South Bay Medical Malpractice Lawyers

Stratton A. Smiley was born in Ohio, but has been a south Florida resident for the past fourteen years. Mr. Smiley received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science, magna cum laude, from Florida Atlantic University. While at FAU, Mr. Smiley continuously made the Dean’s List, President’s List, and was a Scholar Athlete.

Upon graduating, Mr. Smiley passed the Florida Bar Exam with one of the highest scores in the state and was the speaker on behalf of the newly admitted attorneys at the Florida Fourth District Court of Appeal’s induction ceremony.

William E. Johnson is a highly successful civil trial lawyer who began practicing in his native West Palm Beach in 1983. He is the third generation of his family to practice law in West Palm Beach. Mr. Johnson's grandfather was one of the early pioneers of West Palm Beach. His father, Thomas H. Johnson, was a long time circuit court judge in Palm Beach County, who also served in the Florida Senate and as the State Attorney for Palm Beach County. Mr. Johnson is a graduate of Florida State University, where he received his B.A. degree in 1980. He...

Richard is Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Civil Trial Law since 1991, and Recertified consistently since becoming Board Certified. Richard has achieved a national reputation through his representation of clients as lead counsel in more than ten states, and as a result of over thirty years of outstanding results in trial and by obtaining substantial settlements for his clients. He has consistently received an “AV” Rating which is the highest rating of legal ability and ethics by the Martindale -Hubbell Law Directory. He has consistently been listed in the prestigious peer reviewed book, The Best Lawyers...

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...

Sean B. Linder is an Associate at Fenster & Cohen, P.A. and member of The Florida Bar whose current focus is primarily on general negligence and personal injury litigation.

In 2013, Mr. Linder graduated from the Florida State University where he majored in Political Science. He then went on to receive his Master’s degree in Applied American Politics and Policy from the Florida State University in 2014. While in graduate school, Mr. Linder spent time organizing lobbying efforts in the Florida Legislature.

Shortly after, Mr. Linder was admitted to Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad College of Law where he received his Juris...

I am a personal injury attorney that practices law with tenacity and an uncommon compassion that comes from surviving a catastrophic plane crash in 2011 that the FAA and NTSB determined was caused by pilot error. Because of my experiences coping with, and recovering from, serious, life threatening injuries, I practice with an understanding and compassion that few injury lawyers possess.

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.

Mark Bohning, Esq. is a licensed Florida attorney who represents injured clients throughout the litigation process. Mr. Bohning graduated from Loyola University New Orleans College of Law and Florida State University. Before joining the firm, Mr. Bohning worked for a legal clinic representing injured Spanish-speaking employees who suffered workplace accidents.

Attorney Mark Bohning is bilingual, fluent in both English and Spanish.

BORIS ZHADANOVSKIY brings to the Searcy Denney team not only a law degree, but an undergraduate degree in business administration and fluency in both English and Russian. He draws upon his experience in complex insurance litigation to make sure that insurance companies keep their promises to policyholders who have been harmed.

DAVID P. VITALE, JR. is an experienced trial attorney who has litigated cases throughout the state of Florida. Mr. Vitale was recently recognized for his achievements by The National Trial Lawyers, as a Top 40 Under 40 Civil Plaintiff attorney in Florida. In addition to pursing personal injury, wrongful death, and medical malpractice claims on behalf of injured victims, Mr. Vitale also handles complex commercial and business litigation matters. As a result of his prior career as a Certified Public Accountant in the State of New York, Mr. Vitale has a unique business perspective in developing strategies that are efficient, effective,...

Trial attorney focused on wrongful death, automobile negligence, medical malpractice, products liability, and premises liability.

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,...

JORDAN A. DULCIE began his legal career in medical malpractice defense at a boutique firm in Palm Beach Gardens, followed by broader civil litigation practice at a larger civil defense firm in Florida. His practice areas include not only medical malpractice, but automotive accidents and nursing home and assisted living cases. In 2019, 2020 and 2021 he was selected by Palm Beach Illustrated magazine as a top lawyer in the area of medical malpractice, and Florida Super Lawyers Magazine lists him as a 2021 “Rising Star.” As an attorney with Searcy Denney, Mr. Dulcie shares the firm’s...

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...

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.

