About Michael Raphael
Michael Raphael Cardinale built an academic foundation that points to both scholarship and practice. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the State University of New York at Binghamton in 1992 and later completed an S.J.D. at Albany Law School, a research doctorate that sits at the top of legal academic degrees. Those credentials framed a career that moved quickly from the courthouse to private practice.
Early in his legal life he worked inside the federal court. In 1996 he served as a law clerk in the chambers of the Honorable David N. Hurd at the United States District Court. That role put him close to trial procedure and the rhythms of federal litigation. He spent time observing judicial decision-making and drafting opinions before shifting to firm work at the end of the decade.
By 1999 Cardinale was an associate at Nicholas, Perot, Smith, Welch & Smith, P.C. He handled matters typical of a young associate, learned how law firms operate, and developed client-handling skills that would prove useful when he launched his own practice. A year later he opened his own firm. Since 2000 he has been the owner of Cardinale Law Office, P.C., running the business side of practice as well as the legal side.
Over more than two decades he has kept his practice rooted in private law firm work. Office listings have included multiple locations and affiliation with Cardinale & DelVecchio Law Office. Those arrangements reflect a practice that serves clients out of more than one office and that combines solo ownership with collaborative office settings.
Colleagues and clients have encountered him in courtrooms and in conference rooms. His experience includes work at the federal level, time as a firm associate, and long-term ownership of a practice. That mix gives him perspective on both litigation and the practical demands of running a law office. He has navigated case management, client intake, and legal strategy across a range of matters over the years.
He publishes and speaks only on topics he has verified through research and experience. He continues to practice from his offices listed as Cardinale Law Office, P.C. and Cardinale & DelVecchio Law Office. He currently concentrates his practice on client representation through his private practice.
