Homestead Lawyers

Legal Lotus, P.A. was founded by third-generation attorney, Anna Fernandez. Ms. Fernandez, a Miami-native, graduated from La Salle High School and received her Bachelor's degree in Psychology from Florida International University in 2007. Ms. Fernandez graduated from St. Thomas University School of Law and is admitted to practice in all Florida State Courts and the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida.

At St. Thomas University School of Law, Ms. Fernandez was a member and competitor of the State Championship Trial Team, an Executive Board member for the Public Interest Law Students' Association, and a member of...

In my 17 years of experience as a bankruptcy lawyer I have learned that 99% of my clients are good people that have fallen on hard times. Whether it is because they lost their job, got divorced, made bad investments or financial decisions, etc., regardless of the cause, there is one common theme…NO ONE PLANNED FOR THIS TO HAPPEN, IT JUST DID. Sometimes your financial life it is a lot like being rear ended at a traffic light. You did nothing wrong, but you are in the accident anyway.

“It is not whether you get knocked down, it is whether you...

Edward S. Schwartz has practiced law in Miami, Florida since 1982. He graduated magna cum laude from Williams College and cum laude from the University of Miami School of Law, where he served as Articles and Comments Editor of the Law Review. He is admitted to practice in all Florida courts. He is a member of the Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers and of its Appellate Practice Section. He has also served on the Amicus Committee of the Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers, in which capacity he has prepared and submitted amicus briefs on behalf of that organization. His practice...

Mitchell J. Lipcon has been a practicing civil attorney in Miami-Dade County for over 40 years. He obtained his bachelor’s degree at San Diego State University in 1962, and, went on to achieve his law degree at the University of Miami in 1965. He is admitted to the Florida Bar, United States Supreme Court, United States Courts of Appeal, and, United States District Court For The Southern District of Florida. He is a member in good standing of the Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers. He is a past president of the National Association of Jury Verdict Reporters, and, is currently...

Ronald W. Chapman is the owner of Chapman Law Group and has been practicing law for over 25 years in Michigan and Florida. He is AV® Rated. Ron is a recognized leader in the legal community and a frequent speaker in the area of medical malpractice and risk management. In 1997 Ron was ranked as one of the top ten speakers for Skillpath, Inc. Ron graduated from California State University, Sacramento (BA, Cum Laude 1979), University of Southern California School of Administration (MPA 1980) and Wayne State Law School (JD 1984). After receiving an Honorable Discharge from the United States Air...

Justin B. Shapiro is a partner at Leesfield & Partners, a renowned personal injury law firm located in Miami, Florida. Upon graduating Magna Cum Laude from the University of Miami School of Law, Mr. Shapiro joined the firm and immediately focused his practice on catastrophic injury cases and wrongful death cases. Upon being named Partner, Justin Shapiro obtained a record verdict of $36,960,000.00 in a wrongful death.

Injury accidents are serious and can occur with little to no warning. If you have been harmed in an injury accident, it is of the utmost importance that you immediately secure the representation your case requires. You may be wondering where you can find the support you need at such a pivotal time in your life. Come to Mesa Law Firm, where your case can receive the care and attention it needs from a Miami personal injury lawyer. Have you been harmed in a pedestrian accident or bike accident? Attorney Mesa can assist you. He has dealt with all kinds...

Anthony Gonzalez was born and raised in Miami, Florida. Anthony graduated from Florida International University with a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice and earned his Juris Doctor from St. Thomas University School of Law. In law school, Anthony received the Book Award in Appellate Advocacy for obtaining the highest grade for his written and oral argument, and as a result, accepted an invitation for membership into the International Moot Court Honors Organization. Additionally, while attending law school, Anthony became an ordained clergyman and co-found a non-denominational Christian church in Miami. Anthony focuses his practice in the areas of civil...

Maryvel De Castro Valdes joined the Siegfried Rivera in 2012 and concentrates her practice in community association law and residential and commercial real estate law. She represents a broad range of clients in real estate matters including acquisition and condominium/planned unit development, commercial lending, residential and commercial lease transactions, and landlord/tenant disputes. Ms. Valdes also has extensive experience in representing community associations in both condominium lien foreclosure actions and mortgage foreclosure actions. She works closely with Boards and management on the enforcement of Association collections policies, preparing demand letters, claims of liens, settlement repayments plans and proceeding with foreclosure actions...

Michael Mayoral is a shareholder and founder of Perez Mayoral, P.A. His practice focuses on multiple areas of civil litigation, including negligent security, homeowner's insurance claims, personal injury, business law, and real estate transactions. Michael has worked on several high stakes matters in state and federal court throughout the Southeastern United States. As a civil litigator, Michael served as counsel in many insurance claim related matters and injury-related cases, including car and trucking accidents, slip-and-falls, negligent security, and toxic torts. He recently led the representation of a large number of plaintiffs who developed leukemia and other blood-related cancers...

