Riviera Beach Lawyers

Christopher B. Hopkins is a member of McDonald Hopkins LLC, a business advisory and advocacy law firm.

He has more than 20 years of trial and appellate experience representing businesses and families in the areas of defamation, privacy, cyber security,
commercial, malpractice, nursing home, and probate litigation.

In addition to his work in the courtroom, Christopher’s practice involves a wide range of emerging technologies such as cybersecurity, data breach, e-discovery, Internet crimes, policy/terms-of-service drafting, privacy, and social media discovery. Christopher’s work in these areas permits him to protect client data as well as effectively target discovery and investigation...

MATTHEW K. SCHWENCKE began his legal practice as a defense attorney, where he gained experience in all facets of civil litigation. Defending hospitals and healthcare providers against multi-million dollar claims has given him insight into defense strategies and tactics, especially in medical malpractice litigation. Mr. Schwencke earned his law degree from Stetson University College of Law, where he was a member of Stetsons award-winning Moot Court Board. While in law school, he served as intern to a federal magistrate judge, and prosecuted misdemeanor criminal offenses as a Certified Legal Intern for the Pinellas County State Attorney’s office. As an undergraduate,...

I am a criminal defense attorney. To some, that means I am noble and honorable because I do something no one else wants to do. To others, I represent the world’s worst people and therefore must be one of them myself. To me, it means I wouldn’t want to live in a world where I only got a lawyer if my accusers liked me. I hope none of you ever needs me. But if you ever do, I will be there to stand next to you and tell your accusers to prove it; to tell...

Michael “Mike” Celeste, Jr. was born and raised in Milford, Mass. He received his B.A. in American Studies at Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut in 1975, where he also played varsity football and lacrosse – with Bill Belichick, the head coach of the New England Patriots. Mike graduated with honors from Nova Law School in 1986, where he was the president of the student chapter of ATLA (American Trial Lawyers Association) and represented Nova Law in the Southern Regional Mock Trial Competitions. While attending Nova Law, Mike was the recipient of the first Krupnick & Campbell, P.A. award, which was...

Florida personal injury and commercial litigation attorney Mariano Garcia has been practicing in West Palm Beach since 1994. AV-rated from Martindale-Hubbell and a member of the Million Dollar and Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum, Mr. Garcia has been with Searcy Denney since 2011 as a bilingual lawyer with long-standing commitment to representing the Latino community.

Erick Santana is co-founding partner of Cecere Santana, PA.

He has been evaluating personal injury cases for over 20 years, and has successfully settled thousands of cases for his clients, in some instances collecting in excess of $1 million.

Prior to becoming an attorney, he was employed for seven years as an insurance adjuster for State Farm Insurance Co. As a result of his previous employment within State Farm, Mr. Santana knows first-hand what challenges clients face when dealing with insurance companies, which differentiates him from most personal injury attorneys in the area. He uses his expertise and knowledge to work...

egan working for Searcy Denney Scarola Barnhart & Shipley PA in 1994, and works primarily with James W. Gustafson and T. Hardee Bass on tobacco litigation, overseeing and litigating the firm’s more than 500 cases. Previously, she has worked on products liability, catastrophic automobile accident, personal injury and commercial litigation cases.

ADAM HECHT, a veteran of more than 75 felony and misdemeanor jury trials as an Assistant State Attorney, now works with Searcy Denney Scarola Barnhart & Shipley, P.A. handling medical malpractice, personal injury, wrongful death and products liability cases.

I provide quality legal representation and advocate for the rights and best interests of my clients. I keep clients informed of processes and proceedings and cater to client’s emotions during and throughout litigation.

LINDSAY M. REINHART has concentrated her practice on tobacco litigation, first as a law clerk in Searcy Denney’s tobacco litigation department and then as an Associate attorney with the firm since 2018. She is admitted to practice in the State of Florida in all jurisdictions and is a member of the Florida Justice Association, the Florida Association for Women Lawyers and the American Association for Justice.

