Michael R. Puhl, a certified mediator, is a 1982 graduate of The John Marshall Law School in Chicago. He is licensed to practice law in Texas before the United States Supreme Court. He is an active member of state and local bar associations and former president of the Plano Bar Association. In 2006 he was appointed by Governor Rick Perry to the Texas Board of Examiners for Marital & Family Therapists. He was a Texas State Delegate in 2006 and 2007 to the national conference of the Association of Marital and Family Therapy Regulatory Boards and the National Council on Licensure, Enforcement and Regulation. He previously served on the McKinney Economic Development Corporation.
Currently, Michael serves on the Executive Board of Directors as Secretary of the Collin County Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) organization.
Michael has long been active in education, and previously served as a board trustee for the McKinney Independent School District from 2002-2008. In the past he has been chairman of the Plano Independent School District Lawyer-Youth Mentoring Program and chairman of the Allen, Frisco and McKinney High Schools “Now You Are 18” education program. He has been honored as a Collin County Bench/Bar Foundation Fellow and in 2000 was accepted as a life member of the National Registry of Who’s Who.
CERTIFIED LEGAL SPECIALTIES
- Board Certified – Family Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization, 2009
- Certified Family Law Mediator, 1997
Bar Admissions
- U.S. Supreme Court, 1992
- Supreme Court of Texas, 1992
Education
- John Marshall Law School , Chicago, Illinois
- Juris Doctorate – 1982
Classes/Seminars
- Lufkin Counselors Group – A primer for judges and therapists on how to remain compliant with professional rules and the Texas Family Code. Lufkin, TX, 2018
- Frequent guest speaker to graduate students at the Southern Methodist University Simmons’ Center for Family Counseling on legal and licensure issues, from initial client meeting to courtroom involvement. Plano, TX, 2013 to 2017
- Bridgebuilder Academy Counseling Group Presentation; “Counselors in the Courtroom” presentation for counselors and instructors of special needs children. Richardson, TX, 2017
- Conference Speaker, Conflict Between Therapeutic and Forensic Roles for Counselors in the Courtroom, Texas Counseling Association Professional Growth Conference, 2013 to 2016
- Conference Speaker, Updates from the Board of Examiners, Texas Counseling Association Professional Growth Conference, 2013 to 2016
- Conference Speaker, Conflict Between Therapeutic and Forensic Roles for Counselors in the Courtroom, Texas Association of Marriage & Family Therapists Annual Conference, 2013 to 2016
- Presentation to Heart of Texas Counseling Association; “Counselors in the Courtroom: Lions & Tigers and Bears, Oh My!” Waco, TX, 2016
- Presentation at TCA Professional Growth Conference – In depth coverage of HIPAA, and HB300 (Texas Medical Records Privacy Act). Dallas, TX, 2016
- Presentation to Dallas Area Counseling Coalition; “Legal and Ethical Issues Facing Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists.” Carrollton, TX, 2016
- Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC) 11th National Symposium on Child Custody Evaluations. Presentation on “Counselors: How to Survive and Thrive in the Courtroom” San Antonio, TX, 2014
- North Texas Families In Transition Professional Workgroup Seminar. Presentation on Managing Confidentiality, Subpoenas and Effective Courtroom Interaction in addition to panel discussion regarding Information on ongoing legislative and regulatory changes. Fort Worth, TX, 2013
- Presenter at CASA volunteer training sessions
- Conference speaker in 2019 in Fort Worth, Texas to mental healthcare professionals on behalf of the North Texas Families in Transition on the topic of “Professional Board Rules and Problems”
Honors and Awards
- Fellow, Collin County Bench/Bar Foundation
- Accepted as Life Member to the National Registry of Who’s Who
- AV Preeminent Peer Review Rating, Martindale – Hubbell
- Super Lawyer
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS AND MEMBERSHIPS
- Texas Association of Family Law Specialists, 2009 to Present
- Collin County Bar Association, 1992 to Present
- McKinney Chamber of Commerce, Board of Directors, 2012 – 2016; Board Chairman 2015
- McKinney Community Development Corporation (MCDC), McKinney, Texas, 2010 to 2015
- McKinney Independent School District, Board of Trustees, McKinney, Texas, 2002 to 2008
- McKinney Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), McKinney, Texas, Liaison Member of Board of Directors for MISD, 2002 to 2008
- Collin County Bench/Bar Foundation, Member, Executive Board of Directors, 2000 to 2003
- Family Services of Plano, Texas, Board Member, 1992 to 2003
- Practical Parent Education (not-for-profit), Executive Committee Board Member, Plano, Texas, 1996 to 2002
- Collin County Bar Association, Director, 1998 to 2000
- Collin County Bench/Bar Foundation, Annual Bench/Bar Conference, Board of Directors, 1996 to 2000
- Plano Bar Association, President, 1996 to 1997
- Lincoln-Way High School District #210, Board of Trustees, Chicago, Illinois, 1987 to 1992
- Lincoln-Way High School District #210, Chicago, Illinois, Board of Trustees, 1987 to 1989
- Collin County Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) , Executive Board of Directors Secretary, 1987 to 1989
- Executive Board for Court Appointed Special Advocates of Collin County (CASA, 2018 to Present
