Belle Isle Lawyers

After obtaining his law degree with honors from the University of Florida, Mr. Alexander clerked under the Honorable Thomas D. Sawaya at Florida’s Fifth District Court of Appeal. Upon Judge Sawaya’s retirement, he continued clerking for the Fifth District under the Honorable James A. Edwards, rising to the level of Senior Law Clerk.

At the Fifth District Court of Appeal, Mr. Alexander was involved in the decision-making process for dozens of complex appellate cases, including multi-million dollar commercial disputes, intricate real estate transactions, life-altering personal injury cases, complicated divorce and family law litigation, convictions for capital offenses, and other sophisticated,...

Mr. Jonathan K. Allen, Esquire, received his bachelor's degree in Legal Studies from University of California, Berkeley. He minored in philosophy. Having acquired a notable scholarship, he continued his education and earned a Juris Doctorate degree from Thomas M. Cooley School of Law. While in law school, he served as Vice President of the law school chapter of Amnesty International and became a member of Phi Alpa Delta Law Fraternity. He also participated in mock trial and moot court competitions. After completing law school, Mr. Allen gained admission to practice law in New York, New Jersey and Florida. He...

Elizabeth (Beth) Aires practices law in the Personal Injury Division of NeJame Law. She handles claims in the areas of Auto Accidents, Slip and Falls, Wrongful Death, Premise Liability, Dog Bites, Medical Malpractice, False Arrest, Excessive Police Force cases and all Personal Injuries. Beth graduated from Florida A&M University College of Law. She demonstrated academic excellence earning the Book Award (highest grade) in Advanced Florida and Federal Rules of Evidence. Always caring for and protecting the underdog, Beth devoted over one hundred hours advocating for the indigent at the Orange County Legal Aid Society while still a student....

Rusten C. Hurd is a founding partner at the law firm of Colombo and Hurd, PL. In over sixteen years of legal practice, Mr. Hurd has garnered experience with a wide variety of immigration matters including family petitions, deportation litigation, investor visas, as well as naturalization and citizenship matters. Mr. Hurd devotes a substantial portion of his time to assist clients successfully obtain fiancé and marriage visas. As the husband of an immigrant, Mr. Hurd is fully cognizant of the importance of this process to his clients. Mr. Hurd also has successfully appeared before immigration judges throughout...

Attorney Joshua Tejes is a member and managing attorney of Tejes Law, PLLC. Josh received his undergraduate degree from Pensacola Christian College and his law degree from Florida Coastal School of Law. He is a member of the Orange County Bar Association and the Central Florida Bankruptcy Bar Association. Before becoming a member of Tejes Law, PLLC, Josh worked as an associate attorney in several bankruptcy and civil litigation law firms. Josh focuses his practice on consumer advocacy, bankruptcy law, debt defense, debt harassment, foreclosure defense, estate planning, and probate.

Vivien is a partner in Watson Sloane’s Finance, Government Relations, Land Use & Zoning and Real Estate groups. Her real estate practice focuses on serving clients in areas related to land use, zoning, growth management law, environmental and local government issues. This focus includes assisting clients with matters relating to development permitting and other approvals, impact fees, entitlement issues, bid protests, and alcoholic beverage licensing. In matters related to public finance, Vivien’s practice includes representation of issuers, financial institutions, underwriters, and investors in connection with the public and private offering of municipal and corporate securities.

Vivien is Board-Certified by the Florida...

Grozinger Law is a law firm focused on criminal defense in the heart of downtown Orlando, Florida. Patrick Grozinger is the founder of Grozinger Law, and is an experienced criminal trial attorney dedicated to protecting his client's Constitutional rights while providing them with the courtesy, respect and professionalism they deserve. Mr. Grozinger is licensed to practice law in the State of Florida, the State of Texas, the District of Columbia, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit and the Northern, Middle and Southern District Courts of Florida. He is proficient in French, and he is also a member...

Sherri K. DeWitt was born and grew up in Middletown, New York. She was admitted to the Florida Bar in 1982 and has been authorized to practice before the U.S District Court of the Middle District of Florida since 1983 and before the U.S. Court of Appeal since 1985. She received her B.A. Cum Laude in 1973 and Ph.D. in 1977 from State University of New York at Binghamton. Dr. DeWitt received her J.D. Degree from Cornell University in 1982. She was an editor of the Cornell Law Review and is the author of a book and numerous articles. Dr....

William Vásquez is a native of Queens, NY. He served in the U.S. Air Force from 2000-2007. He is a veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom and received the Joint Service Achievement Medal for his work as a Spanish linguist for the Defense Intelligence Agency in 2005. William graduated from Campbell University in 2007 with a degree in computer science. He earned his J.D. in 2011 from the North Carolina Central University School of Law. His practice areas include immigration law and criminal defense cases. He is licensed and in good standing with the State Bar of North Carolina and...

