Superstars in Trial & Jury Selection
Miami vs. Broward & Palm Beach
In partnership with the Dade County Bar Association
Program Chairs:
Jordan Dresnick Dade County Bar Association, President
Judge Ronald Dresnick (Ret.) Kaplan, Silverman, Katzen & Levine, P.L.
Diana Diaz WSVN 7 News / MSP Forum
Judd G. Rosen, Esq. Goldberg & Rosen
John H. Ruiz MSP Recovery Law Firm
Special Thanks to :
Craig H. Lichtblau, MD.
Rey Martinez
Chris Miranda
Melissa Lima
Nancy Caceres
Discovery & Social Media Issues
Moderator: Natalie M. Rico
Panelists: Michael T. Moore, Nicole M. Reid, Lee E. Stapleton, Janpaul Portal & Steven W. Davis
Cross Examinations with the Experts
Moderator: Leslie J. Lott
Panelists: Alan T. Dimond, Markenzy Lapointe, Jacqueline M. Arango, John “Jack” H. Hickey & J. Alfredo Armas
Legal Issues Involving Social Media
Moderator: Effie D. Silva
Panelists: Judge Lisa S. Walsh, Douglas J. McCarron, & Judge Migna Sanchez-Llorens
Vignette
Trial Team
Presiding: Judge Samantha Ruiz Cohen
Miami Team:
Jennifer G. Altman
Edward R. Blumberg
James L. Ferraro
Stuart Grossman
Judd G. Rosen
John H. Ruiz
North Team:
Jay Cohen
Fred A. Cunningham
Willie E. Gary
Diana Santa Maria
Christian D. Searcy
Jury Deliberation/Feedback
Moderator: Judge Ronald C. Dresnick
Judicial Feedback
Moderators: David A. Coulson, Judge Martin J. Bidwill, Judge Peter R. Lopez
Panelists: Judge Marina Garcia-Wood, Judge Michael A. Robinson, Judge Reemberto Diaz, Judge Dennis J. Murphy, Judge Jose M. Rodriguez
Legal Feedback
Moderator: Judge Angel A. Cortinas & Judge Yvonne Colodny
Panelists: Irene Oria, Bacardi L. Jackson, Javier A. Lopez, Todd J. Michaels & Brett M. Rosen
Keynote Closing Remarks: Winning with Trial Themes
Moderators: Frank C. Quesada, Sherril M. Colombo
Panelists: Todd Omar Malone, Melissa D. Visconti, Mark J. Heise, Jennifer Miller, & Michael B. Feiler
Attend the mock trial of the year to see South Florida’s top attorneys try a case to a real jury. The program includes discussion from dozens of judges and attorneys on strategies involving depositions, direct & cross examinations, opening & closing arguments, voir dire, and feedback from jurors.
Earn up to 12 CLE credits all before lunch. Space is limited. RSVP today to save and secure a seat.
Please contact Diana Diaz at info@mspforum.net if you are interested in sponsoring or speaking at the conference.
*Per Fla Bar CLE Rules, attendees who have received mock trial credit in the current reporting cycle may not redeem triple hours (where one hour counts for 3 credits) for a second mock trial in the same 3-year reporting cycle. Instead, those who have participated in a mock trial in this reporting cycle may earn up to 6 Fla Bar CLE credits for the 5 hour program (3-mock trial and 3-Best Practice Jury Selection)
A former Assistant U.S. Attorney with a focus on public corruption and national security, Jacqueline Arango is co-chair of Akerman’s White Collar Crime & Government Investigations Practice. She leads a team including former federal prosecutors, senior enforcement lawyers at the SEC, and government lawyers representing corporations, financial institutions, boards of directors, and individuals in government...
Sherril Colombo draws on her extensive experience to provide effective advocacy for her clients in the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) litigation matters and employment-related claims. Board-certified as a specialist in labor and employment law, she provides skilled, responsive representation to employers of all sizes across a range of industries. Sherril represents group disability,...
David represents businesses in complex commercial litigation and product liability actions. In addition to prevailing in major cases through dispositive motions, he has tried numerous jury trials to favorable verdicts and possesses wide-ranging and successful arbitration experience. A long-time chair of the Miami litigation practice and a current member of GT’s Litigation Executive Committee, David...
Alan T. Dimond offers more than 40 years of “first chair” experience in commercial and real estate- related litigation. In addition to local and regional real estate developers, key clients include, or have included, American Express, Avatar Holdings, Inc., Avatar Real Estate Services, Fisher Island Holdings, LLC, General Growth Properties, Lee County, Florida, Metropolitan Life...
