By Michael Colombo, Esq. | www.colomboforjudge.com | facebook.com/mikecolomboforjudge
Hello, Southwest Florida! My name is Mike Colombo, and I am running for Circuit Court Judge in the 20th Judicial Circuit.
I am 52 years old and decided to run for Circuit Court Judge because I believe I have the proper qualifications, including legal and life experience. I am a trial attorney with over two decades of legal experience, including completing over 100 trials to verdict. My experience includes representing plaintiffs, defendants, and the State.
I would like to share some of my background with you, the voters:
I was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut, to Italian immigrant parents. My mom, Lydia Colombo (now deceased), was a famous seamstress in the late 1960s, constructing custom dresses in New York City for celebrities Jacqueline Kennedy, President Lyndon B. Johnson’s daughters, Happy Rockefeller, Ben Gazzara, and Natalie Wood. My mom’s stunning custom-made wedding dress for Lynda Bird Johnson in 1967 has been seen by millions. I know the value of family, as my mom left behind her celebrity clients to raise myself and my sister in Connecticut. My father was also a trade worker, installing and fixing furnaces in neighborhoods throughout the Fairfield County, Connecticut community.
I grew up watching my parents work long hours, well into the night, to put food on the table and send me to school. My humble upbringing taught me family values, loyalty, hard work, integrity, and character.
I received a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Scranton (PA), with a concentration in criminal justice, in 1994. I went to Quinnipiac University School of Law in Hamden, CT., graduating in the top 1/3 of my class in May 2000.
I have dyslexia, and many school professionals advised me that being a lawyer would never happen. However, I proved them all wrong. I passed the Connecticut bar in July 2000. I quickly began a noteworthy career as a trial attorney, working for the State Attorney’s Office in Connecticut, never losing a jury trial in 4 years. I then wanted to learn and absorb other areas of the law, working as a criminal defense attorney and civil plaintiff’s attorney for several years. I argued in front of the Connecticut Supreme Court in 2008 on a civil law issue, where I was the lead counsel against an insurance company.
I also represented a firefighter against the City of Stamford (Connecticut) regarding employment discrimination, where my work created a new precedent for firefighter promotional testing. Early in my career, I demonstrated a proven track record of fighting for justice against opponents who were considered “legal giants” in the community. Size does not matter to me, as the legal profession is solely about JUSTICE, which MUST be blind.
In June 2009, I worked as a Special Agent with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). After going through their rigorous background screening and gaining Top Secret Clearance, I dedicated the following years to public service. I was stationed on the Northern Border and handled a wide variety of criminal cases as a Special Agent, including human trafficking, terrorism, child exploitation, immigration, and drug trafficking. My skills were recognized, as DHS made me one of the lead collateral case agents on the 2010 New York City Times Square Bombing case.
During this time, I was also sworn into the Florida Bar. Injuries forced me to return to being a trial lawyer and brought me to Southwest Florida to be near my wife’s family.
In May 2012, I began working in Southwest Florida as an Assistant State Attorney. Over the next 10+ years, I handled thousands of cases as a prosecutor in the 20th Judicial Circuit, affecting the lives of hundreds. My work over the years ranged from low-level misdemeanors to multiple life sentences. I took on any challenge I was given, including years of working in the Special Victim’s Unit.
I joined private practice at Suarez, Rios, and Weinberg in January 2023, handling civil and criminal matters for clients. Our firm defends the rights of the accused, from misdemeanors to citizens facing life in prison. Our firm represented individuals (i.e., J6ers) charged in the January 6th event in Washington, DC. Our law firm believes in fighting for everyone’s rights, as enumerated in the U.S. Constitution and the State of Florida. I believe integrity and transparency are vital to the practice of law. I am also proud to serve on the Florida Bar Professional Ethics Committee.
On a personal note, I have three boys playing baseball in the community. My wife, Susan, serves on the San Carlos Babe Ruth Baseball Board, where I routinely volunteer my time. My hobbies include fishing and going to the ballpark with my boys.
One last thing: when real-life experience matters, VOTE COLOMBO on or by AUGUST 20th!
Michael Colombo, Esq., Suarez, Rios & Weinberg, P.A.
1532 Jackson Street, Fort Myers, FL 33901 | 239-337-9755 (office)
