There are relatively few attorneys throughout the state who regularly represent other attorneys. I’ve been doing so for 20 years, and before that I spent several years working for The Florida Bar. I understand how devastating it can be to receive a Bar complaint. I’m intimately familiar with The Florida Bar disciplinary system, and I maintain a good working relationship with Florida Bar attorneys and staff. Many times there’s no way to come away from a disciplinary proceeding completely unscathed, but I believe that I’m able to guide my clients to the best results possible under difficult circumstances.

Though I’ve only been representing Bar applicants for about 20 years, I got my first inside view of the Florida Board of Bar Examiners while I was in law school in the mid-80s. I worked for an attorney who was on the FBBE, and he asked me to bartend for a private party he hosted after one of their meetings. I was able to hear some of the discussions over cocktails about various cases – of course without names of applicants or their attorneys. This gave me, even as a Bar applicant myself, insight into how the FBBE views issues. I had no idea that many years later, I’d be one of the attorneys helping applicants navigate the admission process. If someone is held up in the admission process, it’s because of some misstep in the past. My goals is not just to help someone gain admission to the Bar, but to be a life coach of sorts and help those people learn how to best address errors and misfortunes, past and future.

When I left the State Attorney’s Office many years ago, I went to work for a small law firm with two excellent lawyers. They taught me how to respect clients both personally and financially, to always be mindful of what a case “will hold” – an attorney should never charge out of proportion to the difficulty of the case or the client’s resources. I’ve handled construction litigation, real estate disputes, land use disputes, landlord tenant matters, and many types of breach of contract. I pride myself on being able to handle civil cases of the most complex nature, without breaking the client’s bank. Before plunking down a big retainer over a civil dispute consider having a consultation with me to see if the matter is in an area where I have significant experience and can handle the case cost effectively.

Early in my career, I took most of my continuing education in estate planning. I’ve continued to do estate planning work over the years. My parents have passed on, and my family had litigation over some of their estate. Two of my brothers also predeceased me, and I unfortunately got to see first-hand the types of issues that affected their survivors. When I do estate planning, I take the time to understand my clients’ wishes, but I also take the time to help them think through what will transpire when they pass. Estate planning isn’t just about having sophisticated software to generate complicated documents – something I’ve seen from estate planning specialists many times. It’s about helping clients make sound, practical decisions to create the best circumstances for their survivors when they pass.

I will provide scheduled consultations by phone, video (Zoom or FaceTime) or in person. Basic 15-minute initial phone consultations are free. FaceTime or Zoom consultations are $100.00 for up to 45 minutes. In-person consultations are $250.00 for one hour.