Alva Employment Lawyers

I am a Southwest Florida attorney board certified in labor and employment law by the Florida Bar. My practice focuses on employment law, insurance claims, whistleblower representation, and civil litigation.

Much of my law practice involves the representation of current and former employees denied proper compensation; victimized by discrimination or retaliation in the workplace; or requiring legal assistance with non-compete agreements. I'm also heavily involved with the representation of families and businesses denied appropriate insurance coverage following Hurricane Irma. Additionally, I provide representation for Medicare fraud whistleblowers, sexual abuse victims, and most business litigation matters.

I have...

Experience matters. For well over two decades, Frank W. Piazza has been helping injured workers in Southwest Florida receive the benefits they deserve. Mr. Piazza received his undergraduate degree in political science from the University of South Florida in 1987, followed by his law degree from the University of Florida in 1990. Since May of 1992, he has represented literally thousands of injured workers in Southwest Florida, and has handled all types of cases. “My approach to representing people is perhaps different than others. I actually enjoy meeting with and getting to know each of my clients. In...

car accidents, truck, motorcycle, bicycle, medical malpractice, wrongful death, birth injures, nursing home, dog bite, slip and fall, product liability, recalls like vaginal mesh or bladder sling, davinci robotic surgery, prozac, mesothelioma, workers compensation

Jerome H. Wolfson was born in Long Branch, New Jersey. He went to Valley Forge Christian College and graduated from Drew University in Madison, New Jersey. Mr. Wolfson came to South Florida in 1960 and attended University of Miami Law School, graduating with a law degree in 1963. He is licensed to practice law in the State of Florida. After law school, he served in the United States Coast Guard and received an Honorable Discharge in 1969. Mr. Wolfson has represented Plaintiffs and Defendants in various areas of the law, including, Personal Injury, Criminal Defense, Worker’s Compensation, and Labor Employment....

Jason Gunter is an employment law attorney who has been awarded the Florida Bar Labor & Employment Law Section Scholarship for academic excellence in Labor and Employment law. Prior to attending law school, Jason was a Firefighter for the City of Cape Coral Fire Department and a member if its union, IAFF Local 2424. In 1993, he was named Firefighter of the Year for the State of Florida. In 1994, Jason attended Nova Southeastern School of Law, where he excelled academically. After his first year, Jason was appointed to the Editorial Board of the Nova Southeastern Law Review....

Richard Weldon is an experienced civil trial attorney based in Southwest Florida, and the managing member of Weldon & Rothman, PL. Mr. Weldon focuses his practice on personal injury and civil litigation.

In the area of personal injury, Mr. Weldon provides aggressive representation for matters involving auto accidents, motorcycle accidents, bicycle accidents, boating accidents, slip and falls, catastrophic personal injury, and wrongful death. Over the past decade, Mr. Weldon has successfully represented hundreds of individuals and families throughout Southwest Florida in personal injury cases. Additionally, Mr. Weldon maintains a general civil litigation practice, handling diverse matters including complex property disputes,...

Attorney Peter Fisher practices in the areas of Business, Construction, Employment and Litigation.

Peter’s mission is to provide his clients with thoughtful, creative, and cost-effective legal solutions for their business-related issues.

Peter has helped numerous homeowners, project owners, contractors, subcontractors and design professionals with the resolution of construction-related disputes, and with the drafting and negotiation of construction and employment-related contracts.

Peter earned his J.D. from The Northeastern University School of Law in Boston, Massachusetts. Peter is licensed in both Florida and Massachusetts and, prior to relocating to Southwest Florida with his wife and two children, Peter represented clients...

Education: Michigan State University, Bachelor in Philosophy with high honor 1978 Syracuse University College of Law, Juris Doctor, 1981 Bar Admissions: Florida Bar 1982 District of Columbia Bar 1984 United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida 1983 Supreme Court of the United States 1985 United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin 1992 United States Court of Federal Claims 1995 United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida 2001 Former City Attorney City of Cape Coral Former President of the City of Cape Coral Bar Association William M. Powell, Esq. has approximately 30 years of trial experience...

My practice is concentrated in representing employers and entrepreneurs in all aspects of employment and business law including severance, termination issues, non-compete disputes and in issues involving the protection of proprietary information.

I also represents employers in Fair Labor Standards Act disputes, including those with the Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division. I represent clients in complex commercial litigation regarding these issues at both the trial and appellate levels. A significant portion of my litigation experience has been in business breakups, corporate and partnership dissolutions, securities and shareholder disputes, and related valuation issues. My business litigation experience allows me to...

