than are necessary. If you happen to retain me, don’t be surprised if in one of our conversations I say, “Let’s not turn a $50 issue into a $5,000 problem.”
As crazy as it sounds, sometimes it’s easier to speak with someone outside the hours of 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. I understand that and am available for consultations and appointments in the evenings and on weekends. I try to be available to my clients 24/7 and respond promptly to all phone calls and emails.
Frankly, I like talking shop. No matter who I talk to (other lawyers, judges, expert witnesses, or prospective clients) I always feel like I learn or discover something new. If you have a family law or other legal issue you wish to discuss, please contact my office and we can set up time to speak.
I’m here to help you navigate the tricky waters of family law, guardianship, and probate with confidence and peace of mind.
Let’s find practical, affordable solutions that fit your life.
