Attorneys

JASON M. AZZARONE
Born Paterson, New Jersey, 1970. Admitted to bar, 1998, Florida. Admitted to U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida (1999). Admitted to U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida (2000). Preparatory education: William Paterson University (B.A., Magna Cum Laude, 1993); legal education: University of Miami School of Law (J.D., cum laude, 1998). Moot Court Board. Member Florida Bar Association, American Bar Association, Dade County Bar Association, and the Hillsborough County Bar Association. Principally involved in defense of professional malpractice claims.

MICHAEL D. BURT
Born Lake County, Ohio, 1960. Admitted to bar, 1987, Florida, 1985, Ohio, United States Supreme Court, 1990, U.S.Court of Appeal, Middle District of Florida, 1996, United States Court of Military Appeals, 1986, United States Air Force Court of Military Review, 1989.  Florida Bar Board Certification -- Civil Trial Law.  Preparatory Education: The Ohio State University (B.A. 1982) (Phi Beta Kappa); Legal Education: Case Western Reserve University (J.D. 1985). Member: Florida Bar, Ohio Bar (inactive), Palm Beach County Bar Association; Leadership Palm Beach County. Previous experience includes extensive representation of health care providers and hospitals in all aspects of health care law, including medical malpractice claims, administrative and licensing actions, privileging and credentialing issues, contractual disputes, and other transactional matters. Extensive litigation experience at all levels of the trial and appellate process. Presently engaged in defense of health care providers and nursing homes in all manner of injury and damage claims, adverse administrative actions, and other matters.

ROBERT J. COUSINS
Born Dearborn, Michigan, 1950; admitted to bar, 1980, Florida; U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida; 1981, U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth and Eleventh Circuits; U.S. Supreme Court. Education: LeMoyne College (B.A., 1972); Nova University (J.D., 1980). Alpha Sigma Nu. Member: Broward County Bar Association, The Florida Bar (Ethics Committee1993-94); Florida Defense Lawyers Association (President 1997); Defense Research Institute; Florida Medical Malpractice Claims Council (President 2002-03); Professional Liability Underwriting Society; International Association of Defense Counsel (Medical Malpractice Committee; Legal Malpractice Committee) Board Certified Civil Trial Lawyer, Florida Bar Board of Legal Specialization and Education. Firm Member.

SHERRYLL MARTENS DUNAJ
Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin; admitted to the Florida and District of Columbia Bars; authorized to practice in all three Federal Districts in Florida (including the trial bars); admitted to the Eleventh, Fifth, and Fourth Circuit Courts of Appeals and before the United States Supreme Court. Education: graduate of the University of Wisconsin (B.S. with honors) and the University of Miami School of Law (J.D. cum laude); Associate Editor of the University of Miami Law Review (published multiple law review articles); member Phi Kappa Phi, Phi Alpha Delta, Society of Wig and Robe, and Society of Bar and Gavel; member Dade County Bar Association (service on many professional committees) and Florida Bar labor and employment law section. A former Federal judicial law clerk for the Honorable Charles B. Fulton (deceased), U.S. District Judge, Southern District of Florida. Former adjunct professor of law at the University of Miami School of Law, civil pre-trial skills, NITA sponsored program. Service as a mediator and arbitrator for the Department of Insurance and the National Association of Securities Dealers and a regular Lorman CLE speaker on pre-trial skills, civil procedure, and employment and labor law issues. Volunteer teacher, citizenship and naturalization preparation and English language skills. AV rated litigation and appellate lawyer in the following practice areas: commercial litigation, professional liability defense, employment and labor law, civil rights, Federal Court complex litigation.

