Michael Gerard Kissner Jr.

Michael G. Kissner Jr. is a Partner at Block & Scarpa and leads the firm's Civil Litigation Department, concentrating his practice on complex probate and trust disputes, construction litigation, and commercial, real estate, and business matters. He represents individuals, local businesses, governmental entities, and large corporations in high-stakes disputes, often involving multi-million dollar claims, where results depend as much on courtroom credibility and local knowledge as on legal skill. A fourth-generation Vero Beach native whose practice is centered in Indian River County and the surrounding Treasure Coast region, Mr. Kissner brings a command of the local courts, judiciary, and legal community that reflects a career built in this community.

Mr. Kissner has been recognized by Super Lawyers as a Rising Star and subsequently selected to Super Lawyers in 2025 and 2026. He is admitted to practice in all Florida state courts and the United States District Courts for the Middle and Southern Districts of Florida. His recent work includes significant appellate litigation, including a published decision of the Fourth District Court of Appeal now pending review before the Florida Supreme Court, along with the successful resolution of complex multi-party trust, construction, and real estate disputes on behalf of his clients.

A lifelong Vero Beach resident, Mr. Kissner earned his undergraduate degree in history from Princeton University, where he was also a member of the football team. He went on to Florida State University College of Law, where he received a book award for achieving the highest grade in his Torts class. After graduating, he returned to Vero Beach and began his career at Vocelle & Berg, LLP, where he trained under Louis B. (Buck) Vocelle Jr. and Paul Berg, two of only a small number of attorneys in Indian River County to hold dual board certifications in civil trial law and business litigation. He subsequently joined Collins & Brown, a firm with more than fifty years of continuous practice in the region, where he advanced from associate to partner before joining Block & Scarpa.

Over the course of nearly a decade, Mr. Kissner served in every officer role on the board of the Indian River County Bar Association, concluding his service as President and then Immediate Past President in 2025. During that same period, he served on the Board of Directors of the Indian River County Chamber of Commerce, advancing through each leadership position to serve as Chairman, then Immediate Past Chair, and continuing today on the Chamber's executive committee. He is one of the few attorneys in Indian River County to have served as President of the Indian River County Bar Association and Chairman of the Indian River County Chamber of Commerce. He has further served on the boards of the Indian River County Foundation for the Elderly, the Cultural Council of Indian River County, and the Princeton Club of Vero Beach, and is a member of the First Baptist Church of Vero Beach.

Outside the office, Mr. Kissner is an avid fisherman and scuba diver and plays acoustic guitar. He and his wife, Sherri, are the parents of three daughters and make their home in Vero Beach.

Mr. Kissner focuses his practice on the areas of serious injury, wrongful death, commercial litigation, probate litigation, and business disputes. He has represented a wide variety of clients, from local businesses and individuals to governmental entities and multi-national insurance companies. Mr. Kissner is admitted to practice before all Florida state trial courts and the Middle and Southern Federal District Courts of Florida.