Attorney Jason M. Melton, is a founding partner of Whittel & Melton. As a former state prosecutor, he continues fighting for victims bringing in some of the largest single event results in Central Florida. Jason is a lifetime member of the Multi-Million and Million Dollar Advocates Forum, AV-Rated by Martindale-Hubbell and continues to be listed among SuperLawyers in Florida by Thomson Reuters. He is a Founding Member of the National Academy of Motorcycle Injury Lawyers, and in 2023 was named President. Attorney Melton is dedicated to providing clients with personalized, high-quality representation. We handle Auto Accidents, Slip and Fall, Injury, Nursing...

Virtual Accident Attorney ("VAA") is based in Palm Beach County, Florida, but represents those injured in accidents on the job and/or as a result of the fault of another all across Florida. VAA does not maintain an office nor staff; rather, it utilizes innovative technology and automation to perform actions in the most time-efficient and cost-effective manner on the market. Further, unlike other law firms, all communication is directly with your attorney and in the manner of your preference - whenever, wherever.

Kevin Sanderson serves your legal needs throughout all of West Central Florida, including Sarasota, Casey Key, Siesta Key, Longboat Key, Bradenton, North Port, Punta Gorda, Port Charlotte, Fort Myers, Arcadia, Englewood, and Naples.

Education
Kevin F. Sanderson is a graduate of Boston University (B.A., Psychology) and obtained his juris doctor from St. Thomas University School of Law in Miami, FL. He continued his education, obtaining his LL.M. (legal laureate masters) in international taxation and offshore finance, also at St. Thomas University School of Law. Kevin was born and raised in New Jersey.

Licenses
Mr. Sanderson is a member of the Florida Bar, a member...

Venus Caruso is a Florida-based attorney who has been practicing law for nearly two decades. Her professional experience includes serving as the lead in-house legal counsel for two different companies spanning over 7 years. Prior to that, Venus was a Partner at the national law firm of Akerman where she represented large and mid-size companies in complex commercial litigation cases, including breach of contract, fraud, healthcare fraud and abuse, and other tort-based claims arising from business disputes and practices. At the same time, Venus counseled business owners, small and large, as well as professionals on various legal matters, including business...

Healthcare - M&A - Employment Contracts - For Physicians and Dentists. Cross disciplined in healthcare compliance, corporate governance and transactions | advise management and review physician, dentist and related commercial agreements | real estate and supply chain contracting | litigation - counsel on over 1,700 court cases| insurance coverage (PL, GL, PD, Cyber) | methodical process work-flow and project tracking | strategic risk assessment. Through these times of corporatization of medicine, Ben Mirza offers practical legal advice to avoid the pitfalls in healthcare regulations; guiding healthcare businesses during their most challenging times including mergers and acquisitions and complex...

Mark R. Osherow is a Florida Bar Board Certified Specialist in Business Litigation with nearly 30 years of experience. He has practiced for the majority of those years in both state and federal courts throughout Florida. With significant trial and alternative dispute resolution experience, Osherow has taken countless depositions ans served as first-chair in numerous trials, arbitrations and mediations. He serves as a legal advisor for his clients as they assess their business risks across a large segment of industry and service providers.

Mr. Osherow was recently selected by his peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America...

Mr. Lechner is a Florida Bar board certified labor and employment lawyer with years experience representing both employees and employers in all aspects of employment law matters. He was recently selected 2020 Lawyer of the Year, Employment Law - Mgmt., St Petersburg (US News & World Report).

Mr. Lechner’s expert speciality extends to all employment disputes, including wrongful termination, sexual harassment, discrimination including but not limited to age, race, gender, national origin, overtime and wage/hour payment issues, retaliation and whistleblower claims, as well as restrictive covenants, unfair business practices, related state tort and contract issues and other types of employment...

Jeff is the Managing Partner of Lieser Skaff Alexander (LSA), a 9-attorney firm with 3 Florida offices. Jeff has concentrated his practice on business law and business litigation.

In 2017 and 2018, Jeff was named to the Florida Legal Elite roster. The select lawyers on this prestigious list represent fewer than 1.5% of active Florida Bar members. Jeff has also been selected as a Rising Star by Super Lawyers® magazine each year from 2013-2017, an honor based upon peer review reserved for the top 2.5% of attorneys under age 40.

Jeff represents clients in complex business and civil litigation cases...

The Longo Firm is a personal injury and employment law firm. We help people seriously injured in accidents or having problems with employers. We offer a free legal consultation and work mostly on a contingency fee basis. This means there is no fee (or cost) unless we get money for you! Our practice areas include, car accidents, slip and falls, wrongful death accidents, unpaid wage and overtime, discrimination, harassments, retaliation, medical leave, and wrongful termination cases. Transportation issues? No problem, we'll come to you! We make home and hospital visits. Available 24/7.

