Charlotte County Lawyers

Alexander Knapp graduated cum laude from Florida State University in 2007, earning a Bachelor of Science degree with a double major in Political Science and Marketing. During his time at Florida State, Alexander was an active member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon. Following college, Alexander enrolled in the Boston University School of Law. While in law school, Alexander competed in Esdaile Moot Court during his first year in law school, and during his second year competed in Stone Moot Court and judged Esdaile Moot Court. Also, Alexander worked for a Tampa Criminal Defense firm and volunteered with the New England...

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....

The Law Office of Ama N. Appiah currently represents those seeking assistance in state appeals, trademark & copyright registration, and entertainment & creative arts law. Ms. Appiah earned her Bachelor of Science degree at the State University of New York College at Buffalo, cum laude. Prior to attending law school, Ms. Appiah worked as a legal assistant and paralegal for the U.S. Small Business Admin. - Disaster Assistance Office in Niagara Falls, NY. The office provided federal loans and grants to those who suffered physical and/or economic damage to their homes and/or businesses as a result of natural...

MY OBJECTIVE
It is my mission to make a difference in the lives of our clients. We dedicate ourselves to seeking justice and securing much needed compensation for people that have been injured as a result of the negligence and wrongdoing of others, for the purpose of compensating egregious wrongs, but also to act as a deterrent so that in the future the negligent parties or corporations do not hurt others.

MARK WEINSTEIN (FOUNDING PARTNER)

Now in his 30th year of practice, before representing accident victims and their families who needlessly suffer injury or the death of a loved one due...

Born in Providence, RI, grew up in Barrington ,RI and thereafter attended Eckerd College in St Petersburg,Fl, where he majored in Political Science and Economics. He also played varsity baseball and pitched on the 1977 team that reached the finals of the Division II College World Series. He attended Stetson College of Law and graduated in 1982. Upon graduation he accepted a position as an Assistant State Attorney in Pinellas County Florida, and continued in that position until 1997 when he entered private practice with the Clearwater, Florida firm Tew, Zinober,Barnes, Zimmet & Unice....

Nicole Lange Goetz (nee Nicole Lange Smith) was born in Virginia and raised in Southwest Florida.

She graduated cum laude from the University of South Florida in Tampa in 1993. During her studies at the University of South Florida, she was a member of two national honor societies, earned a perfect grade point average in her major, and was recognized on the Dean’s list every semester that she attended. Ms. Goetz went on to receive high honors and honors multiple times during her legal studies at the University of Florida in Gainesville, and in 1997, she received her Juris Doctor degree...

As the son of a career Officer in the United States Navy, Ryan Kuhl relocated several times before graduating from High School in the Washington, DC suburb of Rockville, MD. He received his B.A. from the University of Delaware in 1995, where he attended on a football scholarship. Ryan graduated Cum Laude from the University of Miami School of Law in 1999, and was admitted to the Arizona Bar in 1999, the Florida Bar in 2000, and most recently the New York Bar. Mr. Kuhl served as a Prosecuting Attorney in both Phoenix, AZ and Fort...

Eric is a Naples Personal Injury Attorney and the founder of Cardinal Law, P.A. Having lived in Southwest Florida since 1991, Eric has deep roots in the community, a love for and understanding of the area, and a passion for helping those in need. Before starting his own firm, Eric was a litigator at the world’s largest law firm — Dentons— and spent almost a decade fighting over complex business, construction, commercial, and real estate disputes.

Mr. Faro is Boston born and educated. Faro has been a Registered Patent Attorney since 1971; and, since then. has continuously represented inventors (and their companies) in the protection, exploitation and enforcement of intellectual property rights throughout the U. S. Prior to entering private practice Faro was the patent counsel for the Baxter Healthcare three (3) divisions, in Miami, Florida (immuno-diagnostics), and in Costa Mesa, California (clinical chemistry) and in the Stanford, Connecticut (Wappler Endoscopic Instruments) In private practice, Mr. Faro has represented his former employer, Baxter Healthcare, IVAX Inc., C.R. Bard. Polaroid Corp., Meridian Diagnostics, Coulter Diagnostics,...

Attorney Kevin Humphries attended Stetson University College of Law before he started off his legal career serving as a felony prosecutor for the state attorney’s office of the 10th Judicial Circuit. His history includes a widely diverse track record at both county and circuit court and in the state courts of the following counties: Dade, Hardee, Hillsborough, Highlands, Osceola, Pinellas, and Polk. Mr. Humphries has also litigated cases in federal court in the United States Middle District Court for Florida in Tampa. Kevin Humphries has served as a partner in private practice for more than a decade. He opened Lopez &...

