The founder of the firm, Michael practices primarily in the area of civil litigation with an emphasis in business, real estate, and insurance litigation. In addition to his litigation practice, Michael also provides general business counseling to his clients on a wide array of matters, including sophisticated transactional matters.
Before forming Vivoli Saccuzzo, LLP in 2011 with his longtime associate, Jason P. Saccuzzo, Michael practiced as a sole proprietor as Vivoli & Associates. Michael began his legal career in 1996 at what was then known as the law firm of Wingert, Grebing, Brubaker & Anello, LLP, now Wingert, Grebing, Brubaker & Juskie, LLP. While there, Michael enjoyed early and heavy exposure to all aspects of civil litigation and trial work. After moving to Duckor, Spradling & Metzger, Michael developed a passion for business litigation, with a heavy emphasis on real estate and insurance litigation. Michael left that firm to form Morris, Sullivan & Vivoli, LLP, now Morris, Sullivan & Lemkul, LLP, before forming his own firm in July 2003.
Michael has developed a reputation throughout California as an aggressive and highly successful but always practical trial attorney who never loses sight of the ultimate goals and best interests of his clients. Michael has tried to verdict numerous cases throughout the State of California, securing verdicts and judgments in the millions of dollars on behalf of plaintiffs while successfully defending multi-million dollar claims against his defendant clients. Michael’s clients include both large, institutional clients and successful high net worth individuals and entrepreneurs.
While in law school, Michael served as an Associate Editor of the California Western Law Review & International Law Journal and earned the school’s Scriba Regis award for Best Law Review Article for his published article: “’Harm’ing Individual Liberty: Assessing the U.S. Supreme Court’s Decision in Babbitt v. Sweet Home,” which was published in the California Western Law Review in 1996.
Michael attended undergraduate school at Utah State University on a full athletic scholarship and started his first Division I football game at left offensive tackle as just a redshirt freshman and lettered for four straight years.
Michael resides in San Diego with his wife but also travels frequently to Los Angeles where the firm maintains a remote office to better serve its substantial Los Angeles County client base.