As a previous Broward County Special Unit Felony Prosecutor in the Sexual Battery Unit in the State Attorney's Office, Lawrence Michael Meltzer, Esquire, is a talented protection legal counselor who got his beginning on the opposite side of criminal law in the Fort Lauderdale territory, arraigning those blamed for violations. He now utilizes that information to battle for the privileges of those same Broward County people. In 1994, Mr. Meltzer moved on from American University in Washington, D.C., with a Bachelor's Degree in Criminal Justice. In the wake of working in the private division for a long time,...

I have been practicing business litigation and appellate practice in West Palm Beach since 1997. Prior to going in to private practice, I was a law clerk at the Third District Court of Appeal in Miami. From 1997 to 2014, I was a shareholder in a business litigation boutique handling all manner of complex civil and business related disputes, including matters in arbitration, state court, federal court, and on appeal. In 2014, I joined this firm as a shareholder, adding my business litigation cases and appellate work to the firm's thriving probate litigation practice. I routinely...

Florida personal injury lawyer Christopher Speed joined Searcy Denney Scarola Barnhart & Shipley PA as a Shareholder in 1994 after representing plaintiffs in Virginia for 20 years. He has spent his entire career pursuing justice for victims of personal injury, medical and legal negligence, aviation accidents and defective products.

Mr. Weisser is a Partner and Shareholder of the firm. He has practiced law in South Florida since 1996. He began his professional career as Assistant State Attorney in Miami, Florida, prosecuting an extensive felony criminal caseload and tried forty jury trials with only 3 resulting in acquittals. Subsequently, he has been actively involved in Civil Trial Litigation handling all phases of civil cases involving Medical Malpractice, Motorcycle Accidents, Nursing Home Abuse, Trucking Accidents, Products Liability and Motor Vehicle Accidents. Mr. Weisser has handled cases that have generated over $50 million from jury verdicts or settlements...

Greg Yaffa joined Cunningham Whalen & Gaspari in 2004 and currently concentrates his practice in the areas of personal injury, wrongful death and insurance company bad faith. Prior to joining the firm, Greg practiced in the Miami-based law office of Stewart G. Greenberg, where he focused on automobile negligence, wrongful death, medical malpractice and product liability cases. Greg is admitted to practice law not only in the State Courts of Florida, but also in the Florida Federal Courts, including the United States District Court, Middle District Court of Florida, the United States District Court, Southern District of Florida...

B.A. in English from Indiana University at Bloomington; J.D. from the University of Baltimore in 1999. Lector and Eucharistic Minister at Mary Help of Christians Catholic Church.

David Lacesa completed his law degree from Nova Southeastern University’s Shepard Broad Law Center and has been practicing law for more than 15 years. He focuses his practice exclusively on prosecuting slip & fall claims and other premises liability accidents. Mr. Lacesa is an experienced and dedicated attorney who is well-versed in the law and aggressive when fighting for compensation on behalf of his clients. He is not afraid to challenge large corporations, big businesses, and intimidating insurance companies, and has secured millions of dollars in recoveries for clients. Mr. Lacesa is the one to call when you fall.

James S. Cunha, Esq. is the Managing Attorney at the Law Offices of James S. Cunha, P.A. Mr. Cunha primarily focuses his practice on family and marital law. As a result of his background in Finance and Economics, Mr. Cunha has become a highly sought-after divorce and family law attorney in South Florida particularly in complex or high asset divorce cases involving asset valuation and alimony issues. Since the inception of his firm, Mr. Cunha has represented corporate executive officers, professional athletes, business owners, medical, legal and financial professionals, homemakers, working men and women–(or their spouses)–in divorce cases,...

Gabriel F. Zambrano, a resident of South Florida, has been practicing law in the State of Florida since 1994. Throughout his career, he has handled commercial litigation and insurance defense cases, successfully resolving them through mediation or trial. He holds an esteemed AV rating from the Martindale Hubbell Peer Review Rating system. With extensive trial experience, Gabriel has taken on complex and severe injury cases, some of which have lasted for over thirty days. In 2011, he was selected as co-counsel for an Engle Tobacco trial, which resulted in one of the largest reported verdicts of that year. Today, he passionately...