Maj: pronounced like the first syllable of "Magic" Vasigh: pronounced "Va-sigh" Most people go through life thinking they'll never need a criminal defense attorney. And many of them never will. But sometimes, a regular, decent, professional person - a teacher, college student, nurse, or fellow lawyer - will find themselves in a situation they never thought they'd be in. That's when they call Maj Vasigh, a criminal defense attorney in Tampa who is an expert in criminal defense litigation. Though he represents people from all walks of life the majority of his clientele aren't the type of "hard criminals"...

I am Timothy J. Sierra, a bankruptcy attorney with more than 24 years of legal experience. I specialize 100% of my practice in bankruptcy and work with clients in the Tampa Bay, Riverview, and Brandon areas. Visit our website at www.timsierra.com or give me a call today at (813)258-3455 to schedule a free initial consultation.

Casey Carlson is a long-time Clearwater, Florida, resident who graduated from Keswick Christian High School in St. Petersburg, Florida. He joined the firm in 1989 upon graduation from law school. He enjoys boating, fishing, golf, scuba diving, travel, and spending time with family and friends.

David S. Toback is a Tampa-area lawyer with offices in Tampa and St. Petersburg who concentrates his practice in the areas of estate planning and probate, with an emphasis on tax planning, asset protection and business succession planning. Mr. Toback also helps his clients with business entity formation and commercial transactions, tax preparation matters and the resolution of tax controversies. His entire legal career has been focused on estate planning and tax matters for individuals and businesses. David Toback obtained his Bachelor’s degree in Accounting from the University of South Florida in 1994, graduating magna cum laude. He then earned his...

Paul W. Rebein has a passion for helping people. His 26 years of experience and deep understanding of the law empower him to fight for justice for his clients. Paul has won and favorably settled thousands of personal injury, auto accident and slip and fall cases. Driven by his faith and a profound empathy for the people he serves, Paul is known for winning cases and and negotiating substantial settlements on his clients’ behalf. A graduate of the University of Virginia Law School and a Tampa resident for years, Paul is 20 years, Paul is at...

Nichelle Womble loves people and is passionate about advocating for human rights and diligently representing her clients in various kinds of lawsuits. She serves as an Attorney with Counsel in the American Islamic Relations office in Philadelphia, representing clients on criminal, civil rights, and civil law matters with a laudable winning rate. She fiercely fights for justice and equality. As a litigation associate Ms. Womble offers legal advice and handles cases including criminal law/trials, sports/business, civil rights, police brutality, workplace discrimination, wage violations, labor rights violations, sexual assault, unlawful imprisonment, juvenile & family law, student defense/title ix, etc. Prior to attending law...

Kristin Kirkner has focused her practice on family law and military family law since 2004. By limiting her practice to family law, including divorce, paternity, custody, child support, alimony and military divorces, Kristin has been able to focus on the one area that best utilizes her negotiation and litigation skills. Kristin is Board Certified in Marital and Family Law in the State of Florida, and has been accepted in the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit for the State of Florida as an expert in military divorces and division of military pensions. Kristin is the Immediate Past Chair of the Marital...

We are O’Brien Hatfield, PA, a criminal defense law firm with offices in Tampa, Orlando, and Miami. I am an equity partner. I am a statewide recognized criminal defense attorney with over fifteen years of experience in state criminal courts. I head the state criminal defense division. I am a licensed member of the Bar of the State of Florida (2009). My law firm consists of five lawyers, four legal assistants, two private investigators, one sentencing mitigation specialist, and numerous third party experts who assist on a case by case basis. We have three divisions in our firm: federal criminal...

For almost a quarter-century, I have largely dedicated my professional life in service to such victims and, over time, have learned the real value of the hospitality service education and training I received. While providing a high-quality hospitality service experience to someone during their restaurant visit or hotel stay was professionally rewarding to me, I have found no greater professional fulfillment than providing high-quality legal service and achieving corrective results for individuals who have suffered unlawful treatment at the hands of their employers. I have counseled thousands of individuals. I have achieved multiple million-dollar recoveries for my clients. And, while...

Laura Anne Olson is the founder and principal attorney at The Law Office of Laura A. Olson, P.A., a Tampa law practice focused on marital and family law and civil litigation in South Tampa and the greater Tampa area.

