Michael is the firm's supervising attorney for the Insurance Services Practice Group in the state of Florida and a member of the firm's Board of Directors. The group assists insurers in all aspects of a coverage dispute, including responses to civil remedy notices of insurer violations, pre-suit investigations and coverage evaluations, declaratory judgment and bad faith litigation. In particular, Michael defends property insurers throughout Florida in first party coverage matters, where he responds to claims for sinkhole, windstorm, fire, mold, theft, and water losses. Michael's group also conducts examinations under oath and SIU investigations.
In both the state and federal courts, Michael has participated in a number of bench and jury trials through verdict, all of which resulted in either a defense verdict or a verdict which was less than the amount demanded.
In addition, Michael is often asked to serve as coverage and bad faith counsel in third party actions, including monitoring the defense of litigation, as well as trial. As part of this role, Michael is often asked to draft reservation of rights, declinations and prosecute declaratory relief actions.
Michael has substantial experience in alternative dispute resolution, having represented clients in thousands of mediations, neutral evaluations and arbitration proceedings. Michael routinely advises clients on the evaluation and resolution of multi-claimant matters, often times where the injuries and damages exceed the available policy limits.
Over the past ten years, Michael and his group have defended in excess of three hundred sinkhole lawsuits, as well as hundreds of other first party lawsuits. The group has defended a number of cases through trial and appeal, including four sinkhole trials during recent years. In addition, the group represents more than ten statewide insurance carriers in first party property damage lawsuits, including many of the largest insurance carriers in Florida.
Michael routinely speaks at regional and nationwide industry conferences, specifically addressing coverage issues under first party property and third party liability policies. He has also presented a number of seminars on auto negligence, uninsured motorist and bad faith claims. Michael frequently travels around the country to provide in-house claims seminars with claims professionals. In addition, he has lectured on defending first party property damage claims including sinkhole and mold claims, which included review and analysis of claims handling procedures, as well as recommendations for the same. Michael has also written numerous articles for industry publications addressing Florida-specific claim handling issues and insurance companies’ rights and obligations in defending first and third party coverage actions.
In 1994 Michael earned his Bachelor of Arts from the State University of New York at Albany. Subsequently, Michael obtained his juris doctor in 1997 from the University of Miami School of Law, Coral Gables, Florida, where he graduated cum laude.
Michael is married to Nicole Packer and they live with their three children in Weston, Florida.
Honors & awards
Florida Trend Legal Elite, NOTABLE Managing Partner
2025
AV Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell
South Florida Legal Guide - Top Lawyers in Insurance Litigation Defense
2016, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021
South Florida Legal Guide - Top Lawyers in Insurance Litigation
2014
South Florida Legal Guide - Top Lawyers
2013
Florida Trend's Legal Elite - Top Up and Comer
2012
Year joined
2007
Results
Defense verdict for insurance carrier in first party property, breach of contract dispute in the Circuit Court of Palm Beach County.
Insurance Services - Coverage & Bad Faith Litigation
March 1, 2020
A water heater leak in a garage caused direct physical damage to the property, and our client paid the plaintiffs $956.95 for damages sustained to the garage, after applying the $1,000 policy deductible. The plaintiffs claimed that the defendant breached the contract of insurance by failing to fully indemnify them for all the property damage caused by the water leak.
Thought Leadership
Marshall Dennehey Promotes James Cole and Sunny Sparano to Lead The Firm’s Professional Liability Department and Announces New Board of Directors Appointments
January 5, 2026
Marshall Dennehey announced today that James H.
Appellate Court Finds Term “Occurrence” Ambiguous as It Pertains to Parkland Mass Shooting
Fort Lauderdale
Insurance Services - Coverage & Bad Faith Litigation
December 1, 2025
The Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals was recently tasked with determining whether the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, FL constituted a single occurrence or multiple occurrences pursuant to a commercial general l
Fifth District Sides with the Sixth District and Finds SB-2A Does Not Apply Retroactively
Fort Lauderdale
Insurance Services - Coverage & Bad Faith Litigation
Property Litigation
September 1, 2025
The Fifth District Court of Appeals reversed a trial court’s ruling that had retroactively applied statutory changes which eliminated an insured’s right to recover attorney’s fees in a first-party property damage case under what has become known a Legal Update for Florida Coverage & Property Litigation - September 2025 is prepared by Marshall Dennehey to provide information on recent legal d
Michael A. Packer Named a Florida Trend Legal Elite NOTABLE - Managing Partner
Insurance Services - Coverage & Bad Faith Litigation
July 1, 2025
Marshall Dennehey is pleased to announce that Michael A. Packer has been named a Florida Trend Legal Elite NOTABLE - Managing Partner.
Federal Court Holds Replacement Cost Value Coverage Requires Completed Repairs and an Actual Cost Value Estimate
Fort Lauderdale
Insurance Services - Coverage & Bad Faith Litigation
Property Litigation
June 1, 2025
The District Court granted summary judgment in favor of the insurance carrier in a dispute arising from a hurricane property damage claim. Legal Update for Florida Coverage & Property Litigation - June 2025 is prepared by Marshall Dennehey to provide information on recent legal develo
Classes/Seminars Taught
Examinations Under Oath - What Claims Professionals Need to Know to Conduct an Effective EUO, ALM/PropertyCasualty360 Complex Claims Conference, February 26, 2024
Investigating a Claim Under a Reservation of Rights - Strategies for Managing Claims that May Not be Covered, Florida Defense Lawyers Association’s Florida Liability Claims Conference, Lake Buena Vista, FL, June 16, 2022
What You Need to Know After you Go - Parts 1 and 2, CLM Claims College School of Property - Level 1 - Coverage, Virtual, 2021
Current Issues and Case Law Affecting the Property Claims Arena, CLM Claims College School of Property - Level 3, Virtual, 2021
Covid 19: To Be Property Damage or Not to Be Property Damage, CLM, January 2021
Insurance Coverage and Bad-Faith Insurance Issues Under Florida Law, Marshall Dennehey Florida Claims Symposium - The Best Defense is a Good Offense, Orlando, FL, September 17, 2014
Protecting Your Clients' Interest During Settlement, WIND Conference, 2013
American Conference Institute Bad Faith Litigation Conference (co-chairperson and lecturer) 2012
American Conference Institute Bad Faith Litigation Conference (lecturer) 2011
Media Commentary
'Homeowners Have Post-Loss Duties Too, Florida Appeals Court Says in HCI Win,' Insurance Journal, March 20, 2025
'Florida High Court Says Appraisals Can be Compelled Before Coverage Decided,' Insurance Journal, February 2, 2024
'Florida Appeals Court Says Pre-suit Notice Requirement Not Retroactive,' Insurance Journal, November 29, 2023
' What to Expect From Florida's AOB Reform Law,' Insurance Journal, June 17, 2019
'Florida Supreme Court Rules Against Insurer in Concurrent Loss Case,' Insurance Journal, December 6, 2016
