by Leah Richmond ‘09

When he was eight years-old, Michael A. Mott (‘02) was wrongfully accused of a prank played by another student in his school cafeteria. As he was being reprimanded, he asked why he was in trouble. The response from the cafeteria lady was, “Because I said so.”

“I became a lawyer because I want to fight the ‘because I said so’s’ of the world,“ Michael said. A native Floridian, Michael grew up in Sarasota and still makes the state his home. His practice, The Mott Law Firm, is located in Maitland and his area of practice is personal injury and wrongful death.

Giving back has always been important to Michael. Because of his desire to help people, he made the decision to become a personal injury attorney early in life. “Personal injury lawyers come with the stigma of being ‘ambulance chasers’ and I want to change this perception,” says Michael. “The economy is causing more people to live from one pay check to the next and a simple accident may result in tremendous financial implications.” He knows that now, more than ever, people need protection from such financial damage.

Michael also gives back to his alma mater. He recently created an endowed scholarship in the College of Health and Public Affairs. Michael shares, “I did not grow up in a rich family and sometimes scholarships are the only way students are able to finish school.” He is very proud of the fact that UCF has grown into the third-largest university in the nation. He believes that the more the university grows, the more it will help our community by adding more professionals to the workforce and by fueling the economy. “Alumni should be proud to say they are a UCF Knight. I know I am!”

Michael’s choice to attend UCF was not a typical one. His choice was heavily influenced by the decisions of his high-school friends who enrolled here, but the decision turned out to be one of the best he has ever made. “UCF is a great school,” he said. “Even though law school was difficult, the classes [I took at UCF] helped to adequately prepare me for that next challenge.” As an undergraduate, Michael was always willing to take classes taught by demanding professors because it motivated him to work harder and perform better. Dr. Kathy Cook was one of his favorite professors because she challenged him and helped him to be more successful in life after UCF.

“Michael was a focused student who exhibited characteristics that showed that he was going to be a first-rate attorney,” said Dr. Cook. “I am not surprised that he has his own law firm. He was always ethical and hard working so it is not a surprise that he is successful. He and his wife are strong supporters of the legal studies program. Michael is always helping the legal studies department. He is a frequent guest speaker at the school and his law firm offers students of the legal studies program job opportunities.”

When he returns to mentor students on campus, Michael encourages them to figure out what they want to do early in their college careers. He suggests that students majoring in legal studies should intern at different places to find out which type of law best suits them. “When students find that good fit, they should find a way to earn a living in that chosen field,” he said. “They need to realize that time is not always on their side and they should make a solid decision regarding their futures before that time runs out. I urge students to find something that helps them better themselves, our community and economy.”