Miguel R. Acosta
Partner

Email: macosta@gobelflakes.com
Tel: (407) 455-5154
Fax: (407) 455-5166

Miguel received his undergraduate degree magna cum laude from the University of Tampa in 2004 in criminology. He graduated from the Florida State University College of Law in 2007 cum laude. While in law school, he interned as a law clerk for a semester at the Florida Supreme Court, was competitively selected for three law journals, and earned two book awards (highest grade in class).

Miguel began his legal career on active duty with the United States Air Force as a Judge Advocate. He was stationed at Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland, and then at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, in Washington, D.C. During his time in the Air Force, Miguel tried over 45 jury and bench trials as a prosecutor or defense counsel. He also acted as a government representative in two labor arbitrations, litigated in several administrative boards, and handled a variety of torts filed against the Air Force. Miguel deployed to Iraq in 2009 for six months, during which he managed the high-threat detainee investigations in southern Iraq.

After separating honorably from active duty in 2012, Miguel clerked for the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida in Orlando. In January 2014, Miguel joined Gobel Flakes, LLC, and chaired the firm’s federal and appellate practice section for over four years before being re-activated by the Air Force.

In 2018, Miguel served as a Special Assistant United States Attorney in the Western District of Texas (El Paso) for six months on an active duty military tour as a reservist and then in 2019, as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Northern District of Georgia (Atlanta) for over four years. As an Assistant United States Attorney, Miguel led Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Taskforce investigations and prosecutions involving wiretaps and electronic surveillance techniques; prosecuted complex fraud, human smuggling, firearms offenses, and violent crimes and advised and assisted agents in preparing search warrants and conducting long-term investigations. Miguel also tried four federal jury trials as lead prosecutor, obtaining guilty verdicts on all charges.

Now, after returning to Gobel Flakes, Miguel litigates in state and federal court as part of the firm’s trial team, primarily in the areas of personal injury defense, commercial litigation, landlord-tenant disputes, and appeals. He continues to serve as a lieutenant colonel in the Air National Guard.

Miguel is licensed to practice law in Florida and Georgia. He is admitted to the United States District Courts for the Middle and Southern Districts of Florida and the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia. He is also licensed to practice before the United States Supreme Court, the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, the Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces, and the Air Force Court of Criminal Appeals.