On the first day of 2017, Michelle Glass celebrated the one-year anniversary of her real estate law firm.
That opening came after a long journey in the legal world, one that began when she was a child.
Glass remembers sitting in the judge’s chambers during her parents’ divorce proceedings, with an attorney on each side of her.
“I was 5 but even though I didn’t know what they were doing, I knew I wanted to do it,” she said.
Her first job in the field was as a secretary for a bankruptcy firm. Afterward, Glass attended the St. Thomas University School of Law in Miami.
Born and raised in South Carolina, it was the appeal of Florida’s weather and beaches, coupled with an opportunity to enroll in St. Thomas’ inaugural spring term for law that brought Glass to the state.
She hasn’t left since. “I just love Florida,” Glass said.
After graduating from law school, she worked for a sole practitioner in Melbourne, which she found interesting.
“It tells you what law you want to work in and what law you don’t,” Glass said.
From there, she eventually made her way to Jacksonville after getting a job with Fidelity National Law Group in its Title Claims Division.
At that point, Glass had decided real estate law was where she wanted to be.
Why? It wasn’t necessarily the interest in realty, although that is apparent, but rather, the desire to help people in many ways.
Glass said she might come into work one day to handle closings but the next day may involve hours of helping people retain ownership of a house they’re in danger of losing.
“I do what I do because I love helping people. I always have and I always will,” she said.
This also manifests itself in her volunteer work.
For many years, Glass worked on the management team for Special Olympics in Northeast Florida. She often managed the check-in and registration for participants and doled out the awards.
Glass first started volunteering with Special Olympics when at age 6 or 7, she and her siblings were dropped off at the event to help.
“I’ve been in love with the program ever since,” she said.
Glass also has volunteered many hours to help the elderly in hospice, which was a challenge for her.
She was very close to her grandmother, who lived to be 98. That made Glass realize volunteering with hospice was something she needed to do.
“I would not want someone in my family to be alone at that point in their life,” she said.
Running her own firm and being president of the Mortgage Bankers Association of Jacksonville and of her condominium association makes it tough for Glass to volunteer as much as she’d like.
She does plan, though, to get back to it soon.
As president of the Mortgage Bankers Association, she finds herself in the middle of a three-year commitment.
The first year consists of sitting on the board as vice president. Glass has completed the first year and moved on to the second, which means she is president. As president, she represents not only the real estate industry, but the bankers involved, as well.
Beyond working with her board to solve issues and further protect the industries at hand, she helps throw multiple fundraisers throughout the year.
“I’m a part of this association because I want to be involved. I love it,” Glass said.
The third year consists of a term as past-president, which acts as a mentor to the current president.
Looking back at her law office’s first year, Glass finds herself extremely grateful and humble. After leaving Vernis & Bowling, she is humbled her clients followed her.
“My clients had a choice when I left my previous law office to open my own. They could find another firm or they could go with me,” she said. “All of them came with me.”
While Glass continues juggling the multiple positions, one thing is clear: She’s excited about the future.
“The Law Office of Michelle L. Glass, PA, is going to be big. Just you wait,” she said.