Supreme Court Certified Circuit Civil Mediator
Florida Qualified Arbitrator
Florida Bar Board Certified Civil Trial Lawyer
Why I Choose to Mediate
I have been trying cases for well over 30 years, and I know the heartache of an unexpected bad result at trial. As a mediator, I also know the benefits of a fair compromise over the risks, expenses, stresses and pain of going to court.
Because I practice both professions, I am fascinated by the astounding differences between the two. I have often said that being a litigator is like being a sergeant in the trenches surrounded by unfriendly fire. The mediator’s perspective is radically different – more like being a pilot flying 1,000 feet above the same battlefield, far outside the range of guns and artillery. The battle looks and feels totally different, and the clearer perspective empowers the mediator to guide the litigants and their attorneys to shift their focus from combat to resolution.
I am truly enthusiastic to be the mediator who can help deliver the benefits of a fair compromise and assist litigants in avoiding the risks, expenses, stresses and frequent anguish of trial. It is uplifting, though often challenging work.
Biography
In 1976, I was admitted to the Florida Bar. I worked with the Public Defender’s office until 1978 and have been in private practice ever since. In 1987, I became a Board-certified trial lawyer and a Supreme Court-certified circuit and county civil mediator.
I have mediated all types of cases from medical malpractice and personal injury to business disputes and family law. I have participated both as an attorney and a mediator in more than 1,000 cases, most involving two parties, though some have had as many as six to eight. I have mediated personal injury cases, contract disputes, forfeiture cases arising out of criminal arrests, divorce-related litigation, PIP cases, disputes involving mobile home communities, and a full range of civil lawsuits. Many of my mediations have involved significant dollar divorce cases for the most prominent divorce lawyers in Polk County. I am AV-rated by Martindale-Hubbell.
On a personal note, I am a dedicated Gator fan who has suffered through the bad years and reveled in the good ones. My sanctuary and source of renewal is our home at Homossassa. Whether it is fishing, boating or merely watching the water and wildlife from our porch, my wife, Annette, and our two cats rarely miss a weekend.
Membership and Affiliations
- Board Appointee, Eminent Domain Committee of the Florida Bar
- Board of Directors, The Lakeland Bar Association
- Member, Polk Country Trial Lawyers Association
- Member, American Board of Trial Advocates
- President Elect, Polk County Trial Lawyers Association, 2003-2005
- Vice President Elect, Polk Country Trial Lawyers Association, 2001-2003
- Former Chair, 10th Circuit Judicial Nominating Commission, 1998-1999 fiscal year
- Former appointee, Civil Procedure Rules Committee
- Board of Directors, Leadership Lakeland program
- Former Member, 10th Circuit Pro Bono Committee
- Recipient, Florida Bar President’s Pro Bono Service Award, 10th Judicial Circuit
- Recipient, Jerry Devane Award, Lakeland Bar Association
- Volunteer speaker, Lakeland Bar Association’s Law Day program
- Member, Lakeland Lodge No. 91 F. & A. M.; 32nd-degree member, Scottish Rite, Valley of Tampa; Member, Egypt Temple Shrine
Rate
- Standard Hourly Rate: $350.00
- 2-Party Mediation: $175.00 per party per hour (2-hour minimum)
- 3-Party Mediation: $145.00 per party per hour (2-hour minimum)
- 4- or more Party Mediation: $125.00 per party per hour (2-hour minimum)
- CFMG charges a $95.00 administration fee per party also.