Attorney at Law Magazine sat down with personal injury attorney Michael J. Fischetti, the founding and managing partner at The Fischetti Law Group. When we last spoke with Fischetti, he was two years into his solo practice. Today, he has led his firm for almost a decade and has expanded his firm significantly in that time.
AALM: Tell us about your time at the public defender’s office.
MJF: My time at the public defender’s office created some of the best on the job training I could ask for. I learned how to handle a large volume of cases while giving my clients the absolute attention they deserved. This afforded me the opportunity to be able to get them the best possible outcome in their case.
AALM: You worked for two civil litigation law firms prior to launching your firm, what drove you to start your own practice?
MJF: At first, the drive to open my own firm was to see if I could continue to excel in my area of law while bringing my own brand to the profession. It was the logical next step of my legal career. Opening a firm from scratch is a challenge that not everyone is up to. I felt that I could create a firm on my own and focus on bringing an extremely high level of customer service and achieve amazing results for my clients. Secondly, it would allow me the freedom to work as hard as I needed to see my firm succeed, but still be flexible to spend time with my wife and young children.
AALM: You once described your firm culture as “we don’t walk, we run.” Does this still apply to your firm and what does it look like in practice?
MJF: Our firm culture is a “we don’t walk, we run” BUT we will always stop if someone has a question. I feel it’s so important to allow each of our staff members to “stop the train” if they see something that needs attention. Speed is important in the legal world, especially in the litigation field, but getting it done right is the most important thing.
AALM: Tell us about a case that has affected you professionally or personally.
MJF: I would say the biggest case that affected me was the one that got me into the legal field – my parents’ divorce. At a young age, I saw the roles each person in the process played and knew the impact on my life that those individuals, especially the attorneys played.
During my time as an attorney, the case that affected me the most and had a lasting impact was a personal injury case in which I represented an entire family who were victims in a particularly violent crash. During my time representing the family, I was the glue that helped them stay together through a horrible time in their life. I was able to obtain a great outcome that brought them closer to putting their lives back together.
AALM: Looking back on your career so far, are there any changes you’d make? Mistakes you’d correct? Missed opportunities you’d grab hold of?
MJF: I would say I could fill a book up with the mistakes I have made but I don’t look at them as that. I see those type of things as “micro fails” that allowed me to grow stronger with situation and scenario. I do wish that I had grasped the role that marketing has to play in a firm’s success a little earlier in my career. But I believe our all-in approach to digital marketing has brought us right back to being a leader in the industry.
AALM: What goals are you still hoping to accomplish in your professional career? What’s the next big milestone for you?
MJF: My goal is to wake up each day 20 years from now with the same energy and excitement for my job that I have today. The next big milestone for us is expanding our estate planning division and getting into the world of immigration law where we can continue to help our clients each day.
AALM: Can you tell us about your work with the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation?
MJF: Our work with cystic fibrosis continues in memory of my nephew, Connor, who was born with the disease and was helped so greatly with the achievements and advancements in medicine before his sudden passing from a stroke.
We are also involved in so many local charities that our family and friends bring to our attention. We don’t just have an office here; we feel that we are part of the community and have an obligation to help make it better. We do our part by giving away backpacks filled with school supplies to the students of Citrus Cove, donating and working with the arts programs at Dreyfoos High School, helping with a local animal shelter or sponsor families in need during the holidays and so much more.
AALM: Outside of your legal career, what are some of your hobbies or interests that you enjoy pursuing in your free time?
MJF: Most of my free time is spent with my family. We enjoy traveling, spending time with our extended family, boating, and going to the beach. As our kids get older, we are able to expand our activities and have started to attend sporting events and concerts.
For more information, visit fischettilawgroup.com.