After nearly two decades of presiding over some of South Florida’s most complex, notorious and precedent-setting cases, Eleventh Judicial Circuit Judge Ronald C. Dresnick joined Kluger Kaplan to focus on trial work including complex commercial litigation, white-collar defense, securities litigation and internal investigations. Additionally, he will support existing litigation by offering case and jury trial...
James L. Ferraro is the founding partner of The Ferraro Law Firm. After receiving his J.D. from the University of Miami School of Law in 1983, his work has led to many cases that resulted in multi-million dollar jury verdicts, including the largest compensatory award in the state of Florida for a mesothelioma case. Mr....
Mr. Grossman is recognized as one of America’s pre-eminent trial lawyers concentrating in medical malpractice, products liability, police misconduct, aviation, personal injury litigation and wrongful death. His successful career is distinguished by an unprecedented number of favorable verdicts; he has consistently won some of the largest awards in Florida. Mr. Grossman was named Trial Lawyer...
Jack was born and raised in Miami, Florida. He graduated from Florida State University (magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa) and Duke Law School. For over 36 years, Jack has been trying personal injury and wrongful death cases in the areas of admiralty and maritime, cruise ship injury, railroad, medical malpractice, product liability, and general...
A former Department of Justice prosecutor, Markenzy Lapointe has a varied practice that includes high-stakes commercial, products liability and professional malpractice disputes, as well as criminal investigations. Mark has a wealth of trial, arbitration and mediation experience in state and federal courts, and works closely with clients to achieve the best and most cost-effective solution....
Judge Lopez was elected to the 11th Circuit Court in 1996, re-elected 2002 and 2009 without opposition. Presiding in both the civil and criminal divisions, Judge Lopez heard hundreds of cases, including 1st degree capital murder cases, robberies, public corruption, medical malpractice, maritime/Jones Act, personal injury, and complex commercial/business litigation. Prior to taking the bench,...
Frank C. Quesada is the Chief Legal Officer of the MSP Recovery Law Firm. Quesada focuses his practice on health care litigation and, particularly, representing MSP Recovery, a data analytics company that purchases health insurance companies’ recovery rights stemming from their improper payments. Quesada oversees 30+ attorneys in-house and over 22 nationally recognized law firms...
Irene Oria has over 15 years of experience in complex commercial business litigation in federal and state courts and arbitration tribunals with a focus in recent years on Financial Services, Insurance and Securities Litigation, including nationwide class and multi-district litigation. She has tried jury and non-jury cases. Ms. Oria represents domestic and international public and...
Martindale-Hubbell AV rated attorney, John H. Ruiz, is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of MSP Recovery Law Firm. He is recognized as one of America’s pre-eminent trial lawyers, named 2019’s DBR Florida Trailblazer for his groundbreaking work in integrating data analytics into the practice of law and for the positive impact it is having...
Judge Sanchez-Llorens received a B.A. from Wellesley College, Master in Economics from Trinity College, and J.D. from New York University School of Law. Prior to practicing law, Judge Sanchez-Llorens worked in banking for approximately nine years, five of which she was a bank officer. For over 14 years, Judge Sanchez-Llorens was an Assistant Public Defender...
Lee Stapleton is an experienced trial lawyer, seasoned in complex commercial litigation and white-collar criminal defense. Ms. Stapleton frequently represents corporate and individual clients located throughout the United States, Latin America, and Europe in high-value commercial and criminal matters. Ms. Stapleton is the immediate past President and Chair of the Orange Bowl Committee and is...
Mr. Armas is one of the state’s premier trial lawyers. He has tried cases throughout Florida in both state and federal courts. Mr. Armas has been a trial lawyer for over 30 years, and has obtained multi-million dollar settlements and judgments in professional negligence, complex commercial, and insurance litigation cases. Mr. Armas has been privileged...
Marina Garcia-Wood is a Civil Division judge of the 17th Judicial Circuit Court in Florida. She was elected on November 7, 2006 and she took office the following January. She was re-elected in 2012 and her current term expires in January of 2019. Garcia-Wood received her B.A. degree (in political science) from Florida International University in 1982 and her J.D. degree from the University...
Judge Lisa Walsh is a circuit court judge, currently presiding in the criminal division of the 11th Judicial Circuit of Miami-Dade, Florida, and has previously served in the civil and dependency divisions. From 2008-2011, Judge Walsh was a county court judge assigned to the civil division. Before becoming a judge, she practiced law for sixteen...
Melissa Visconti is an experienced trial and appellate lawyer who has appeared in state and federal courts across Florida and around the country. Ms. Visconti is Of Counsel to the Firm and focuses her practice in the areas of state and federal court appeals, complex litigation, and receiverships. Ms. Visconti has extensive experience in state...
