Michelle M. Gervais

Partner & Co-Chair, Sports Industry Group, Blank Rome, Tampa

With 15 offices and more than 700 attorneys, Blank Rome provides comprehensive legal and advocacy services to clients around the world. Gervais has been with the firm for more than nine years. She serves as guardian ad litem to children involved in domestic violence cases, as well as representing single parents in custody disputes pro bono.

EDUCATION: Central Michigan University (BS), University of Miami School of Law (JD)

MENTOR: My greatest mentor was Burton Young. He was the managing partner at Young, Berman, Karpf & Gonzalez (where I first worked as an attorney) and past president of the Florida Bar. He taught me how to really listen to clients, not be judgmental, understand that in family law cases you never see clients at their best, how to handle very sensitive topics and to always put the children in family law matters first.

LISTENING: My latest favorite podcast is Dateline. It always keeps me intrigued when I’m driving and is always a reminder of what people are truly capable of.

MOTIVATIONAL MANTRA: If you can ‘see her’ you can ‘be her.’ I would like to show all of the young women out there that if you work hard, are authentic, ethical and take care of the world around you, wonderful things will happen.