"The Art of War" teaches that victory isn’t about overpowering an opponent – it’s about knowing when to engage, when to wait and when to walk away. That principle captures the professional journey of Miami litigator Mike Ehrenstein, whose rare blend of martial-arts discipline and courtroom intellect makes him among the most strategic and composed trial lawyers in modern business litigation.
Early in his career, Ehrenstein approached every dispute with unrestrained ferocity. Whether in the courtroom, the dojo or the boardroom, he fought every battle as if it were personal. “I loved to fight,” he says. “And I fought hard, over anything and everything.”
Decades later, he has evolved into something rarer – a measured, thoughtful strategist whose wisdom defines when and how to fight, and when not to. “Fighting simply for the love of fighting is inefficient – and sometimes dangerous,” he explains. “Wisdom means knowing which battles matter.”
That evolution – from relentless brawler to deliberate strategist – has shaped both his career and the Coral Gables litigation boutique he founded, Ehrenstein | Sager. Clients come to him for guidance that blends the intellect of a chess master with the focus of a black belt. His calm precision and strategic foresight have made him a trusted advisor to companies, governments and entrepreneurs navigating their most consequential disputes.
Technique and Strategy
In martial arts, technique is repetition: the kick, the strike, the throw practiced until it becomes second nature. In law, technique is the fluency to object, cross-examine or pivot in real time without hesitation.
“Technique in law is knowing the rules so well that you can respond instantly,” Ehrenstein says. “When you’ve mastered technique, you can be fully present in the moment.”
Yet mastery of technique is only half the equation. Strategy is the larger vision – the ability to see an entire conflict from inception to conclusion, anticipating an opponent’s likely moves and preparing counters long before the first pleading is filed.
Few lawyers combine both with equal proficiency. Ehrenstein does. His cases begin with a written blueprint defining victory, plotting the path to reach it and mapping how every task and dollar spent advances the client’s objective. That clarity allows clients to see litigation not as chaos, but as choreography.
'Technique in law is knowing the rules so well that you can respond instantly,' Ehrenstein says. 'When you’ve mastered technique, you can be fully present in the moment.'
Each engagement moves with precision, like a kata performed at expert level – every motion deliberate, efficient and connected to a larger pattern. It is that rare fusion of instinct and intellect that distinguishes his practice from conventional litigation.
From Fighter to Counselor
Ehrenstein’s transformation began long before law school. A lifelong practitioner of goju-ryu karate – an Okinawan style meaning “hard-soft” – he learned that real power lies in balance. What began as competition evolved into meditation.
“At first, I thought martial arts was about domination,” he says. “Eventually I realized it’s about control – of self, of emotion, of the situation.”
That philosophy defines his presence in court. Even in the most heated moments, his movements are economical, his voice even, his expression composed. Judges often notice how the room steadies when he rises to speak. His confidence comes not from bravado but from exhaustive preparation.
“There’s no point throwing every punch you can,” he says. “The best fighters – and the best lawyers – use only the energy necessary to achieve the goal.”
He leads his firm the same way – through discipline, collaboration and respect. Meetings feel less like briefings and more like tactical sessions where ideas spar and strategies evolve. The atmosphere reflects a dojo’s sense of purpose: rigorous but ego-free. His colleagues describe him as demanding yet generous, a mentor who cultivates precision in others without overshadowing their voices.
A Boutique Built on Discipline
After nearly two decades in practice, Ehrenstein founded his own firm to create a more strategic, client-centered model. “I wanted a place where strategy drives decisions,” he says.
Today Ehrenstein | Sager handles complex commercial, construction, aerospace, blockchain and international disputes – typically against far larger opponents. What distinguishes the firm is transparency and communication.
Every client receives a clear explanation of how each motion or task connects to the broader plan. Bills arrive with narrative summaries written in plain English, showing precisely how each action advanced the case. For many clients, that level of insight is unprecedented.
The result is trust – and loyalty. Fortune 500 companies, global manufacturers and sovereign nations rely on the firm’s strategic clarity. In international matters, where language and culture can distort understanding, Ehrenstein’s discipline bridges those gaps. His calm, analytical approach earns confidence across borders.
Clients who have worked with large global firms often remark that Ehrenstein’s boutique delivers not only better communication but better outcomes. His structure enables agility; his experience ensures gravitas.
Strategy in Action
That clarity proved decisive in his representation of the Republic of Angola in multibillion-dollar litigation against an Angolan energy company and General Electric. The dispute arose from a canceled turbine-installation contract; the company sued Angola in New York federal court for $1.3B.
From the outset, Ehrenstein predicted exactly how the case would unfold. He informed opposing counsel that Angola would insist on arbitration in Angola under Angolan law, as the contracts required – and that any attempt to litigate in the United States would ultimately fail.
