I regularly write to reflect on certain individuals who have left a significant impact on my career and life. One of the individuals I am thankful to have known is the legendary: Fred Baggett.
I have known Fred Baggett and his wonderful family for most of my life. I grew up with Fred’s daughter, Rebecca, who was a classmate of mine from kindergarten through 12th grade at The Maclay School. Fred’s daughter, Catherine, has also always been a great, life-long friend to my sister, Melissa Tate. The Baggetts are amazing people, and perennial supporters of local causes, including the seemingly daily fundraising campaigns of the Maclay School, where I served for many years as an alumni board member begging for funding for daily initiatives. The Baggetts were always generous with their time and resources, even when the requests seemed to never cease.
I was fortunate to grow up knowing the Baggetts, and I was even more fortunate to have the opportunity to work for Fred Baggett. Until 2013, I worked with the law firm of Berger Singerman on their prestigious Business Reorganization Team spending a great deal of time in South Florida which was, and remains, an epicenter for complex bankruptcy and fraud work. When I decided to shift my focus more into local litigation, I reached out to Fred Baggett to learn about the possibilities of bringing my practice over to the international law firm of Greenberg Traurig, P.A. Fred welcomed the discussions and ultimately enabled my employment for one of the most prestigious law firms in the world.
Fred is all class and what I would call a “super-lobbyist,” who can regularly make sweeping, wholesale changes in the law due to the strength of his reputation and his well-earned connections in politics. For several decades, Fred has been a senior leader in the firm, serving as managing partner and chairman of the firm’s Tallahassee office. Though the firm has grown exponentially in size, Fred remains a prominent leader with a respected voice nationwide.
During my seven or so years at Greenberg Traurig, Fred was a wonderful boss and mentor. He treated everyone with respect and modeled what it truly means to be a trusted advocate. Fred constantly provided meaningful opportunities and feedback to me, enabling my growth toward a complete lawyer. It was a privilege to work under such an experienced, well-respected gentleman, the likes of which they simply don’t make anymore.
I would like to thank Fred for his contribution to my professional journey and the opportunities he gave me at Greenberg Traurig. I look forward to a day in the future when we can collaborate together again! While I miss my community of mentors – including impressive attorneys like Fred Harris, Barry Richard, and Paul Steven Singerman – I use the lessons they have taught me daily to continue reimagining the legal business model at Michael H. Moody Law.