Michael J. DeCandio

Michael DeCandio concentrates his practice in the defense of construction and design professionals. Additionally, he defends both products and premises liability as well as trucking cases. He has tried almost 100 cases to verdict.

Michael graduated from the American University College of Public Affairs in 1975. Following employment with the Commonwealth of Virginia, he entered law school, graduating in 1982 with his juris doctor from the Cumberland School of Law of Samford University. While at Cumberland, he was a scholarship member of the Moot Court Executive Board and was selected as a national member of the Order of Barristers.

Following receipt of his law degree, he worked as an assistant state attorney for the Fourth Judicial Circuit of Florida for Duval, Clay and Nassau Counties. Michael served as a prosecuting attorney for five years, the last two of which he headed a special operations unit which investigated and prosecuted major drug trafficking and political corruption cases. In addition to that, he served on the homicide department of the State Attorney's Office.

Michael left the State Attorney's Office in 1987, joining the Matthews, Osborn firm, a well-established insurance defense firm in northeast Florida. He remained with that firm and its successor entities for 18 years, until merging with Marshall Dennehey Warner Coleman & Goggin in the summer of 2004.

Special associations and memberships include the Order of Barristers, the Defense Research Institute, the Florida Defense Lawyers Association and the Professional Liability Underwriting Society. He has been awarded an AV Preeminent Peer Review Rating by Martindale-Hubbell. In 2010, Michael was named by his peers to Florida Trend's list of Florida Legal Elite.

Honors & awards

AV Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell

Attorneys Listed by Best Lawyers in America
- Professional Malpractice Law
2012-Present

Florida Super Lawyer
2008-2009, 2016-2019

Florida Trends Florida Legal Elite
2010

Year joined

2004

Certification/Specialties

Certified Circuit Court Mediator

Results

Successful Defense of Window Manufacturer in High-stakes Construction Defect Case

Architectural, Engineering and Construction Defect Litigation
August 30, 2017

Obtained a defense verdict in a construction defect case after an eight-week jury trial. This was a construction defect/defective design claim brought by a retired CEO of a major automobile manufacturer who had purchased a home on Sarasota Bay for approximately $19 million. He began remodeling the 21,000 square foot home, which eventually led to a $19 million remediation claim.

Thought Leadership

Twelve Marshall Dennehey Attorneys Selected to the 2019 Florida Super Lawyers & Rising Stars Lists

May 30, 2019
Twelve attorneys from Marshall Dennehey's Florida offices (Fort Lauderdale, Jacksonville, Orlando and Tampa) have been selected to the 2019 edition of Florida Super Lawyers magazine.

Eleven Marshall Dennehey Attorneys Selected to the 2018 Florida Super Lawyers & Rising Stars Lists

June 19, 2018
Eleven attorneys from the Florida offices of Marshall Dennehey Warner Coleman & Goggin have been selected to the 2018 edition of Florida Super Lawyers magazine.

Eight Marshall Dennehey Attorneys Selected to the 2017 Florida Super Lawyers & Florida Rising Stars Lists

June 8, 2017
Eight attorneys from the Florida offices of Marshall Dennehey Warner Coleman & Goggin have been selected to the 2017 edition of Florida Super Lawyers magazine.

Ten Marshall Dennehey Attorneys Selected to the 2016 Florida Super Lawyers & Rising Stars Lists

June 9, 2016
Ten attorneys from the Florida offices of Marshall Dennehey Warner Coleman & Goggin have been selected to the 2016 edition of Florida Super Lawyers magazine.

Contractually Limiting Individual Liability for Design Professionals Using Florida’s New Legislation

Jacksonville
Architectural, Engineering and Construction Defect Litigation
December 17, 2013
By R. Thomas Roberts, Esq., Michael J. DeCandio, Esq. and Amanda Ingersoll*Key Points: Defense Digest, Vol. 19, No. 4, December 2013

From Frye to Daubert: What You Need to Know About Admitting Expert Testimony in Florida State Courts

Fort Lauderdale
General Liability
December 17, 2013
By R. Thomas Roberts, Esq., Michael J. DeCandio, Esq. and Amanda Ingersoll*Key Points: Defense Digest, Vol. 19, No. 4, December 2013

Classes/Seminars Taught

Various American Institute of Architects-sanctioned continued education programs for architects as well as engineers between 1995 and 2002

Mealey Construction Law Super Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada, November 2007 where issues concerning additional insured status were the topic of discussion