Global business attorney leading the Prepared Foods Business Unit Legal Team at Tyson Foods, the largest food company in the United States. Collaborating with Global Corporate Services and Global Litigation and Investigations, finding responsive solutions, and navigating a course for the future. Lead and develop team of lawyers and paralegals in the Business Unit. Manage...
CHRISTIAN D. SEARCY is President and CEO of Searcy Denney Scarola Barnhart & Shipley, P.A. For 45 years, he has litigated cases primarily involving catastrophic injury and death in venues throughout Florida, as well as other states. At age 29, he had the distinction of being the youngest lawyer in the United States to achieve...
An extremely successful attorney, Judd G. Rosen has taken on and defeated some of the largest insurance companies and corporations in the United States, winning substantial financial settlements for deserving clients. A proud Magna Cum Laude graduate of the University of Miami School of Law, Mr. Rosen is dedicated not only to winning cases, but...
As a trial lawyer, it is my duty to stop powerful insurance companies and big business from abusing the rights of individuals. I was born and raised in Miami, and I am the product of parents that are public school teachers. As was instilled in me from birth, it is my obligation to fight for...
Eleventh Judicial Circuit Court, FL (Miami, FL) THE HONORABLE JOSE M. RODRIGUEZ was appointed to the Circuit Court of the 11th Judicial Circuit in Florida by Governor Jeb Bush in the year 2000. Judge Rodriguez was previously a County Judge in the same Circuit appointed by Governor Lawton Chiles in 1994. Judge Rodriguez has served...
Michael A. Robinson is a judge on the 17th Judicial Circuit Court in Florida. He was re-elected in 2012, and his current term expires in January of 2019. Robinson was first appointed by Governor Charlie Crist on August 23, 2010 to succeed Ana I. Gardiner. Robinson received his undergraduate degree from the University of South...
Personal injury attorney Natalie M. Rico always wanted to be a trial lawyer. Taught to have great respect for the legal system by her grandfather, a well-respected attorney in his homeland of Cuba, Natalie takes great pride in providing distinctive client service and exemplifies the quality of injury attorneys at our firm. Prior to joining...
Nicole Reid is a member of Klein Glasser Park & Lowe, P.L.’s professional liability division. Her practice focuses primarily on litigating professional malpractice matters, predominantly defending lawyers and accountants. She also represents lawyers facing bar grievances, fee disputes, disqualification attempts, and defamation claims Nicole is an active member of the Dade County Bar Association, currently...
Janpaul Portal focuses his practice on the representation of injured victims and consumers in catastrophic personal injury, wrongful death, medical malpractice, environmental toxic torts, defective drugs, and product liability cases in state and federal courts throughout the United States. Prior to joining The Ferraro Law Firm, Mr. Portal dedicated his practice to the representation of...
Dennis J. Murphy is a judge of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit Court, Criminal Division, in Florida. He was elected to the court on November 7, 2000 and took office in early 2001. His current term expires in January of 2019. Murphy received his B.A. and J.D. degrees from George Mason University in 1976 and 1983,...
Michael T. Moore has practiced maritime and aviation law for over forty years. He has frequently been selected as a Florida Super Lawyer by Law and Politics Magazine, selected by his peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America, and selected as a Top Lawyers in South Florida by the South Florida Legal Guide,...
Jennifer Miller is an experienced litigator and trial lawyer. She is a founding partner of Hamilton, Miller & Birthisel, L.L.P., a Martindale Hubbell® AV rated® minority certified law firm consistently ranked among the top ten most diverse law firms in South Florida by the Daily Business Review. She is the Managing Partner of its Fort...
Todd Michaels Esq, a lifelong Miami-Dade resident, joined The Haggard Law Firm in 2009. In May 2014, he was named partner at the firm. Todd handles a wide array of the firm’s cases involving wrongful death and catastrophic personal injury, representing clients who were injured through the negligence of others. His practice primarily involves negligent...
Doug is an accomplished trial lawyer with significant experience handling a wide variety of cases including those involving negligent security, road construction, pool drowning, dram shop, and auto accidents. Prior to joining the firm, Doug served as an Assistant State Attorney in Miami-Dade County for four years. While there, Doug was a member of the...
Diana Santa Maria attended the University of Miami where she received both her undergraduate and law degrees. During law school she represented the school in Mock Trial and Moot Court Competitions on the state –wide level winning the Best Brief Award on behalf of the University of Miami at the (1983) Robert Orseck Memorial (State)...
Omar Malone founded the Malone Law firm with one guiding principle in mind: to ensure regular people who are in need of an experienced and reliable attorney have one they can afford. We believe regular people shall never be victimized because they lack an affordable, experienced and reliable attorney to hold irresponsible corporations, insurance companies,...
