The Fifth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals appointed Michael a bankruptcy judge effective November 2, 2021.  From 1995 until he became a judge, Michael was an associate and then partner with the law firm of Norton Rose Fulbright US LLP (formerly Fulbright & Jaworski LLP).

Michael was board certified in both Business Bankruptcy Law and Consumer Bankruptcy Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization (TBLS) from 1999 until after he took the bench.  He served as one of six commissioners on the TBLS Bankruptcy Commission from 2005 to 2011 (chair in 2011).

Prior to joining NRF, from 1993 to 1995, Michael was a briefing attorney for the Honorable Ronald B. King, United States Bankruptcy Judge for the Western District of Texas.  During law school Michael served as a summer law clerk for the Honorable John Cornyn (Justice, Texas Supreme Court) (now a United States Senator) and the Honorable Lloyd Doggett (Justice, Texas Supreme Court) (now a U.S. Congressman).  He graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a J.D. and a M.B.A. (M.B.A. with High Honors) in 1993 and a Master of Science in Civil Engineering (with High Honors) in 1987. He worked as an engineer and project manager in Dallas from 1987 to 1989 and helped build, among other things, an elementary school (Charles Rice) and a wing addition to a high school (Sunset).

He graduated from the University of Colorado at Boulder with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering (with Honors) in 1986. He is an avid soccer fan, a former soccer player, coach and referee. He is secured by a golden band (36 years) and owned by five children aged 24 to 32.