R. Michael Pierro, Jr. ("Mike") is a Florida Bar Board Certified labor and employment attorney based in St. Petersburg, Florida. He is one of only 5 lawyers in St. Petersburg holding the distinction of Board certification in the area of labor and employment law. He represents both employers and employees. Mike is also a certified Florida circuit civil and federal court mediator. With over 20 years of litigation experience, Mike is well-suited to effectively mediate employment-related disputes. Mike welcomes the opportunity to discuss your employment matter.

My legal practice has always involved the representation of stock market participants, including investors, financial professionals and firms, nationwide. My work includes representation of in connection with FINRA Examinations and Enforcement Proceedings, as well as SEC investigations. I also represent individual brokers from virtually every major firm in their contract negotiations, employment termination, U-4 and U-5 issues. In specialized situations where the facts or law present novel issues, I also represent investors. I have appeared before arbitration panels and regulators in 22 states, have written legal columns for a number of industry publications, been a...

An experienced trial attorney, Robert Whittel provides his clients with strong, disciplined, results-oriented representation. Prior to becoming a lawyer, he served as a Lieutenant Commander in the US Navy. Robert graduated from both law school and the United States Merchant Marine Academy with honors, and served on the esteemed Florida Law Review. Before co-founding Whittel & Melton, a full-service law firm, Robert gained valuable experience in the court room both serving as a former prosecutor and representing large corporations in complex litigation and transactional matters. Robert is devoted to fighting for his clients’ rights. He handles all types of criminal...

Jason focuses his practice on complex civil litigation involving business and real estate matters. In his business litigation practice, Jason has experience representing clients in matters involving the rights and obligations of shareholders, officers and directors, LLC members and managers, business partners, and other business stakeholders, the enforceability of restrictive covenants such as non-compete and confidentiality agreements, the collection of commercial debts, the application of state and federal laws governing consumer protection, unfair competition, trade secrets, copyrights, racketeering activity, and securities fraud, and a wide variety of other contract and business tort disputes.

In his real estate litigation practice, Jason...

Donna Ballman has been practicing employee-side employment law in Florida for over 30 years. Donna’s book, Stand Up For Yourself Without Getting Fired: Resolve Workplace Crises Before You Quit, Get Axed or Sue the Bastards, was named the Winner of the Law Category of the 2012 USA Best Books Awards. She is also the award-winning author of The Writer’s Guide to the Courtroom: Let’s Quill All the Lawyers, a book geared toward informing novelists and screenwriters about the ins and outs of the civil justice system. She’s been practicing employment law, including negotiating severance agreements and litigating discrimination, sexual harassment,...

Mr. Klemawesch is an experienced and dedicated Criminal Defense and Personal Injury Attorney at Whittel & Melton. He provides comprehensive representation in both State and Federal Courts. Previously, Mr. Klemawesch worked as an Assistant State Attorney in the Sixth Judicial Circuit, Pinellas County, Florida. He has extensive jury trial experience in both criminal and civil cases. Mr. Klemawesch is committed to diligent advocacy to protect his clients' rights and interests.

Mr. Klemawesch obtained his B.B.A. from the University of Notre Dame, and his M.B.A. from the University of South Florida. In 2003, he received his J.D. from the University of Florida....

Caitlin Szematowicz is a Partner with the firm, practicing in the areas of Civil & Commercial Litigation, Appeals, and Employment Law. Caitlin joined the firm in August 2012.

Caitlin graduated magna cum laude from the University of Florida Levin College of Law in May 2012. She graduated cum laude from the University of Tampa, Honors Program, in December 2008, where she majored in Writing and received the “Outstanding Graduate in Writing” Award upon graduation.

While in law school, Caitlin worked as an appellate law clerk for a Washington D.C. law firm, extern at the United States Attorney’s Office, and a Certified Legal...

Sean Lopez founded Lopez Law Group Accident Injury Attorneys to provide client-centered legal representation to all accident victims. Mr. Lopez is an experienced St. Petersburg personal injury lawyer serving clients throughout South Florida. Mr. Lopez represents victims in all types of personal injury cases involving injuries resulting from the negligent or intentional actions of other parties. He handles claims involving car accidents, product liability, slip & fall accidents, and more. Over his career, he has secured millions of dollars in injury compensation for hundreds of accident victims. Mr. Lopez and Lopez Law Group often accept clients who get turned down by other...