ANTHONY K. GOODMAN
Born Detroit, Michigan, 1967. Admitted to the Florida Bar in 1994; United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida, 1995; and United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, 1995. Education: University of Florida (B.A. 1991 in business); Nova Southeastern University (J.D. 1994). Scope of practice has included medical malpractice, automobile liability, premises liability, and all areas of general personal injury law. Current practice is devoted exclusively to the defense of medical malpractice claims. Member of the Broward County Bar Association; Dade County Bar Association;

JOSEPH H. LOWE
Born Bronx, New York, 1945. Admitted to the bar, 1979, Florida. Admitted to the U.S. District Court Southern (1979, including Trial Bar) and Middle District (1980):First (1989) and Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals (1981); U.S. Supreme Court (1985). Preparatory education: Baruch School of Business of the City College of New York (B.B.A. 1966): legal education: University of Miami (J.D. magna cum laude, 1979); Law Review, (1977-79). 1979 University Sturges Honor Scholar Award; Member the Florida Bar, Dade County Bar Association, The American Bar Association, Defense Research Institute. Member Civil Appellate Practice Committee of the Florida Bar Appellate Practice and Advocacy Section. Certified County and Circuit Court mediator. Past president, University of Miami Law Alumni Association. Extensive appellate practice as well as litigation practice involving the defense of non medical professional insurance coverage analysis and litigation; employment practice litigation including ERISA.

ROBERTA G. MANDEL
Born New York, New York, 1957. Admitted to bar, 1984, Florida; U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida, 1985; U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Texas, 2005; U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York (2005); Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals (1989); United States Supreme Court (1996). Preparatory Education: Hofstra University, Hempstead, N.Y. (B.A. with highest honors, 1979); Legal Education: University of Miami, School of Law (J.D. 1984). Board of Directors, Florida Association of Women Lawyers-Miami-Dade Chapter (2004-Present); State FAWL Amicus Committee; Dade County Bar Association; Florida Bar; Appointed Pro-Bono Coordinator of the Office of the Attorney General, Miami-Dade Criminal Appeals Division (1990-2004); Appointed Secretary of the Florida Bar Criminal Rules Committee, Florida Bar (2002-2003); Appointed member of the Florida Bar Appellate Court Rules Committee (2005-2009); Appointed member of the Executive Council of the Appellate Practice Section of the Florida Bar; Founding member of the Government Section of the Florida Bar. Member of the Defense Research Institute; Served as CLE Instructor in approximately 75 seminars presented to the Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office; Awarded the 1996 Pro Bono Award by the Dade County Bar Association; Appointed Pro Bono Coordinator of the Miami-Dade Criminal Appeals Division of the Office of the Attorney General (1990-2004). Editorial Board of the Dade County Bar Association; Assistant Editor of "The Record," the Journal of the Appellate Practice Section of the Florida Bar; Written numerous articles for the "Florida Bar Journal," "The Record," and the "Criminal Law Reporter," publication of the Criminal Law Section of the Florida Bar; Editor, Florida Appellate Practice Section Pro Se Appellate Handbook.

Head of the firm's Appellate and Litigation Support Department. AV rated by Martindale-Hubbell. Argued approximately 850 appeals in every Florida District Court of Appeal, the Florida Supreme Court, the United States Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals and the United States Supreme Court. Listed as counsel of record in more than 500 published opinions. Responsible for handling and overseeing law firm's appellate and trial support practice in civil matters involving Insurance Coverage; Insurance Defense; Recreational Marine; Property & Casualty; Personal Injury; Complex Medical and Legal Malpractice Claims; Complex Products Liability; Business-Related Torts; Admiralty and Maritime; Commercial Litigation; Cruise Line Law; Employment Litigation and a variety of other civil litigation matters, as well as criminal litigation matters including state and federal Petitions for Writs of Habeas Corpus; Petitions for Writs of Certiorari; Petitions for Writs of Mandamus and Motions for Post-Conviction Relief. Previously served as an Assistant Attorney General for the State of Florida (1989-2004). Represented and defended the State of Florida in all criminal appeals in the state and federal court systems. Handled all felony appeals from basic sentencing guideline matters to all, other, non-capital murder cases. Also previously served as a federal law clerk to the Honorable Peter R. Palermo, United States Magistrate Judge (1985-1987).