Mr. Halvorson is a Shareholder and Partner of the firm. He is Board Certified by the Florida Bar in the areas of Personal Injury and Wrongful Death and has successfully prosecuted numerous high profile cases. His practice is devoted 100% to litigation and he has specialized in the areas of motor vehicle accidents, medical malpractice, personal injury, products liability and wrongful death since 1977.

Corey Leifer was born in Queens, New York and grew up on Long Island, New York. He attended college at the University of South Florida (“USF”) in Tampa, Florida, where he received a degree in Criminal Justice. Mr. Leifer was a member of the Dean’s List at USF and was the recipient of the prestigious Honors Convocation Award during his senior year. He earned his law degree at Thomas Cooley Law School in Lansing, Michigan. Mr. Leifer began his legal career as a Prosecutor at the Broward County State Attorney’s Office, where he served as lead counsel in...

Marvin Simon Schulman, Esq., has represented the rights of victims, consumers, and investors, for almost 40 years, specializing in complex litigation and serious personal injury and malpractice cases. Attorney Marvin Simon Schulman, Esq., has been acknowledged as having earned and received the highest rating (AV) conferred by Martindale Hubbell. This is the most respected directory of lawyers and law firms in the United States, reflecting the confidential opinions of his peer attorneys and Judges, as a leading Florida litigation attorney.

Joseph J. Rinaldi, Jr., graduated from the University of Florida in 1998 and from the University of Miami School of Law in 2002. He is licensed to practice in Florida, in both State and Federal Courts, as well as the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit and the Supreme Court of the United States. Memberships: Florida Bar Association, American Association for Justice, Florida Justice Association, American Bar Association, Broward County Bar Association, Florida Admiralty Trial Lawyers Association, United District Court for the Southern District of Florida, United District Court for the Northern District of Florida, United States...

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...

MARA RITCHIE PONCY HATFIELD, who holds dual degrees in environmental law, began consulting with Searcy Denney Scarola Barnhart & Shipley on issues related to environmental and entertainment law in 2006 before becoming an associate with the firm in 2012. Since then, she has assisted the firm’s clients in obtaining recoveries for injuries arising out of environmental contamination, medical malpractice, nursing home neglect, catastrophic automobile crashes, defective products and premises liability (including but not limited to slip and falls). She continues to work on intellectual property and consumer-based class action lawsuits as well.

KATHERINE A. KIZIAH is an attorney with Searcy Denney’s pharmaceutical and medical device mass torts litigation unit.

KAREN E. TERRY is a shareholder at Searcy Denney Scarola Barnhart & Shipley in West Palm Beach, and has been with the firm for 14 years. She recently received the highest honor of being chosen by the Daily Business Review as the "Most Effective Lawyer" in the State of Florida for products liability, along with Chris Searcy. She also was selected as one of The Best Lawyers in America. Ms. Terry has tried many big cases, but in August of 2007, Ms. Terry received a jury verdict of over 25 million dollars in Polk County, Florida against Walgreens for misfilling...

With over 30 years of experience as a personal injury attorney, Mr. Ehrlich S. Ehrlich has represented thousands of clients in claims against insurance companies of all kinds.

Aggressive Advocate Focus on Trial and Appellate Litigation Represent Plaintiffs Multi-Jurisdiction Bar Admission in State and Federal Courts

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.

Starting his legal career as Certified Legal Intern in the Miami-Dade State Attorney's office, Dan eventually took a position at a civil defense firm, where he represented corporate entities. Dan began representing victims who had suffered injuries when he joined Lytal, Reiter, Clark, Fountain & Williams, LLP. He later became an associate at Zele Huber Trial Attorneys, P.A where he honed his skills in representing injured parties all over the state of Florida. As recognition for his hard work, Dan has been selected as a Florida Super Lawyer; Legal Elite Up & Comer; a Top 40 under 40; and...

I'm passionate and dedicated to the things I care about in life - my career, my family, art, music, and culture - and that passion is what drives me to serve my clients to the fullest extent of my human abilities, every day. I live to see my clients find some closure and relief when I settle or successfully litigate their personal injury case to terms that exceed their expectations. It's a feeling of pride that I cannot duplicate outside of my profession as a personal injury attorney. As a former medical malpractice defense attorney, I know the ins-and-outs of...