Over the next several years, events followed the script. Federal courts in New York and Washington, D.C., dismissed the claims and appellate courts affirmed those rulings.
The win was not only legal but geopolitical. By confirming Angola’s judiciary as a fair forum for dispute resolution, the decisions strengthened investor confidence in the country’s economy. The precision of that outcome reflected more than legal knowledge – it revealed strategic foresight and unshakable resolve.
Ehrenstein often describes that case as an embodiment of the element of earth – standing firm on principle, immovable despite pressure. “We never shifted from the position we asserted on day one,” he says.
But he’s equally comfortable operating with fire, wind or water. When speed and intensity are required, he moves fast. When patience and flexibility serve better, he adapts seamlessly. In one aerospace case, his team obtained an emergency injunction compelling the delivery of critical aircraft components within hours – fire executed to perfection. In another, he persuaded adversaries to settle quietly before discovery even began – a pure act of water, flowing around confrontation to reach resolution.
The Elements of Strategy
The classical elements – earth, fire, wind and water – serve as metaphors for the modes of strategy that define Ehrenstein’s method.
'There’s no point throwing every punch you can,' he says. 'The best fighters – and the best lawyers – use only the energy necessary to achieve the goal.'
Earth represents stability and conviction; fire symbolizes decisive action; wind governs rhythm and timing; water embodies adaptability.
Each case demands a different blend. Sometimes speed and intensity dominate. Other times, patience and flow prevail. “The elements don’t exist separately,” he says. “Every case combines them. The strategist’s job is to know which to emphasize and when.”
That elemental framework has become a signature of the firm. Clients appreciate its clarity: a language that turns complex litigation into something intelligible and controlled. Strategy, technique and strength move together like interlocking gears, generating momentum that feels both deliberate and fluid.
The concept resonates with clients who come from industries where precision and control matter – construction executives, aviation engineers, and global financiers who think in systems. To them, Ehrenstein’s elemental philosophy feels both intuitive and deeply rational.
Collaboration and Clarity
Though Ehrenstein’s philosophy guides the firm, he credits his partners Latasha Johnson and Brett Sager with refining it in practice. Johnson brings a quiet analytical depth; Sager, a ferocious commitment to detail. Together, they form a tight strategic core that debates every move before it’s made.
That collaborative discipline allows the firm to handle global matters normally reserved for megafirms. Their approach is fast, flexible and precise – proof that strategy can outperform size. Within their walls, ideas spar until only the strongest survive.
Clients describe the experience as both intellectual and reassuring: They see their legal problem deconstructed, re-organized and rebuilt into a clear, achievable plan. “It’s rare,” one long-time client said, “to feel that your lawyers are not just reacting to the case but orchestrating it.”
Choosing the Path
Every engagement begins with one question: What does victory look like for this client?
Sometimes it’s a trial win. Other times it’s preserving a partnership, mitigating exposure or preventing a dispute entirely. “The win isn’t always measured in dollars,” Ehrenstein says. “Sometimes it’s about stability, reputation or opportunity.”
That clarity resonates with clients who value candor over bravado. Ehrenstein’s counsel is pragmatic, his analysis blunt. When litigation would cost more than it could recover, he says so. When a fight is inevitable, he commits fully. The result is trust built on honesty.
That reputation – as both a fierce advocate and a reliable advisor – has earned him long-term relationships across industries and continents.
He is frequently sought out not only as trial counsel but also as a strategist behind the scenes – quietly shaping arguments, refining positions and guiding clients toward resolutions that align with long-term goals. The same wisdom that governs his fights also guides his ability to avoid them.
The Sage Warrior
After more than thirty-five years in practice, Ehrenstein is less a combatant than a strategist in motion. He still thrives on the rhythm of cross-examination and the precision of trial advocacy, but his mastery lies in knowing when force serves purpose and when restraint delivers more.
Watching him in court reveals the influence of his martial-arts training. Movements are economical, arguments meticulously timed. Every question, every pause, carries intention.
Clients often describe him as unflappable. Opponents respect his precision. Judges trust his preparation. He embodies the paradox at the heart of goju-ryu – the union of hardness and softness, power and grace.
For Ehrenstein, that balance defines success. “Every motion I file, every question I ask in cross, comes from the same mindset I bring to any fight,” he says. “Breathe. Focus. Understand the rhythm. Then move decisively.”
The same could be said of the firm he built. Ehrenstein | Sager is more than a litigation boutique; it is a philosophy in practice – where intellect and instinct, strategy and technique, converge to achieve purpose.
In a profession often defined by conflict, Mike Ehrenstein has mastered the art of knowing when to fight – and when simply to stand still.