MICHAEL MINKIN
Born Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1945; admitted to bar, 1970, Pennsylvania and U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania; 1973, U.S. Court of Appeals, Third Circuit; 1982, Florida; 1984, U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida; 1988, U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida; 1989, U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit. Education: Temple University (B.A., 1967; J.D.,1970). Phi Alpha Delta. Deputy Attorney General, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, 1971-1975. Chief, Civil Section, Eastern Regional Office, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, 1972-1974. Assistant Regional Director, Eastern Regional Office, Department of Justice, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, 1974-1975. Special Counsel, Department of Banking, 1975. Acting Special Prosecutor, City of Philadelphia,1975. Chairman, Attorney General Commission Investigating Refinery Fires, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, 1975. Counsel, Upper Dublin Government Study Commission, 1975-1976. Assistant United States Attorney, 1984-1987. Member: Pennsylvania American Bar Association; The Florida Bar; Medical Claims Defense Network. Practice Areas: Commercial Litigation; Medical Malpractice Litigation; Insurance Litigation.

GERALYN M. PASSARO
Born Rockville Centre, New York, 1961. Admitted to bar, 1986, Florida; United States District Court Southern District of Florida, General Bar, 1989 and Trial Bar, 1990; 11th Circuit Court of Appeals, 1989; United States Supreme Court 1990; Preparatory education: Florida Atlantic University (B.A.A. 1983); Legal education: University of Miami (J.D. 1983). Member Florida Bar, American Bar Association, Florida Defense Lawyers Association and the Broward County Bar Association. Published article, "Sanctuary Reconciling Immigration Policy with First Amendment Rights", Inter-American Law Review, 1983. Primary areas of practice are professional malpractice, insurance coverage, appeals and general liability defense. Martindale-Hubbell "AV" rated; Member: Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel.

R. JAMES PELSTRING
Born Cincinnati, Ohio 1947. Admitted to Bar, 1976, Ohio; 1977, Florida. Also, 1976, Ohio Supreme Court; 1977, Florida Supreme Court; 2000 Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals; 1976 U.S. District Court, Southern District of Ohio; 1983, U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida, including Trial Bar. Preparatory Education: University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio (B.B.A. 1971), Delta Sigma Pi; Legal Education: Ohio Northern University (J.D. 1976), inducted Omicron Delta Kappa for university leadership, Chief Justice, Ohio Northern University Moot Court Program. Member: American Bar Association, Florida Bar Association, Lee County Bar Association, Collier County Bar Association, Charlotte County Bar Association, Florida Defense Lawyers Association, Defense Research Institute. Spotlight speaker at National Association of Prepaid Dental Plans in 1991 regarding HIV transmission risks in dental practices following defense of a dental plan in Kimberly Bergalis v. David Acer; lectured in continuing nursing education videos regarding HIV transmission and legal requirements, 1992. Speaker to the Southeast Executive Claims Association in 1994 regarding ERISA and general liability claims. Appointed to the Florida Bar Grievance Committee 11-D in 1987, served as chairman in 1989. Extensive experience in ERISA litigation and defense of product liability and general liability claims. Martindale-Hubbell "AVT" rated; Million Dollar Advocates Forum Member.

ROBERT I. RUBIN
Born New York, NY., 1958; admitted to bar, 1984, New York; 1985, New Jersey and District of Columbia; 1990, U.S. Supreme Court and U.S. Court of Federal Claims; 1994, Florida. Education: Brandeis University (B.A. magna cum laude, 1980); George Washington University (J.D., 1983). A.V. Rated; Westchester County Assistant District Attorney 1983-1986; Author, Letter to the Editor, Outcomes of Medical Malpractice Litigation," New England Journal of Medicine Vol. 336 No. 23 p. 1680 (June 5, 1997). Author: "Tainted Food," (Co-Author) Trial (March 1993) "Discovery and Use of Criminal Convictions of a Witness in a Civil Trial, " New York Law Journal Vol. 28 No. 18, July 27, 1992; "Administrative Agency Records Can Help the Defense," (Co-Author) For the Defense; "Arm Yourself with Discovery in Defending Construction Accident Cases, " Construction Litigation Reporter (Part I &endash Vol. 12, No. 7, July, 1991; Part II &endash Vol. 12 No. 8 , Aug. 1991); "Removing Guesswork from Calculating Damages in Personal Injury Cases," Defense Counsel Journal, (January 1991, Vol. 61); "Bulldoze Your Adversaries in Defending Construction Accident Cases, " For the Defense (January 1991, Vol. 33, No. 1), Construction Law Advisor (July 1991, No. 7): "Ski Liability Law Cuts New Trails, " Trial (October 1990). Co-Author, "Family Law Update," Minnesota Trial Lawyer, Vol 7, No. 4, 1982. Assistant Editor, Insurance, Negligence and Compensation Law Journal, 1992-1995.

