Florida Employment and Civil Rights Attorneys.
Statewide Practice, Gainesville Office.
Credentials
Michael O. Massey brings over two decades of experience representing Florida workers and business owners in employment law, civil rights, and complex civil litigation.
Holding both a Juris Doctor with High Honors (Top 10%) and a Master of Laws (LL.M.) in Taxation from the University of Florida, Mr. Massey combines aggressive trial advocacy with deep financial and tax expertise. His background includes a federal judicial internship with Chief Judge Maurice M. Paul in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida, as well as international tax consulting for Deloitte & Touche.
At Massey & Duffy, PLLC, Mr. Massey focuses on federal court practice, wage-and-hour disputes, whistleblower claims, severance negotiations, and workplace discrimination across Florida.
Florida Civil Rights Claims
Section 1983 Federal Civil Rights Claims. Sue state and local officials — police, deputies, correctional staff, municipalities — who violate your constitutional rights under color of state law.
Excessive Force and Police Misconduct. Officers may use only the force the situation actually requires; beatings, improper taser or firearm use, and mistreatment in custody violate the Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments.
False Arrest and Unlawful Detention. Police cannot arrest, detain, or jail you without probable cause, and if they did you may recover for lost liberty, lost wages, and emotional harm.
Malicious Prosecution. If charges were brought against you without probable cause and later dismissed or resolved in your favor, the officials responsible can be held civilly liable.
First Amendment Retaliation. You can criticize public officials, record police in public, and assemble peacefully without being arrested, threatened, or penalized for it..
Florida Employment and Workplace Claims
Wrongful Termination and Retaliation. Fired after you complained, reported illegal conduct, requested an accommodation, or took protected leave — the timing itself is evidence.
Workplace Discrimination. Employers rarely admit bias, so we build these cases out of comparators, shifting explanations, and timelines that do not hold up.
Gender and Pregnancy. Equal pay disparities, pregnancy discrimination, promotion denials, and gender stereotyping.
Disability. Denied accommodations, medical leave interference, and pretextual firings after an injury or diagnosis.
Age. Layoff targeting, unequal performance metrics, and ageist workplace culture under the ADEA.
Religious. Denied Sabbath accommodations, dress code and grooming exemptions, and harassment over sincerely held beliefs.
Race. Disparate treatment in hiring, firing, pay, and discipline, and racially hostile work environments.
Retaliation. Adverse action because you asserted your legal rights, which is protected even when the underlying complaint is never proven.
Non-Compete and Severance Disputes. Florida enforces non-competes more readily than most states, so find out whether yours holds up before you resign.
Whistleblower Claims. Claims under Florida's public and private sector whistleblower statutes and federal retaliation provisions.
Sexual Harassment. Quid pro quo demands and hostile work environments, including harassment by supervisors, coworkers, customers, and vendors.
Unpaid Wages and Overtime. Off-the-clock work, exempt misclassification, and overtime paid at straight time — cases that come down to payroll records and arithmetic.
EEOC and FCHR Charges. Filing an administrative charge is mandatory before a federal discrimination suit, and we draft evidence-backed charges for transparent flat fees.
Florida Civil Litigation
Constitutional Law. First Amendment retaliation, due process violations, false arrest, and § 1983 claims against government employers, municipalities, and public officials.
Trial Advocacy. Preparing every case as though a jury will decide it is what creates real settlement leverage.
Invasion of Privacy. Unlawful disclosure of medical or personnel records, unauthorized surveillance, defamation, and public disclosure of private facts.
Business Disputes. Breach of contract, partnership dissolutions, shareholder conflicts, and tortious interference.
General Civil Litigation. High-stakes representation in Florida state and federal courts, including real estate conflicts, contract enforcement, and equity claims.
Personal Injury. Serious car and truck crashes and premises liability claims, handled directly with the insurance adjusters.
FAQs
Deadlines and Guarantees
Almost every claim on this page has a clock attached, and several are shorter than people assume. Moreover, there are no guarantees and results depend on the specific facts and law of each case. Prior results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome in any other matter.
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Gainesville Office, Statewide Practice
Our office sits on East University Avenue in Gainesville. Our services and initial consultations are all handled remotely by phone, email, and video, so where you live in Florida does not limit whether we can help.
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Can I rely on information in this website?
No. The information on this website is general and is not legal advice for your situation. Contacting Massey & Duffy, PLLC by phone, text, email, or through this website does not create an attorney-client relationship. That relationship begins only when we and you sign a written agreement.
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Do I have to come to your office?
For your convenience and to keep legal costs down, our firm operates 100% remotely for consultations. We handle everything efficiently via phone, email, and video for clients anywhere in Florida.