An arrest or accident, can have a far-reaching impact on your future. Misdemeanors and felony convictions can stay on your record indefinitely, casting a shadow on your future. Additionally, you may suffer from your car accident for many years to come.
I can advise you on the best course of action for your situation. I was admitted to the bar in 2004 and my law firm concentrates on criminal defense. My experienced, aggressive representation comes from 13 years of courtroom experience, including 6 years as a felony prosecutor.
I am tough in the courtroom, but I always put the needs of my...

Florida Trial Attorney Piercy Stakelum

Practice Areas: Airplane Accidents, Car Accidents, Catastrophic Injury, Construction Accidents, Cruise Ship Accidents, Motorcycle Accidents, Wrongful Death, Natural Disasters

Piercy Stakelum has always had a strong passion for justice-a zealous desire to stand up for those who have been mistreated, hurt, or injured due to the actions of others. That passion led him to a career as a prominent personal injury in Florida.
Background:

While born in New Orleans, Louisiana, Piercy pursued his BA from Florida State University. After, he went on to pursue his JD from the University of Florida College of Law. During his time in law...

Once you become involved in the criminal justice system every decision matters. You should not be forced to make serious decisions without the advice of an attorney. Every word you say or even what you don't say can be used against you. The decisions you make will have lifelong consequences on you, your family and your friends. The decisions can affect your employment, housing, driving privileges, immigration, voting rights, and rights to own or possess a gun. You need an attorney that will aggressively fight for you and protect your rights.

A veteran of the United States Army and Texas National Guard, and a native Floridian, John Russo has a passion for helping his neighbors. Born and raised in Central Florida, John chose to serve his country in the United States Army. After his service, he attended the University of Texas at Austin, earning a Bachelor of Science in Applied Learning and Development. Pursuing his interest in the law, John earned his Juris Doctor degree at the University of Wyoming. This background provided John with the foundation that developed his commitment to professional excellence, client service, and providing the best possible legal...

Donna M. Chesteen, Esq., an attorney licensed in both Florida and Mississippi, is the owner of The Tech Law Firm, PLLC, a law firm whose services can best be characterized as the intersection of law and technology. She concentrates on those areas of the law that have a direct connection with technology—eDiscovery, information governance, IP, and transactional law for technology companies—to leverage her twenty years of experience as a professional software engineer and her formal education in Computer Science. She has more than two decades of software development experience and was a technical leader at Symantec prior to earning...

Caroline Fischer Espi is an attorney that specializes in personal injury cases. She has worked in matters involving auto accidents, slip and falls, wrongful death, and civil rights violations.

Caroline was born in Sao Paulo, Brazil where she started her legal career. After earning her Bachelor of Law degree from Mackenzie University, she became an attorney in Brazil in 2011. After one year practicing Brazilian civil law, she decided to expand her education and experience. In 2012, she moved to the United States aiming to improve her legal studies. She earned her Master's degree from Boston University School of Law and...

Attorney Tonya Walker has practiced law since 2002 and is Of Counsel to Bloodworth Law, PLLC.

Based in Orlando, Florida, Tonya travels the state providing case support for probate litigation, trust litigation, construction litigation and commercial litigation cases.

Prior to Bloodworth Law, Tonya handled commercial litigation and construction litigation for Jacksonville, Florida, law firms Whalen & Deem, LLC, and Regan, Zebouni & Walker, P.A., in 2007-08.

Tonya continues to teach law students as a Legal Methods Instructor at Florida A&M University College of Law which she began in 2011. She taught at Florida Coastal School of Law in 2006.

Tonya was as an...

As Partner at Potts Law Firm, Matthew Tabakman uses his litigation experience to pursue property insurance and personal injury claims on behalf of his clients. Having practiced law in Central Florida since 2002, Matt has handled these types of cases from the time they are pre-suit claims, through the litigation process to negotiated settlement or jury verdict.

Matt studied political science at the State University of New York at Binghamton and international affairs at The George Washington University before pursuing his Juris Doctorate at the University of Florida Levin College of Law. While in law school, he participated in competitions...

Focused on your business and real estate needs, Roberto represents a variety of business clients in a broad number of fields, from startups to Fortune 300 companies.
He brings a unique perspective to his practice of law, in addition to his considerable experience in transactional, contracts, commercial and real estate, corporate formation, business sales and acquisitions.

Darryl R. Smith, Criminal Defense and Civil Litigation Lawyer, graduated from the University of Pittsburgh in 2008 summa cum laude with a Bachelor's Degree in Criminal Justice and Legal Studies. Darryl went on to attend Vanderbilt University Law School, and graduated with his Juris Doctorate in 2011. He then moved to Orlando to pursue his dream of practicing law in Central Florida.

