Palm Beach Gardens Personal Injury Lawyers

President, CEO, Shareholder and Founding Partner of the firm in 1978, Richard D. Schuler has been actively involved in Civil Trial Litigation for 33 years. He has considerable experience in defending and prosecuting civil cases. For the past 28 years, his practice has been deveoted to representing injured plaintiffs in complex matters including medical malpractice, product liability, airplane crashes, construction accidents, automobile accidents and other types of personal injury claims.

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.

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,...

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,...

ANDREA A. ROBINSON has dedicated her career to seeking justice on behalf of those who have been wronged. As an attorney at Searcy Denney, Ms. Robinson represents clients who have been harmed by careless drivers, defective products, harmful prescription drugs and negligent health care providers. Ms. Robinson is very active within the legal community and was recently named the 2014 Young Lawyer of the Year by the Palm Beach County Bar Association. She is a member of the Florida Justice Association, Florida Bar Association, the Palm Beach County Justice Association, and the Palm Beach County Bar Association. In April 2014, Ms....

Edward J. Welch is the founder of Welch Law, PLLC. Mr. Welch is highly regarded among his peers in the legal community of South Florida. His highly aggressive yet sensible approach to civil litigation routinely yields successful outcomes for his new and returning clients.

Recognized for Superlative Results and Service as a Business Litigation Attorney
Among his achievements, Mr. Welch has been named by Super Lawyers Magazine as a “Rising Star” in Business Litigation. Super Lawyers’ “Rising Star,” a peer–designated honor, is bestowed upon only the top 2.5% of lawyers practicing in Florida. In addition, Mr. Welch has been awarded the Silver...

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. 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.

Chad Hastings was born in Teaneck, New Jersey and raised in Port St. Lucie, Florida, where he graduated from Port St. Lucie High School. Chad attended the University of Central Florida, where he received his B.S. in Finance in 1997. While at U.C.F., Chad was actively involved in Student Government as the Comptroller, served his fraternity Alpha Tau Omega as the Treasurer, and worked with Habitat for Humanity. Chad attended law school at the Walter F. George School of Law at Mercer University where he earned his J.D. in 2001.

Chad joined the firm in 2007, having previously worked at a...

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.

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.

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...

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...

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...

My job is to produce solutions to my clients' problems. I am known for leaving no stone unturned when representing my clients in court. I am a lawyer warrior for my clients and I outwork opposing attorneys. From my first attorney position out of law school, I have been a litigator. I have fought for my clients' rights in court, arbitrations and at mediations. A U.S. Army Ranger veteran, my experience in a special forces military unit developed and tested my leadership skills, and taught me to react smartly and quickly under pressure, but most importantly for clients. Today, I...

Graduating from St. Thomas University with his Juris Doctorate, Fort Lauderdale personal injury attorney, Eric Feingold, was admitted to the Florida State Bar in 2004. He spent the first part of his career as a public defender in the Miami-Dade justice system. Additionally, he spent his time as a member of the Counsel for a National Health Insurance Company, where he learned the importance of protecting the rights of personal injury victims. Knowledgeable regarding the tactics that insurance providers sometimes use and with experience as a public defender, Attorney Feingold understands what a fair case settlement looks like and how...

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.

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.

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.

Richard K. Slinkman is the managing partner in the law firm of Slinkman & Slinkman, P.A. Rich is a board certified civil trial attorney by the Florida Bar and is AV rated by the Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory, which is the top rating an attorney can receive from his peers and judges. Rich is in his 20th year of practicing law in Palm Beach County. Since being admitted to practice law, Rich has focused his practice on representing injured persons and their families in the areas of personal injury, medical malpractice, products liability, and wrongful death. Rich...

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.

After attending St. Thomas University for law school, Attorney Craig Posner was admitted in 2004 to the Florida State Bar Association. Working as a former insurance defense attorney for a nationally known auto insurance company, he was able to retain insightful legal knowledge regarding the insurance industry. Learning what car insurance providers look for and what tactics they use, Attorney Posner has been able utilize that information to fight against their schemes when they try deny or delay rightful claims. Dedicated to each and every client first and foremost, Attorney Posner works on a contingency fee basis. This means that...