David Podein is a partner with Haber Law and has been with the firm since 2009. He concentrates his practice in the areas of real estate and construction law, condominium and community association representation, commercial leasing, secured financing, and business and commercial litigation.
A substantial portion of Mr. Podein’s practice involves representation of community associations in the financing, approvals, and contract negotiation for multi-million dollar capital improvement, repair, and/or building upgrade projects. Additionally, Mr. Podein represents real estate developers, investors, joint venture, lenders/servicers, and landlords in connection with real estate related transactions, including commercial and shopping center leasing, landlord tenant negotiations,...

Personal Injury and Insurance Claims Attorney: I think my best qualities are empathy and passion. My empathetic nature allows me to identify with my client's needs and pain; and my passion allows me to fight relentlessly for their legal rights and for Justice. That may be an understatement, as many of my clients have gone as far as calling my litigation style as ferocious when it comes to protecting their rights and getting what’s rightfully theirs. I have been unyielding in defending my community for the past 18 years. And it all started when I was a young curious girl...

Prior to joining Whittel & Melton, Mr. Sheslow served as an Assistant Public Defender in Manatee County, Florida. Mr. Sheslow accumulated an impressive trial record while with the Public Defender’s Office. He was quickly promoted from a Misdemeanor to Felony case load in less than 10 months. Mr. Sheslow has tried over 20 cases ranging from DUIs and Domestic Batteries to life felonies. He has earned acquittals in serious cases such as firearms offenses and sex offenses. Additionally, Mr. Sheslow completed the National Criminal Defense Lawyers College held at Mercer College of Law in Macon, Georgia, where he learned from...

Candace Duff, is a Florida Supreme Court certified Circuit Civil, Appellate and Family Law mediator who specializes in commercial, construction, insurance, employment, bankruptcy, federal, appellate, tort, products liability, and real property mediation. She is a member of the American Arbitration Association's roster of neutrals and a federally certified mediator appearing on the Middle District of Florida and the Southern District of Florida Bankruptcy Court's mediation rosters. She is also a Florida Bar Board Certified construction lawyer and a seasoned litigator with more than twenty years of experience successfully representing developers, banks, architects, contractors, condominium associations, corporate clients and individuals...

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...

With a knack for the creative and an entrepreneurial attitude, Christopher DiSchino specializes in business, securities and intellectual property law. Assisting both individuals and corporate entities, Christopher focuses his practices on complex business transactions, intellectual property registration and enforcement and corporate counsel services. His diverse experience allows him to create value for his clients by using resourceful techniques to minimize unnecessary costs and risks.

Prior to founding DiSchino & Schamy, PLLC, Christopher served as General Counsel in both the hospitality and fashion industries. Exposure to a fast-paced, international environment provided him with an intimate understanding of the business climate in which...

I’m an experienced Florida bankruptcy lawyer and represent clients in all types of cases, including Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcy, debt negotiation, foreclosure prevention, and estate planning matters. I provide personal attention to each of my clients and will fight for your rights throughout your case.

JAMES A. GALE is a founding member of the firm. He is a registered patent attorney who focuses on matters particular to intellectual property counseling and litigation. Mr. Gale has represented clients in cases involving patents, trademarks, copyrights, unfair competition, covenants not to compete, theft of trade secrets and internet disputes. He has appeared in over 260 federal cases in more than 48 Federal District Courts, as well as handled hundreds of injunctions in over 35 different states around the nation. Mr. Gale’s work and work ethics have always told a lot about his character. An accomplished intellectual property...

I earned a Bachelor of Environmental Science and Geology from The University of Tennessee in Knoxville, TN., and received his Juris Doctorate from St. Thomas University School of Law in Miami, FL. While in law school, I received the Best Student in Evidence Award and was Vice President in Evidence Award and was Vice President of the Environmental Law Society.

Prior to becoming a founding partner of our firm, I was an Assistant State Attorney in Miami-Dade County, Florida where he had extensive Jury trial experience.

I also practiced in the private sector with several law firms, specializing in Family Law, Criminal...

Ricardo V. Alsina is an active trial attorney and maritime lawyer at Lipcon, Margulies, Alsina & Winkleman, P.A. Mr. Alsina has been a member of the Florida Bar since 1991 and has earned a Martindale-Hubbell rating of AV – the highest rating for legal ability and professional and ethical standards in the industry. He focuses his practice on maritime related matters including cruise ship personal injury, cruise ship rape matters and wrongful death claims. He is also experienced in handling a number of personal injury areas including aviation disasters, automobile accidents, medical malpractice and class action civil lawsuits.

