Professional Activities
Mike is a member of the Pennsylvania Bar Association and its Administrative Law Section. He also serves on the Gaming Law Committee, where he tracks and reports on all current developments affecting Pennsylvania's casino industry. He also maintains a survey of consent agreements entered into between the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board and licensees to create a resource that helps licensees in negotiating future consent agreements when the need arises.
International Masters of Gaming Law, General Member, 2019
Recognition & Accomplishments
The Best Lawyers in America, gaming law, 2021
Recipient of the 2018 Murray Friedman Emerging Leader Award, awarded by the Philadelphia/Southern New Jersey Chapter of American Jewish Committee (AJC) in recognition of leadership in Jewish advocacy
Named to AJC's national Sholom D. Comay "Leadership for the Future" Fellowship for 2018-2019
Recipient of The Legal Intelligencer's 2015 Lawyers on the Fast Track
Named by LEADERSHIP Philadelphia as one of Philadelphia's "Keepers," an honor bestowed upon the city’s most promising young leaders, (professionals under 35), December 10, 2014
Publications
Co-author, "Colorado Gaming Commission Moves to Ban Licensees From Involvement in Marijuana Industry," Ballard Spahr alert, September 24, 2018
Speaking Engagements
Mike is a frequent speaker on a variety of relevant regulatory topics related to the Right-to-Know Law, lobbying compliance, and other areas of political law, including:
"Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board Enforcement Matters: Overview of Recent Underage Consent Agreements," Pennsylvania Casino Security Directors Conference, 2015
"The Right-to-Know Law: 2015 Update on Best Practices and Recent Developments," PELRAS, 2015
"Before You Hit Send: How E-Mail Can Get Employers in Trouble," Pennsylvania State Association of Boroughs, October 1, 2014
"E-Mail, Social Media, and Right-to-Know for Elected Officials," PELRAS, January 31, 2014
"Right-to-Know Year in Review for 2013," PELRAS, 2013
"The Right-to-Know Law: Four Years Later," PELRAS, 2013
"Before You Hit Send: How E-Mail Can Get Employers in Trouble,” PELRAS, 2013
"Me, A Lobbyist? Philadelphia's New Lobbying Ordinance and What It Means for Nonprofits," Ballard Spahr breakfast briefing, Philadelphia, May 31, 2012
"Right-to-Know Year in Review for 2012," PELRAS, 2012
"Pennsylvania’s New Right-to-Know Law," Pennsylvania Bar Institute CLE, 2012
"Pennsylvania’s New Right-to-Know Law," Ballard Spahr presentation, 2011
"Allowable Advocacy for 501(c)(3)Nonprofits," Ballard Spahr presentation, 2010
Community Activities
Mike volunteered on the Vote Philadelphia transition committee organized by City Commissioners Stephanie Singer and Al Schmidt upon their election. Specifically, he served on the Law and Policy subcommittee and assisted in the drafting of the transition committee's report. Previously, Mike served as part of Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter's Emergency Management transition team, and was a lead draftsman on the Emergency Management transition memo. He has also guest-lectured in a high school advanced civics class on government and the political process.
From 2010 to 2017, Mike served his local community as a committeeperson on the 5th Ward Executive Committee for a local political party in Philadelphia. As a committeeperson, he represented approximately 1,100 voters in his neighborhood to the political party and volunteered every Election Day to help turn out the vote in his neighborhood and ensure his polling place ran smoothly. While he transitioned this role to one of his neighbors, he continues to be actively engaged in promoting local politics and empowering voters.
Board Memberships
Mike is an active member of the Board and Executive Committee for American Jewish Committee (AJC) of Philadelphia/Southern New Jersey, where he assists AJC's mission of promoting tolerance and advocating for the well-being of Jewish people.
Mike is an alumnus of the Board for Young Involved Philadelphia, where he helped to revive the organization's mission to promote civic engagement as a means to empower and connect young professionals in Philadelphia.