Laura received her undergraduate degree in Accounting from the University of South Florida in Tampa and earned her Juris Doctorate law degree from Stetson University College of Law, across the bay in Gulfport. During her time in law school, Laura clerked for the Honorable Judge Dennis Alvarez (Chief judge of the 13th Judicial Circuit, retired) and the Honorable Judge Elizabeth Kovachevich (U.S....

Dennis Hernandez, Esq. is a fifth-generation Florida native and a dedicated advocate for injury victims. Born in Florida, he became an attorney at 23. For over 30 years, Dennis has represented individuals injured in car accidents, motorcycle accidents, truck accidents, semi-truck crashes, tractor-trailer accidents, commercial truck collisions, pedestrian accidents, and product liability cases across Florida. A graduate of Duke University with a degree in Economics, he earned his Juris Doctor from Florida State University College of Law and a Master of Law (LL.M.) from Harvard Law School. In 1996, he founded Dennis Hernandez Injury Attorneys, a firm helping victims of motorcycle crashes,...

Timothy C. Martin is licensed to practice law in the state of Florida. As the owner/attorney of Martin Law Office, P.A., he serves the Tampa Bay and Central Florida areas and beyond in matters relating to animal law, estate planning and probate, real estate/real property including landlord/tenant matters, corporate law, business organizations and transactions, LGBT issues, and limited family law matters.

As a Partner of the Law Offices of Russo Pelletier & Sullivan, I limit my practice of law to represent only those clients charged with criminal offenses and DUIs. Both I and my partner Tim Sullivan are former state prosecutors. My experience as an Assistant State Attorney with the 20th Judicial Circuit of Florida has given me invaluable legal knowledge and insight into the strategies and tactics often used by prosecutors in trying criminal cases. This experience allows myself and Mr. Sullivan to develop unique, creative strategies in an effort to obtain the best possible outcome in each and every...

Charis Campbell was born and raised in New Providence, Bahamas. In 2002, she moved to South Florida with her family to pursue an education that ultimately led to her career in the legal profession. Charis obtained her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Florida, where she graduated Summa Cum Laude, with a major in Criminology and a minor in African Studies.

Charis obtained her Juris Doctor Degree from Stetson University College of Law. While at Stetson, She worked at a full-service real estate firm gaining experience in foreclosure and title curative work assisting with the representation of major lending...

Larry Sandefer has handled well over 5,000 criminal cases. Over 250 of these have resulted in jury trials of from one day to several weeks in length. These trials have included numerous first degree murder cases, multi-jurisdictional drug and homicide conspiracies, drug trafficking, sales and possessions, sexual battery, lewdness and exposure charges, arson, white collar crimes including trade secrets and fraud, robbery, theft, assault and battery, domestic violence, traffic deaths, DUI, resisting arrest, shoplifting, abuse allegations of children and the elderly, embezzlement, insurance fraud, burglary, kidnaping, and many other criminal charges. Mr. Sandefer has been honored with the...

Paul Knudsen was born in New Port Richey, Florida and resided there until eight years old. He then moved to Orlando where he attended Dr. Phillips High School. At 18, he went to The Florida State University on an academic scholarship. While at FSU, Paul received numerous Dean’s List Honors and is still an avid Florida State football fan. After his graduation from Florida State, Paul moved to Jacksonville and began attending Florida Coastal School of Law. In the Spring of his first year, Paul was invited to join the Moot Court Honor Board for his appellate advocacy skills....

Steven C. Ruth is the managing- trial attorney of The Ruth Law Team. For over 35 years he has exclusively represented thousands of families in successfully obtaining compensation for their injuries or wrongful death due to the negligent conduct of individuals, corporations, and insurance companies. He conducts jury trials involving auto, truck, and motorcycle accidents, as well as defective products, elderly abuse, and medical malpractice. He is admitted to practice before all state courts in Florida and Minnesota, the Federal Middle and Southern Districts of Florida, the Federal Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, the Supreme Court of the United States...

Army Veteran and former Law Enforcement Officer, Sean decided to continue to serve his community by becoming an Attorney. Sean has a mission to protect the people and started Panther Law, P.A. to do just that. He offers legal help in Litigation, Estate Planning, Probate, Bankruptcy, and Special Needs Law.

Mr. Zoecklein currently focuses his practice on Plaintiff's Civil Litigation. His team is currently litigating cases throughout the State of Florida in the practice areas of probate administration, estate litigation, insurance claims, family law and business law. Brice Zoecklein grew up in Blacksburg Virginia and attended Virginia Tech where he graduated cum laude and obtained a degree in business management. While at Virginia Tech Mr. Zoecklein ran several successful franchises throughout Virginia and North Carolina. Mr. Zoecklein then obtained his juris doctorate degree cum luade and a Masters in Business Administration from Stetson University College of Law....

