Mike Clelland was born in Washington, D.C. and his family moved to Florida in 1974. He was a firefighter in Central Florida for 26 years. He entered the fire service directly out of high school and became an active member of his International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) local union, taking the lead in contract negotiations and labor disputes. He entered management as a Battalion Chief in 2002 and retired in 2008 at this rank. With this unique perspective, Mr. Clelland is keenly aware of issues confronting firefighters and other first responders today. His primary area of law practice is first responder litigation concerning Florida\'s Heart/Lung Bill, but he also handles first responders’ line-of-duty pension matters as well as government actions. Mr. Clelland attended Seminole Community College and received an Associates Degree in Fire Science Technology in 1999. He received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science in 2002 from the University of Central Florida. He received a Juris Doctor in 2006 from Florida A&M University College of Law.