Leslie Lott is a founding partner of Lott & Fischer. She is admitted to practice in the State of Florida, the State of New York, the District of Columbia, the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (formerly U.S. Court of Customs and Patent Appeal), the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals, the United States District...
Jorge Lorenzo has been a member of the firm’s litigation department since the founding of the firm in 2011. His practice concentrates on complex civil litigation, class action, mass torts, products liability, employment, commercial real estate and contract disputes. Mr. Lorenzo earned his Bachelor of Arts Degree from Florida International University in 2007 with Honors,...
Javier Lopez is a partner in Kozyak Tropin & Throckmorton and focuses his expertise in complex litigation. Javier has particular expertise in advising and representing international clients in matters brought in U.S. federal and state courts. He has represented many high-profile internationals individuals in entertainment contract dispute, commercial transactions, and intellectual property matters. Javier has...
Bacardi L. Jackson joined Tucker Law Group in 2005, and, in 2008, she established the firm’s Florida office. She practices in both Pennsylvania and Florida, representing a wide range of clients, which include Fortune 100 companies, colleges and universities, governmental entities and individuals. Ms. Jackson grew up in Memphis, Tennessee and is the daughter of...
Mark’s main practice areas are complex commercial litigation, class action litigation, and product liability litigation. His successful representation of clients in both state and federal trials has resulted in Mark being consistently recognized by his peers in numerous publications, including Best Lawyers in America. Mark has tried a wide variety of cases, ranging from complex...
Attorney Willie E. Gary earned the reputation as “The Giant Killer” by taking down some of America’s most well- known corporate giants on behalf of his clients. He has won some of the largest jury awards and settlements in U.S. history, including cases valued in excess of $30 billion. Gary’s amazing success has earned him...
Michael B. Feiler manages the firm. He has tried over 85 cases to jury verdict and is Board Certified in Civil Trial by the Florida Bar; in 2015, he was appointed to serve on the Florida Bar Civil Trial Certification Committee. Mr. Feiler received his B.S. in 1987 from Florida State University and his J.D....
Judge Reemberto Diaz is a judge of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit Court, Family Division, in Florida. He was appointed by former Governor Jeb Bush in June of 2006 to replace the late Judge Henry Leyte-Vidal. He was most recently re-elected without opposition in 2014, winning a six-year term that expires on January 4, 2021. As...
Practicing for more than 30 years, Steve has litigated antitrust, real estate, contractual, and business disputes in both federal and state courts. Steve brings a high level of professionalism, judgment, and experience to the matters he handles and is prepared to take cases through verdict and appeal, if necessary. Over his career, Steve has tried...
Fred A. Cunningham is a Board Certified Civil Trial Lawyer and shareholder in the law firm of Domnick Cunningham & Whalen. He has a statewide and national practice devoted solely to trial work with a focus on litigating complex cases involving insurance company bad faith, insurance coverage, and catastrophic injuries. Many of Florida’s best personal...
Yvonne Colodny is a judge of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit Court, Criminal Division, in Florida. She was elected on November 4, 2008, and took office the following January. Colodny was later re-elected without opposition in 2014, winning a six-year term that expires on January 4, 2021. Colodny graduated from the Florida State University College of...
Judge Samantha Ruiz-Cohen is a judge of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit Court in Florida. She was elected to this court on August 24, 2010, and was officially sworn in to office in C2011#February 2011. She was re-elected to a new six-year term in 2016. Ruiz-Cohen was born in New York City, but raised in Miami....
Florida attorney, Jay Cohen represents individuals and families who suffer due to the negligence of others. His experience and professionalism have earned him membership in the American Board of Trial Advocates, where he earned the distinction of “Lawyer of The Year,” as well as peer recognition from Florida Trend Magazine’s Legal Elite, Florida Super Lawyers,...
Edward R. Blumberg is a graduate of the University of Georgia and earned his law degree from the College of William and Mary. He has practiced continuously in Florida since 1975. He has served as President of the Florida Bar, as a member of the Board of Governors of the Florida Bar and as a...
The Honorable Martin J. Bidwill is an Administrative Judge with the Seventeenth Judicial Circuit Court of Florida. He is currently assigned to the Criminal Division and was a former Associate Judge on the Fourth District Court of Appeal. He has served as an Assistant Federal Public Defender from 1995-2005 and as Assistant State Attorney in...
Jennifer Altman has litigated in state and federal courts and in arbitration forums across the United States, including the American Arbitration Association, JAMS and the American Health Lawyers Association. In addition to complex commercial cases, a portion of Jennifer’s practice is dedicated to sophisticated health care-related litigation for providers, physicians and health maintenance organizations involving...