Attorney L. Reed Bloodworth, Founder and CEO of Bloodworth Law, PLLC, is a Florida U.S. News & World Report Best Lawyer® in Commercial Litigation Award 2019-22; in Trusts & Estates Litigation 2022; and in Real Estate Litigation 2022. Bloodworth Law is a U.S. News & World Report "Best Law Firm" 2020-22 and has established itself with an office in Orlando and one in Winter Haven. Reed, a 2019-22 Super Lawyer, was named a Florida Trend’s Magazine Florida Legal Elite™ in Civil, Commercial Litigation 2017-19, 2021, a group of less than 1.3% of Florida's attorneys. Reed has been an attorney since 2004...

Greg founded Sconzo Law Office, P.A. in 2017. While he now focuses exclusively on Employment Law and Disability Rights matters, Greg has had diverse legal career which has included representing individuals, businesses, and associations in a wide variety of legal matters. The one constant has always been Greg’s focus on righting injustices through civil litigation. Prior to opening his opening of Sconzo Law Office, P.A., Greg spent the prior five years at Kaplan & Sconzo, P.A., where he handled a heavy caseload of civil litigation, discrimination, civil rights, and personal injury cases. Greg has been involved in thousands of federal and state...

Mr. Parafinczuk is a Board Certified Civil Trial Attorney, barely 1% of lawyers in the State of Florida hold that title. He has extensive jury trial experience and several verdicts in excess of $1 million. As a trial lawyer, he has tried almost every type of civil case. Most of his trial practice is currently devoted to Engle Tobacco cases and other serious injury and wrongful death cases. He spends a significant amount of time litigating mass tort cases throughout the country. As the first lawyer in the country to file an Essure Birth Control case, he has a significant role...

The Law Office of Annette Newman, PLLC is a professional full-service law firm dedicated to providing quality legal services at an affordable price throughout the State of Florida. Attorney Newman practices primarily in employment/labor law claims, including discrimination claims based on race, color, national origin, sex, age, pregnancy, religion and/or disability; sexual harassment claims, unpaid wages and/or overtime, whistle blower claims, unemployment hearings and appeals, housing discrimination and public accomodation discrimination as well as other civil rights issues. Attorney Newman also handles matters dealing with all types of employment agreements, including independent contractor, non-compete, severance, non-disclosure, non-solicitation...

Patrick W. Harland, Jr. is a seasoned litigator and personal injury attorney having tried cases in both Florida State and Federal Court.

Upon graduating from Stetson University College of Law in 1999, Mr. Harland focused his law practice on defending insurance companies as well as some of the nation’s largest nursing home chains in liability suits relating to patient care. Mr. Harland also defended physicians in correctional healthcare cases brought by inmates alleging civil rights violations due to inadequate healthcare.

Today, Mr. Harland uses that defense background to the advantage of St. Petersburg clients who have been injured by the negligence of...

Timothy W. Weber is Board Certified in Appellate Practice and practices in the areas of appellate law, civil and commercial litigation, business litigation, employment and labor, civil rights and education, land use and real estate, criminal, and family. He represents clients in state and federal courts at both the trial and appeal levels. Before co-founding the firm, Tim was a shareholder at Battaglia, Ross, Dicus & Wein, P.A. in St. Petersburg for 16 years. He has been board certified in Appellate Practice since 2004 and has been selected as a SuperLawyer every year since 2014. He has also...

Serving primarily in the South Florida area, Shayla has developed 10 years of experience in Labor & Employment, working primarily on behalf of businesses to provide them with the guidance they need to manage their personnel. Shayla assists employers in complying with the ADA, FLSA, FMLA, OSHA, Title VII, USERRA, as well as a host of other federal, state, and local employment laws, rules, and regulations. In her 10 years of practice, Shayla also has advised clients regarding their ADA Title III obligations, both for their physical spaces and their websites, whether to prevent litigation or to handle the matter...

Kaplan Employment Law is a Broward law firm located in Weston Town Center representing employees for wrongful termination, sexual harassment, discrimination, retaliation, and severance package reviews. We seek justice by punishing employers who violate employee rights. We deliver a client experience unmatched by anyone. Book a free case review with Attorney Kaplan today!

Tracee L. Ivins graduated from Florida State University with a Bachelor's Degree in Sociology. After graduation she worked for the State of Florida as a certified investigator, before deciding to pursue a law degree. As an attorney Ms. Ivins has handled files from inception all the way to a jury verdict. Her experience has included claims involving serious bodily injury, product liability injury and wrongful death arising from auto accidents, slip and falls, dog bites, negligent security, motorcycle and tractor trailer accidents.

Lawsuits including Negligence, Breach of Contract, Negligent Entrustment, Uninsured Motorist Insurance Claims, Under-Insured Motorists Insurance disputes, Wrongful Death, Bad...