Susan Winston has been practicing law since October 2004 when she was admitted to the Florida Bar. She came to Florida from Virginia after graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from the College of William and Mary in 2001. Susan then went to the University of Miami School of Law and received her Juris Doctor in 2004. Susan began her legal career at the Office of the Public Defender for the 15th Judicial Circuit in 2004. In over six years at the Office of the Public Defender, Susan represented the indigent accused in...

JENNY LANCASTER is an associate attorney with Kitroser and Associates, joining the firm in October 2021. Ms. Lancaster was born in the Caribbean and lived in New York before transplanting to Florida twenty years ago. She is a proud graduate of the City College of New York and received her Juris Doctor from the University at Buffalo School of Law. Ms. Lancaster began her law career as an attorney with the Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County in the practice areas of employment discrimination, health care, family law, landlord/tenant issues and government benefits. Ms. Lancaster quickly transitioned to criminal law, serving...

South Florida has been my home for nearly all my life. I grew up in North Broward / South Palm Beach County, with two single parents who divorced when I was four. People often asked me whether having divorced parents was difficult, and my answer was always “no” because they made the transition relatively seamless. As a child, I got to go on two vacations, have two bedrooms, and spend lots of quality time with both of my parents, albeit separately. It was the best decision my parents made for themselves, and for me.

I got my...

Before pursuing his legal career, Andrew Stine served in the U.S. Army as a medic for 12 years. He was honorably discharged in 1999, and he decided to help others through law practice. He studied at Quinnipiac University in Connecticut, and received his Juris Doctor. After completing law school, he served at the Palm Beach Office of Public Defenders Appellate Division, where he represented those appealing criminal convictions for both misdemeanors and felonies. He currently practices at his own firm, Andrew D. Stine, P.A., and has gained over 10 years of experience as an attorney. He has represented clients at both...

Thirty Years of practicing Family Law representing Children and Families through difficult times with compassion and understanding. I have represented clients throughout the State of Florida, from Key West to Brevard County with dedication and determination to seek a just result and protect the children at issue before the Courts of Florida.

Michael Mirer is a seasoned criminal defense lawyer in Miami-Dade, Florida. His firm, the Law Office of Michael Mirer, P.A., handles all types of misdemeanor, felony, and federal charges. Michael earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Miami School of Law and was licensed by the Florida State Bar in 1997. Michael served as a Miami-Dade County Assistant State Attorney before entering into private practice. His experience on both sides of the courtroom helps him build comprehensive defenses and seek the best possible results for each client. Michael has defended a number of high profile cases...

Guy Fronstin is one of Florida's leading Criminal Trial Lawyers. Drawing on his expertise from serving tenure as a Criminal Prosecutor in Palm Beach County, and serving as a Staff Attorney for FINRA, Fronstin has delivered positive results consistently for his clients. Mr. Fronstin has worked with Alan Dershowitz, Roy Black and has been featured on 20/20, Primetime, Dateline and as a legal expert on local television networks.

ELISE SHERR ALLISON joined Searcy Denney in 2019 after clerking for The Honorable Jose E. Martinez, United States District Court Judge for the Southern District of Florida, and then working with a complex commercial litigation and personal injury firm in Miami. At Searcy Denney, she represents clients in personal injury and wrongful death cases resulting from medical malpractice, defective products, motor vehicle accidents and unsafe premises.

T. HARDEE BASS III earned his law degree from Stetson University College of Law and his undergraduate degree from The Florida State University. Prior to joining Searcy Denney Scarola Barnhart & Shipley PA, Mr. Bass served as a felony prosecutor in the Palm Beach County State Attorney’s Office. During his tenure, he handled nearly 50 jury trials to verdict, prosecuting crimes ranging from Driving Under the Influence to first degree felonies punishable by life in prison. Currently, Mr. Bass works with C. Calvin Warriner and David J. Sales. He is a member of The Florida Bar and the Palm...

I am a veteran of the court. My skills have been battle hardened by a lifetime of practicing law. I care about the outcome of my clients cases. I care about my reputation. To me the two are one in the same. Which is why I approach every case as if it is personal.