Ron D. Herman is a practicing attorney in West Palm Beach, devoted to the field of criminal defense. He is a former prosecutor, which allows him to maintain a thorough understanding of the entire criminal justice system. In addition to criminal defense, Attorney Herman offers effective counsel for individuals facing personal injury and business litigation matters. Regardless of what specific situation you’re involved in, you can trust that you’ll be in good hands by retaining Mr. Herman’s representation. To learn more about the services offered by Attorney Herman, contact the firm, Herman Law, P.A., today.

Matthew A. Goldberger dedicates his practice to helping individuals and their families in accident, personal injury and criminal cases. Mr. Goldberger graduated from the University of Florida and went on to attend Georgetown University Law School. After graduating with honors from Georgetown Law, Mr. Goldberger practiced at two of the world’s largest and most prestigious law firms, located in New York and Miami. After several years representing large corporations in sophisticated commercial litigation and corporate bankruptcy matters, Mr. Goldberger founded the Goldberger Firm to provide responsive legal service to individual clients. Mr. Goldberger draws on his unique experience...

John Naizby was raised in a small dairy town in upstate New York. He grew up with his sister, mother, maternal grandparents, and great grandmother; he lost his father at the age of three. John knew from an early age that he wanted to be involved in helping people; ultimately that is what led him to the law.

John started his career as a public defender, and eventually became an insurance defense attorney. For over 20 years now though, John has exclusively represented people (not Insurance companies). A graduate and senior instructor at the Trial Lawyers College, John was...

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.

For nearly 2 decades, Patrick J. Tighe has been going up against and standing up to big insurance companies that don’t honor their promise to do the right thing. In the process, he’s developed a record for getting clients the recoveries insurers didn’t want to give. It’s a task for which few lawyers are as uniquely qualified.

The son of an insurance agent, and a former senior claims adjuster himself, Patrick saw firsthand how the big insurers worked: good claims delayed and even denied; serious injuries not adequately compensated. Too many cases undervalued, and too many people failed....

C. CALVIN WARRINER III joined the firm in 1988 as a seasoned attorney, with experience defending personal injury cases that included medical malpractice and products liability. His distinct areas of practice include mass tort and complex litigation arising from institutional wrongdoing in the pharmaceutical, medical device, healthcare, and insurance industries. Mr. Warriner is Board Certified in Trial Advocacy by the National Board of Trial Advocacy and by The Florida Bar. He is a diplomate of the American Board of Professional Liability Attorneys and has been named as one of South Florida's top lawyers by Miami Metro Magazine's South Florida Legal Guide. An...

Luis Sosa was born in Cuba and was raised right here in West Palm Beach, Florida. After graduating from the University of Central Florida with academic honors, he earned his Juris Doctor at Barry University School of Law. Sosa’s professional experience at David Chico Law Group and the 18th Judicial Circuit in Seminole County has prepared him for his newest role as an attorney at Rosenthal, Levy, Simon & Ryles’ Port Saint Lucie office. While at Barry University School of Law, Sosa was a member of the Barry Trial Team and the Delta Theta Phi International Law Fraternity....

JOHN A. SHIPLEY III is a vice president of Searcy Denney Scarola Barnhart & Shipley PA, and serves as a member of the firms board of directors. He is a Florida Bar Board Certified Civil Trial Lawyer in the areas of personal injury and wrongful death. Mr. Shipley's primary practice focuses on personal injury cases, with an emphasis on complex medical malpractice and trucking cases. Drawing upon 30 years of litigation experience in West Palm Beach, both prosecuting and defending civil cases, he has obtained numerous multi-million dollar settlements and jury verdicts on behalf of injured plaintiffs. He has tried cases...

Mr. Herman is an aggressive, client-minded advocate who has recovered millions of dollars for injured Floridians in nearly a decade of practice. He began his career defending injury cases for insurance companies, and has since used that experience to maximize settlements and verdicts for his injured clients. Mr. Herman was designated as a Client Champion by Martindale Hubbell in 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021. In 2021, he was named a Top 40 under 40 Civil Plaintiff Trial Lawyer in Florida by The National Trial Lawyers. Mr. Herman focuses his practice on catastrophic injury, brain and spine injuries, wrongful death, car...