Darryl Smith began his legal career with the Office of the Public Defender for the Ninth Judicial Circuit in Orlando, Florida, exclusively practicing criminal law. In 2012, Darryl Smith was offered the prestigious opportunity to become a Civil Litigation...

Daniel D. Whitehouse entered the legal profession with more than a decade of experience in the information technology (IT) industry. He has had the privilege of managing the IT infrastructures of some of the world’s largest companies while working for one of the largest international IT service providers. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and a Master of Business Administration (MBA), both from Webster University. His unique blend of technology and business experience is an invaluable asset to the clients he represents. Mr. Whitehouse attended Stetson University College of Law and graduated Co-Valedictorian of his class...

Diane Claxton is a well-respected attorney licensed in the State of Florida and New York. She currently practices Immigration Law however she has worked in the field of Anti-trust Litigation, Securities, Family Law, and Personal Injury. Previous work includes but is not limited to Voter Protection and Non-Profit Organizations emphasizing on immigrants' rights. She has also worked as a Florida State Mediator. She has worked on Asylum, Cancellation of Removal, Unaccompanied Minors, Visa-U, and Violence Against Women's Act Cases. She is fluent is Spanish, French, Creole, and English.

Mark L. Van Valkenburgh has been practicing law in Central Florida since 1995. The vast majority of his practice has been in the area of employment law. While he has won significant jury trials on behalf of plaintiffs and defendants, his practice now focuses on helping employers proactively avoid litigation. Services include: • Drafting, review and revising of Employee Handbooks and other policies which not only comply with the law but are customized to your business. • Negotiating and drafting Employment Agreements. • Negotiating and drafting Confidentiality, Non-Solicitation and Non-Compete Agreements. • Flat fee retainer arrangements to respond to employers’ unlimited telephone calls and e-mails of...

Bobby Lean, Jr. is the Managing and Founding partner of Lean Law, P.A. Bobby's experience includes litigation of Insurance & Contract disputes, Employment Law, Insurance Subrogation, Negligence, Personal Injury Protection, Bad Faith, Debt Collection, Family Law, and Bankruptcy. He has represented national corporations and individuals alike during his career.

Bobby received his Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science from Missouri State University in Springfield, Missouri. He then moved to sunny Orlando, Florida to attend and receive his Juris Doctor degree from Barry University Dwayne O. Andreas School of Law.

Bobby’s passion for the law and desire to help others has been...

Prior to attending law school, Mr. Young spent over eight years working in the securities industry. During that time period, he was a Vice President at a global securities and money management firm located in Winter Park, Florida, holding licenses as a General Securities Registered Representative (Series 7), a Registered Investment Advisor Representative (Series 65), a Uniform Securities Agent State Law Examination (Series 63) and Florida Insurance and Variable Annuity. Mr. Young joined the firm of Colling Gilbert Wright & Carter in September 2006 after spending several years practicing plaintiff-side securities litigation with Hooper & Weiss, LLC. He continues to...

Lisa Figueroa is the founding attorney of the Florida Defense Team, PA. She has been practicing law since 2003 and almost exclusively in the area of "criminal defense", a misnomer given that really she sees her work as "people defense" or the defense of those accused of committing crime.

Lisa Figueroa has dedicated her life to fighting for the rights of others. She is originally from Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico, but lived a great deal of her life in Central Texas and moved to Central Florida to finish college. The rich diversity that Florida provided allowed her to pursue...

Stephen J. Calvacca has over thirty-five years of litigation experience in a broad range of practice areas ranging from murder to legal malpractice. He began his career as a criminal trial lawyer in New York City working as a Public Defender in one of the busiest courts in the country. He was later appointed by New York’s Attorney General as Special Assistant Attorney General to investigate and prosecute corruption in the nursing home industry during its most scandalous heydays. He was lead prosecutor in some of the most significant Medicaid fraud cases in New York City and earned the...

The defense of men, women, and juveniles who have been charged with crimes has been the driving focus of Maria D. Hale for over 10 years. Her experience within criminal defense gives her the confidence to pursue dropped or minimized charges for her clients. Maria's passion for criminal defense began as a result of a comprehensive legal education at the Stetson University College of Law and later experience as a Prosecutor. After receiving a Juris Doctor (JD), Maria went on to become a Prosecutor in Central Florida. As a Prosecutor, Hale conducted nearly 50 trials in front of a jury....

Attorney Heather Barry grew up in Napa Valley, California as the youngest of three children. She pursued a variety of interests including Girl Scouts, dance, music, baseball and gymnastics. In high school Ms. Barry participated in Air Force ROTC, campus leadership and had the privilege to serve as a prosecutor in her government class mock trial where she first got her first exposure to law. Ms. Barry moved to Orlando, Florida in 2004 for college where she majored in Entertainment Business at Full Sail University and minored in Recording Arts. During her degree program Ms. Barry took several law...