Farrell Fritz welcomes Garden City resident Michael P. Stafford to the firm's real estate and trusts & estates departments as counsel. Mr. Stafford will focus his practice in commercial real estate, and in estate administration and planning in both New York and Florida.

Prior to joining Farrell Fritz, Mr. Stafford was a sole practitioner in his home town of Garden City, NY and was also a partner at Rivkin Radler, LLP.

Mr. Stafford, admitted to practice law in New York and Florida, lectures at continuing legal education programs (CLE) in both states. He is a member of the New York State Bar Association (NYSBA) and The Florida Bar, where he has been a member of the Executive Council of the Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section since 1992. Mr. Stafford has served The Florida Bar in the following capacities: Board of Directors, Florida Bar Foundation, 2002-2006; Vice Chair, Standing Committee on Professionalism, 2004; Board of Governors, 1995-1999; Executive Committee, 1996, 1998; Chair, Long Range Planning Committee, 1994-1995; and President, Out of State Practitioner's Division, 1992-1993. He is a Fellow of the Florida Bar Foundation.

Mr. Stafford has been active in civil and charitable organizations. He is the Treasurer and an Executive Board member of the St. John's University School of Law Alumni Association. He is an Honorary Trustee of Variety Child Learning Center, having served as a Board member for nineteen years. He is a former Vice President of Government Affairs, member of the Board of Directors and Executive Committee of the Long Island Association (LIA). Mr. Stafford is a former Garden City Chamber of Commerce board member. He has served on Advisory Committees to the Diocesan Television Center (Telecare) and Mercy Hospital, as well as other community organizations.

Prior to practicing law, Mr. Stafford was a sportswriter, political reporter and editor for United Press International (UPI) in New York, and was Sports Information Director at St. John's University. He also spent several years in New York State government and politics, having served as Execu-tive Assistant to State Senator John R. Dunne; Director of Communications to Chief Judge Charles D. Breitel; and Director of Communications to Governor Malcolm Wilson.

Mr. Stafford earned his Juris Doctor degree from St. John's University School of Law. He received his B.A. in English from St. John's University School of Education. In 2007, Mr. Stafford was presented with the University's "Outstanding Alumni Achievement" award. He has an AV Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Rating.