From the Courtroom to the Classroom

Few trial attorneys make the leap from the courtroom to the classroom, but that’s exactly what Michael decided to do.

After graduating from The Ohio State University and earning his law degree from George Washington University, Michael opened a law office in Newark and spent nearly a decade representing indigent clients. He appeared in juvenile, misdemeanor, and felony courts, handling serious cases, including high-level felonies and juvenile bindovers. He stood by his clients in their most challenging moments and was never afraid to do what was right. His work also took him into foster homes as a guardian ad litem, where he worked with the Licking County Department of Job and Family Services to support children in crisis and reunify families.

But after years of this intense work, he realized he needed a change and decided to pursue another passion.

He walked into Watkins Memorial High School — an attorney turned substitute teacher — and started from scratch. He took any available assignment, from pre-school to special education, and earned respect one student at a time. This included a long-term role in a high-needs special education classroom, where he developed skills he never imagined he’d need. Later, he stepped in to teach a second-grade class for three months, an experience that changed his life. In those weeks, he learned what it meant to be “family” to 21 eight-year-olds who needed consistency, support, and care.

Motivated by those connections, Michael worked tirelessly to earn his teaching license and became an intervention specialist. In that role, he advocated for students with special needs, ensuring they received the support necessary to succeed. It was another way of standing up for those who needed a voice — this time in the classroom instead of the courtroom. He later transitioned to teaching American Government and World Studies, where his background allows him to bring unique insights to the classroom. Today, he also facilitates a college-level course in American Government through Columbus State Community College.

Michael still practices law and uses his experience as an attorney to enrich the classroom experience. He draws from real-world examples to help students understand how the justice system works in practice and why it matters in their lives.

Standing Up for Workers

Standing up for workers is another way Michael practices his values: speaking up, pitching in, and doing the work when others can’t.

As a member of the Southwest Licking Education Association (SLEA), he served on the contract negotiating team in 2024 during the district’s most recent contract renewal. Michael spent months working closely with the SLEA team to draft proposals and counter-proposals, participating in extensive meetings that required both preparation and persistence.

The team spent hours sitting across the table from school district leadership, engaging in face-to-face negotiations to directly advocate for teachers’ needs. They secured increased pay across the board, an improved student-to-teacher ratio, and an academic freedom clause to protect the integrity of classroom instruction. The result wasn’t just a contract. It was meaningful progress for teachers and students across the district.

That wasn’t his first time pushing back against a system that needed to change. In 2018, he joined a county-wide effort by court-appointed attorneys to protest inadequate compensation. At the time, attorneys were being paid just $35 per hour, a rate that had remained unchanged since the early 1990s. It had become impossible to attract and retain qualified legal representation. That didn’t just hurt the attorneys: it hurt the clients, because quality attorneys were not taking cases in the county.

Alongside Licking County Bar Association members, Michael stopped taking new appointments until the issue was addressed. The pressure worked. The county raised the hourly rate to $55 less than a week after attorneys stopped taking new cases.

It was a win not just for local attorneys, but for the people of Licking County who deserve strong representation and a fair justice system. It reflected the same principles Michael brings to public service: persistence, fairness, and a commitment to doing what’s right.

A Journey Back to My Roots

When Michael’s grandfather, Louis DalSanto, passed away in 2020, a deep reflection on family and heritage sparked in him. Lou was a World War II veteran who began playing the accordion at 14 to help support his family. He was present at every birthday, graduation, and special event in Michael’s life. His passing made Michael reflect on his family’s history and those who came before him. While researching his roots, Michael learned he was eligible for Italian citizenship by descent. It was a right passed down to him through the same men who had shaped him throughout his childhood. Pursuing dual citizenship became a fitting tribute to the legacy of the men who had come before him.

What followed was a years-long journey of language learning, genealogical research, and time spent abroad. Michael gathered decades-old documents (including Giovanni’s birth certificate from Caltrano, Italy) and navigated the bureaucratic hurdles of the Italian Consulate. The defining moment came when he traveled to Detroit with his father, Gary (the son of Lou and grandson of Giovanni), to present the certified birth, death, and marriage certificates of their family line to the Consulate. Their application was granted, marking a full-circle tribute to the men who came before them.

But simply holding citizenship didn’t feel like enough. Michael believed that if he was going to claim Italian citizenship, he should also take responsibility for learning the language. It didn’t feel right to be an Italian citizen and not speak Italian. So he committed to learning. He took Italian lessons over Zoom with native speakers, studied alongside American learners, and eventually spent extended time in Italy over multiple summers. This July, he’ll return again, studying intensive Italian at the Istituto Il David in Florence and visiting Caltrano, the village where his great-grandfather was born. Now a dual citizen, he is a proud member of the Dante Alighieri Society and is preparing for the C2 (fluency) Italian language proficiency exam in November.

Why does this matter? It was a complex, years-long project that required persistence and care. Michael saw it through to the end. He did it to honor his grandfather, Lou, and great-grandfather, Giovanni, whose sacrifices made that opportunity possible. That kind of follow-through reflects his commitment to every part of his life, including on the bench.