Michael Miranda attended Colgate University, graduating in 1983. He graduated from The New York Law School in 1986. While at New York Law School , he was articles editor of The New York Law School Journal for Comparative and International Law. His article, “ An Analysis of the Tort Exception of the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act, “ was published at 7 N.Y.L.S.J. INT'L COMP L. (1985).

He was admitted to practice in New Jersey in 1986 and in New York in 1987 as well as the relevant Federal courts for these jurisdictions.

Mike has spoken at the Practicing Law Institute's Police Liability Panel twice; and New York State Bar Association and National Business Institute seminars on Insurance Coverage, Municipal Liability, Construction Litigation and Police Misconduct. In addition, he has been chosen three times to chair the State's insurance coverage seminar.

Mike's broad-based experience mirrors that of the firm's practice areas. He has extensively litigated insurance coverage disputes; municipal liability, including professional liability matters; and employment discrimination claims.

He has also litigated commercial disputes, and counseled property owners on landuse and construction issues.

As to insurance coverage, his coverage experience ranges from common habitational and general liability defenses (such as late notice, lead paint, classification, and anti-subrogation issues) to environmental defenses. Mike has been to the New York State Court of Appeals three (3) times, prevailing each time in major victories for the insurance industry. See U.S. Underwriters v. Val-Blue (preventing wily plaintiffs' attorneys from securing coverage by cloaking assault cases in the garb of negligence claims); Mount Vernon v. Creative Housing (same); American Home v. National Casualty (preserving the rights of excess insurers to disclaim on late notice grounds without showing prejudice).

He has also won cases involving late notice provided by a broker (Shaw Temple v. Mount Vernon); notice by a claimant (Ugandan Mission v. U.S. Underwriters); and the insurer's right to choose counsel (Silbowitz v. Empire).

With respect to general liability, he has litigated Labor Law cases; Property damage; and firefighters' claims, as well as all municipal torts.

Mike has often defended employers in disputes ranging from sexual harassment to racial discrimination.

In particular, he has achieved the following victories:

• Tara v. Village of Briarcliff Manor: plaintiffs gained substantial press notoriety by alleging that the Village of Briarcliff Manor was anti-Irish in opposing their application for a Gaelic facility. Mike obtained summary judgment, arguing that the plaintiffs had not sustained any constitutional injury. The United States District Court for the Southern District of New York agreed, and dismissed the entire complaint before on deposition was taken or one document exchanged.
  
• Puglisi v. Tuckahoe: plaintiff asserted that the Village was selectively enforcing its building code in retaliation for his renting to African-Americans. The District Court, by judge Motley, disagreed and dismissed the complaint before trial. Mike not only obtained a complete victory, he convinced Judge Motley that the case was utterly frivolous, and he succeeded in obtaining over $30,000 in attorneys fees from plaintiff. Mike retained both dismissal and attorneys fees award on appeal in the Second Circuit.
  
• Griffin v. Liberty: plaintiff was the president of the Sullivan County Chamber of Commerce, and he claimed that various police officers falsely arrested him. Mike obtained a verdict for the defense.
  
• Kovalsky v. Haverstraw: Mike obtained a defense verdict for the Village of Haverstraw and its police officers, who were charged with breaking the arm of a prisoner during an arrest. Mike used a doctor to demonstrate that the injury suffered by the plaintiff could not have been sustained in connection with the arrest.
  
• Shim v. Village of Lynbrook: Mike obtained a defense verdict in a racial discrimination/false arrest case. Plaintiffs had asserted that they were arrested solely because they are black and that, in reality, at the time of the arrest, they were simply returning important belongings to plaintiff's house. The jury deliberated less that an hour in reaching a verdict for the Village and the officers on qualified immunity grounds.
  
• Ricciutti v. The City of New York and Henry Lopez: case involved serious charges of fabrication of police records and police misconduct. Mike and co-counsel obtained federal court defense verdicts for all defendants.

Mike has also authored articles for the Defense Research Institute and the New York Law Journal. He serves as a member of the Employment and Municipal Law Committees of DRI, the Municipal Law Committee of the New York State Bar Association; and Insurance Law Committee of the State Bar.