In order to become board certified, an attorney must have been engaged in the full-time practice of law for five years, and had substantial involvement in bankruptcy law for the three years prior to certification. Further, references must be obtained and a written examination passed. Finally, the attorney is required to take 60 hours of continuing education each 3 year period for certification, which is double the continuing education required by the Florida Bar. For more information, see the American Board of Certification’s homepage.

Michael Barnett obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree at Furman University, and the law degree at University of Florida in 1985. He was admitted to the Florida Bar in October 1985. After becoming a partner at the law firm of Isaak & Barnett, he opened his own firm in 1992 and has practiced as a single lawyer firm since then.

He is admitted to the Florida Bar and the US District Court for the Middle District of Florida.

Mr. Barnett will handle Chapter 7 bankruptcy liquidation cases for individuals and corporations, Chapter 13 bankruptcy debt repayment plans for individuals and small unincorporated businesses, and Chapter 12 bankruptcy farm repayment plans for individuals and small businesses. He is also one of the few local consumer attorneys that handle bankruptcy appeals. Michael Barnett has briefed and argued bankruptcy appeal cases up to the 11th circuit court of appeals.

Mr. Barnett’s analysis of the 2005 bankruptcy law has been linked by the primary national bankruptcy website, Abiworld, the American Bankruptcy Institute and he is a contributing author to Strategies for Consumer Bankruptcy Appeals found on Amazon and Thomson Reuters.