Diane Buerger has over 30 years experience as a Florida Criminal Defense lawyer – with cases ranging from felonies to misdemeanor and traffic cases. Her practice includes representation on both the trial and appellate levels. She handles cases from high-profile to first-time offenders. Her primary practice is criminal law -- in both trial and appellate courts. She's successfully argued before the Florida Supreme Court -- and District Courts of Appeal. She's a Past President of the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers -- and also the Polk County Criminal Defense Lawyers Association.

I have maintained a private law practice for 35 years in the areas of criminal defense, juvenile, dependency, bankruptcy, real estate, corporate, contracts, estate planning, and probate administration. I served the public sector as Assistant Prosecuting Attorney for Coumbus, Ohio; Assistant Prosecuting Attorney, Juvenile Division for Jefferson County, Ohio; Special Agent and Assistant Ohio Attorney General, Medicaid Fraud Division; and Service/Safety Director for Reynoldsburg, Ohio. I was also a registered lobbyist and in-house legal counsel for the Ohio Municipal League. I am focusing my practice now on estate planning, business, and probate administration.

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...

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...

Attorney Kevin A. Fuller has been representing injured victims and defending the accused since 1992. If you have been injured or accused of committing a crime, please call the office to ask questions and get answers. Benefit from more than 25 years of courtroom experience.

Christina Anton Garcia graduated summa cum laude with a B.S. in criminology and cum laude with a B.A. in psychology from the University of Florida in 2003. She earned her J.D. from the University of Florida's Levin College of Law in 2006. After graduation from law school, Christina Anton Garcia worked for nearly four years as an attorney at the law firm of Older & Lundy, where she practiced marital and family law. In 2010, Christina joined with attorney John S. Castro to form Anton Castro Law. Her expertise in marriage dissolution, paternity, domestic violence, and other areas of family law...

An aggressive litigator, Karina Perez Ilic has diverse expertise in civil litigation including motor vehicle accidents, catastrophic workplace accidents, contracts, commercial disputes, premises liability, and motor vehicle accidents. She is not afraid to be a fierce advocate for clients who have been wronged or injured.

A Florida native, she ventured to New Orleans to receive her bachelor’s degree in business law with a minor in French language at Tulane University. She continued her legal education in New Orleans, graduating from Loyola University in 2010 cum laude.

Karina is a member of the Florida State Bar and is admitted to practice in both...

Originally from Charleston, West Virginia, I attended West Virginia Wesleyan College studying both business administration and political science. After three semesters at West Virginia Wesleyan College, I transferred to West Virginia University, where I obtained my Bachelor of Arts degree in Multi-Disciplinary Studies. While attending West Virginia University, I worked with my father as a surface miner in the coal fields of West Virginia. Of all the lessons learned during those summers, I learned to appreciate the value of a hard work and the importance of taking pride in whatever you do. At Blumenauer Hackworth, we take pride in our...

Oxalis B. Garcia is a native from Puerto Rico. After being admitted to practice Law in the State of Florida she began focusing on practicing Family and Criminal law in the Tampa Bay area. Since that time, she has represented clients in divorces, custody disputes, post-judgment modification actions, child support matters, alimony and domestic violence injunctions. In addition she has represented client in Misdemeanors, Traffic Infractions, DUI’s and Violations of Probation. Presently she is admitted in three (3) jurisdictions and is fluent in both the Spanish and English languages. In addition Attorney Garcia volunteers at the Free Family Law...

Practice Areas: Business Law; Construction Law; Real Estate
Admitted: 2005, Florida and U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida

Law School: Florida State University, J.D.

Member: Hillsborough County Bar Association; The Florida Bar.

Biography: Board of Directors, Tampa Interbay Rotary Club. Florida Supreme Court Certified Circuit Court Mediator. Lifetime Member Veterans of Foreign Wars. AV Preeminent Rated by Martindale-Hubbell. Named “Rising Star” in Business Litigation by Super Lawyers. Consistently named to “Tampa’s Top Rated Lawyers” by Legal Leaders Magazine.

Born: Charlotte, North Carolina, April 1, 1974

MilitaryService: U.S. Navy, 1993-1999

Cases: Scherer v. Villas Del Verde Homeowners Ass'n, Inc., 55 So.3d 602 (Fla....