The Florida Bar lost one of its young members August 27, 2011, when Michael Scheve passed away. Michael originally worked for Rogers Towers in Jacksonville, and then moved to West Palm Beach to work for a prominent firm. He was a bright star. In Jacksonville, he served on the Young Lawyers Section Board of Governors and was quickly recognized as a legal “up and comer.”
I remember first meeting him on the basketball court. His team was playing before mine and I thought “who is this guy scoring every play; I wonder if he is actually a lawyer.” We met (after he scored a good bit against me) and my first thought was “this guy has some serious mojo.” After his team beat mine, I could not help but let my competitive spirit get the best of me when I said “don’t worry Scheve, we will win the next one.” His response was classic — he put his hand on my shoulder and in his suave voice said, “no you won’t, but don’t be upset about it, you’re better than that.”
We became good friends like so many others who were lucky enough to meet Scheve. I decided to reach out to some of the many people Michael touched with his charm and wit.
Sandra Mathis, Rogers Towers, P.A. (Michael Scheve’s first supervising attorney):
Michael was the most talented young attorney that I have ever had the pleasure to work with. He was a gifted writer and his preparation of pleadings and memoranda elevated my practice to a whole new level. Without any apparent effort, Michael could take the most personal set of family law facts, apply the law, and come up with a brilliant legal argument to carry the day.
Michael and I won some significant victories while he worked with me at Rogers Towers, at both the trial and appellate levels. My clients clearly recognized and appreciated Michael’s dedication and talent. So will I, always.
Mark Luttier, Burman, Critton, Luttier & Coleman, LLP (another supervising attorney):
We all know the importance of first impressions. Perhaps nobody knew it better than “Scheve” (as he was affectionately known). At the conclusion of his job interview, he announced: “I am your man. You need not interview anyone else. The interviews are over. When do you want me to start?” It was in part this impression and what could perhaps be characterized as his “brashness” that led us to ask Michael to join the firm. The firm never regretted the decision to hire Michael. He was a young man with a bright future. From the outset it was clear he wanted to become the best lawyer possible, and he was willing to work as hard as necessary to accomplish his goal.
At the same time, he practiced with a unique and compassionate understanding of his clients’ needs and was friendly to everyone, including parties and opposing counsel. Talking with Michael was incredibly easy, and most all conversations with Scheve involved a few laughs. If you had any question about whether or not he grasped the issue at hand, he would look you in the eye and give you that famous ending, “Don’t worry – I’ll handle it.” Although he will be sadly missed, he will always be remembered as a great lawyer with an infectious smile and great sense of humor.
Matthew Baggett, Murphy Anderson, P.A. (close friend):
If there were lawyer superlatives, Scheve would have won all the traditional categories: best personality, best dressed, best sense of humor, best smile. And a lot of non-traditional categories: most likely to wear Chuck Taylors (probably to your wedding), most likely to move to South Florida (which he did), most likely to become a sports lawyer (which he was becoming), most unique voice (if you met him once you remember it), most likely to give you a nickname (I was “Baggs”).
Scheve was a true character with more gifts than you could put on paper and tremendous depth. But above all else, Scheve had a true interest in everyone that crossed paths with him, and his interest involved having a meaningful, uplifting impact on your life. His great impact lives on in each of us that were blessed to know Scheve.
Elizabeth Howard, Boyd & Jenerette, P.A. (close friend):
I was fortunate enough to work with Michael during his time at Rogers Towers as well as to serve with him on the Young Lawyers Section Board of Governors. I was also fortunate to call him my friend. Michael was not only a stellar attorney, but he was a stellar person. One of my favorite things about Michael was that he never met a stranger and always welcomed everyone to be a part of the group. Michael lived life to the fullest and encouraged all those around him to do the same. He will be missed.
Jonathan Meide (close friend):
If you knew Scheve, he was someone that could impact your life. He would always lift you up when you were down and would always show an interest in whatever you were doing. He was always full of confidence and always had great “steez” as he would call it. Scheve would always tell me “I love you buddy” when he left the room and for being a guy I think that shows just how genuine and real he was.
Nathan Fabrick (close friend):
Scheve had fantastic style. One time he showed up to a wedding in a black suit with a black shirt that looked like a Johnny Cash outfit –and on anyone else this could look like a costume, but not on Scheve. This may have been acceptable practice in South Florida, but things always seemed to come from Scheve land. It was like when you see a movie star wearing something and you think — how can anyone pull that off? He was a true character, as authentic as they come.
We will never forget Michael Scheve — a talented lawyer, gifted writer and great friend. Like many others, when I listened to him talk I could not help but smile the entire time. He was a great storyteller, which flowed naturally from his mastery of the English language. In memory of Scheve, who likely memorized the dictionary at some point in his life, I will describe him with a few words that I never knew before I just looked them up — indomitable, effulgent and urbane.
For anyone who would like to make a charitable donation in Michael Scheve’s memory, his family set up a charitable memorial fund. The information is as follows: Michael Scheve Charitable Memorial Fund. Checks should be made payable to Larry Scheve c/o Michael Scheve Memorial Fund. Mail to: SunTrust Bank, 400 South Park Avenue, Suite 100, Winter Park Florida 32789.