University of Miami School Law, Miami, Florida J.D. - 2017 Honors: magna cum laude Honors: Litigation Skills I, Litigation Skills II, and Alternate Dispute Resolution Honors: Excellence Award in Professional Responsibility Honors: Charles C. Papy Moot Court Board, Member Honors: Presidential Advisory Board, Member Honors: Best Oralist. Mr. Braunstein Honors: Best Student Casenote Award Honors: Order of Barristers PRACTICE AREAS: Franchise Law Civil Litigation Complex Commercial Litigation GIVING BACK: • Coach/Mentor: University of Miami School of Law, Trial Team and Moot Court Board • Coach/Mentor: University of Miami, Mock Trial Team • Pro-Bono Cases, various confidential

Professional Associations: Miami-Dade County Bar Association American Bar Association (ABA), Franchise Forum International Franchise Association (IFA) American Association of Franchisees and Dealers (AAFD) Coalition of Franchisee Associations (CFA) Classes & Seminars: ABA’s Annual Franchise Forum AAFD's Annual Conventions Pro-Bono Activities: Miami Dade County 'Put Something Back' Program Bar Admissions: Florida U.S. District Court Southern District of Florida U.S. District Court Middle District of Florida U.S. District Court Northern District of Florida U.S. District Court Northern District of Illinois U.S. District Court Western District of Michigan U.S. District Court Eastern District of Arkansas U.S. District Court Western District of Arkansas U.S. Court of Appeals 5th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals 9th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals 11th Circuit

We are a law firm of aggressive and experienced advocates focusing on complex civil litigation, government regulatory enforcement matters, internal investigations, receiverships, whistleblower representation and white collar criminal defense. Whether it is assisting a whistleblower to report fraud and collect a reward, advising a corporation managing an allegation of wrongdoing, defending an executive accused of fraud, or recovering assets on behalf of fraud victims, our attorneys can help.

Ross D. Kulberg is a Partner with Krinzman Huss Lubetsky Feldman & Hotte, and works as part of the firm’s real estate and finance departments. With almost two decades of practice experience, Ross is AV-rated by Martindale-Hubbell, the highest standard in attorney ratings for strong legal ability and high ethical standards. Ross specializes in all aspects of real estate and corporate law and works with businesses of all sizes. He frequently represents and advises local, national, and international businesses, lenders, and property owners. He can handle virtually all types of commercial transactions, land development, acquisitions, business and property financing, commercial leasing,...

Aleksey Shtivelman is a partner in the Miami office of Shutts & Bowen LLP, where he is a member of the International Dispute Resolution Practice Group.

Originally from Odessa, Ukraine, Aleksey moved to Brooklyn, New York, in 1994 and received his law degree from Boston University in 2012. As a native Russian speaker and fluent in Spanish, Aleksey has successfully resolved high-stakes legal disputes representing foreign and domestic clients doing business in many jurisdictions, including Europe, Latin America, Africa, and Asia.

Aleksey’s practice includes advising clients in connection with foreign and domestic disputes, including power generation, aviation, and energy industries. Aleksey has...

I was born in Maryland and moved to Florida in 1996. I attended Florida Atlantic in Boca Raton and UF in Gainesville. I am married and have a son. My wife is from Barranquilla and is able to communicate with clients in Spanish.

Rochen Mediation is a full-service alternative dispute resolution firm servicing south Florida, with offices in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach Counties. In addition to holding ADR sessions in our offices, we routinely accommodate our clients by scheduling ADR sessions at suitable alternative locations of their choosing.

Andrew J. Rochen is a Supreme Court certified circuit, county, family, and appellate court mediator, as well as a Supreme Court qualified arbitrator. Prior to opening Rochen Mediation, Mr. Rochen was a shareholder in a large south-Florida law firm, where he was engaged in an extensive state and federal civil litigation and trial practice....

I have been practicing family law exclusively since 2007. I've never done anything else, because I understand how important it is to know what you are doing when you are dealing with someone's family. I have personal experience with my own broken family, and bring that experience with me to better serve my clients who may be faced with the same or similar situation. I also worked for the Florida Attorney General in Child Support Enforcement for about three years. If you are dealing with the Department of Revenue and child support, I may be able...

Eminent Domain and Property Rights Litigation.
Real Estate Litigation.
Real Estate Closings and Title Policies.
Member Eminent Domain Committee, The Florida Bar.
Former Senior Attorney with State of Florida Department of Transportation.
BS in Engineering from the University of Florida (1977).

Jon Bell began his career at one of the largest litigation law firms in New York. Despite gaining vast experience in multi-million dollar claims, Mr. Bell was dissatisfied with not being able to select his own clients and, therefore sometimes had personal conflicts in handling cases where he believed to be "on the wrong side." Thereafter, he started his own law firm, which allowed him to select his own cases, handling them with passion in realizing he has made a personal commitment to each client. Jon Bell became interested in Federal Employee litigation as he discovered the need for Federal Employees...

Mr. Benitah earned his B.S.B.A. cum laude in General Business Administration from the University of Central Florida in 2002. He earned his law degree cum laude in 2005 from Nova Southeastern University, Shepard Broad Law Center, where he was a Junior Editor of the NSU International Citator and Research Project. While in law school, Jonathan was honored with the Book Award in Contracts, and was a teacher's assistant for Civil Procedure in NSU's Academic Resources Program. His article, "Anti-Scalping Laws: Should They be Forgotten?" was also published in the University of Texas School of Law, Texas Review of Entertainment...