Overview

Michael is a Partner at CGBAG Law and is an experienced, well-respected litigator and trial attorney. He concentrates his practice in litigation, specifically personal injury matters including wrongful death and catastrophic injury, as well as a wide range of complex municipal matters. He also currently serves as the Solicitor to the Montgomery County Controller.

Born in lower Bucks County, Bristol, Pa, Michael learned to value both hard work and education from his mother, who taught at Pennsbury for 40 years and his father who was a laborer and roofer. Michael’s father immigrated here from Calabria, Italy, where most of his relatives still live in a small southern town named Pedivigliano. Clients benefit from his perfect mix of real-world and legal experience. Prior to returning to school for law, Michael worked for several years with troubled teens in and around Philadelphia. Helping families at their darkest times inspired him to return to school to become an attorney.

Following a two-year clerkship with the esteemed President Judge Alex Bonavitacola, Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas, Michael defended businesses, insurance companies and municipalities. He argued before the Delaware Supreme Court (making new law on indemnification), as well as the Federal Courts under zoning and land use statutes representing local townships/zoning boards. Thereafter, Michael worked at one of the top litigation firms in the state, litigating almost exclusively wrongful death and catastrophic injury matters. Michael has spent over 25 years focusing on litigation.  Lawyers across Pennsylvania rely on a book that Michael co-authored, “Library of Pennsylvania Personal Injury Forms.”   Michael has litigated in almost every county in Pennsylvania, and achieved multiple seven figure verdicts and settlements, (including two matters in the PA Top 20 Jury Verdicts, Legal Intelligencer).

Michael has volunteered with several organizations throughout the Philadelphia region.  He was appointed by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court as a Hearing Committee Member serving the Disciplinary Board of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania for a full six-year term.  Michael has also volunteered with the Montgomery Child Advocacy Project (MCAP), a program providing free legal assistance and social service advocacy to abused and neglected children in Montgomery County; Liberty & Law Civics Education Program, which provides legal and civics education to middle schools in Norristown; Board Member to the LGBT Equality Alliance, Chester County, PA: LGBT Equality Alliance is a non-profit organization in Chester County, working to create and sustain a safe and supportive environment for the Chester County LGBTQA community; serves on the executive committee of the Montgomery Democratic Committee and he is the Chairman of the Abington-Rockledge Democratic Committee.

Michael has volunteered as a Mentor through Widener University, Philadelphia Trial Lawyers Diversity Program and served the Advisory Panel to the American Bar Association. He has volunteered as a Youth Aid Panel Member, soccer and baseball coach, and for Town Watch. He was appointed to the Abington Industrial Development Authority and also served frequently as a Certified Arbitrator, Philadelphia Common Pleas Court.

As a member of the Montgomery County Bar Association, Michael actively participates in Bench Bar, Civil Practice Manual and Rules of Civil Court Committees as well as the Trial Lawyers Section. Mr. Barbiero earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Pennsylvania State University. He received his law degree from Widener University School of Law and studied law in Rome, Italy through the Temple Law International program. He was inducted into the Moot Court Honor Society and Phi Delta Phi, Harrington Inn, Honor Chapter, as well as named in Who’s Who, American Law Students, 18th Edition, 1999; Continental Who’s Who 2006-07; and the Cambridge Who’s Who 2008-09 Registry.