JEFFREY D. SWARTZ
Born Toledo, Ohio, 1949. Admitted to practice in Ohio, 1976, Florida 1979 and Colorado 1992. Admitted Southern and Middle Districts of Florida, Northern District of Ohio, Eastern District of Michigan, District of Colorado and the 6th and 11th U.S. Circuits. Preparatory Education: The Ohio State University, B.A. 1972; legal education: Thomas M. Cooley Law School, J.D. 1976. Served as Miami-Dade County Court Judge 1995-2005. Member of the Florida Supreme Court Judicial Ethics Advisory Committee, 1998-2004 (chair 2002-2003); Florida Bar Traffic Rules Committee 1996-2000; Faculty of the Conference of County Court Judges of Florida, the Conference of Circuit Court Judges of Florida, Florida College of Advanced Judicial Studies; Adjunct faculty to Barry University and Florida International University; Member of the Family Inns of Court, The "Ed"ucation Fund and the Florida Grand Opera.

MARCI L. STRAUSS
Born Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1965. Admitted to bar, 1990, Florida. Admitted to U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida, 1990. Preparatory education: University of Florida (B.S. 1987); legal education: Nova University (J.D. 1990), Book Award Torts. Member of the Broward County Bar Association; Florida Medical Malpractice Claims Association; Florida Defense Lawyers Association; American Bar Association; Phi Delta Alpha. Principally involved in defending all aspects of medical negligence cases against physicians and other health care providers including dentists. Also involved in defending general liability cases. Martindale-Hubbell "AV" rated.

MARIA VIDAKIS
Born in Crete, Greece, 1968. Admitted to the Florida bar in 1993. Admitted to the U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida in 1999. Preparatory Education: Florida International University, B.S., in 1990. Legal Education: Nova Southeastern University, J.D., in 1993. Professional History: Criminal Prosecution, Assistant State Attorney, Dade County, Florida, 1993-1997; General Liability Defense, 1997-1999; Medical Malpractice Defense, 1999 to present.

JAMES D. WETZEL
Born St. Louis, Missouri, 1969. Admitted to Bar, 1995, Missouri; 1997, Florida. Admitted to U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida, 1998. Preparatory Education; Beloit College (B.A. 1990); Legal Education: Washington University School of Law (J.D. 1995). Law Clerk, Missouri Court of Appeals - Eastern District (1995-1997). Member Florida Bar Association, Missouri Bar Association, St. Petersburg Bar Association. Presently involved in the defense of medical negligence cases on behalf of physicians, hospitals and health care providers.

DAVID P. YOUNG
Born Ashland, Kentucky, 1964. Admitted to bar, 1998, Florida. Admitted to U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida and the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, 1998. Preparatory education: Stetson University School of Business (B.B.A. 1982), University of Florida (M.A. 1989); legal education: University of Florida (J.D., with honors, 1997). Member, Florida Journal of International Law. Book awards in Administrative Law and Legal Drafting. Member Florida Bar Association; American Bar Association; Hillsborough County Bar Association. Principally involved in the defense of medical negligence cases on behalf of physicians, hospitals and other health care providers.

DIANE ZUCKERMAN
Born Washington D.C. 1955. Admitted to Florida Bar 1987. Legal Education: University of Florida College of Law. Undergraduate: Bachelor's of Science in Nursing from the University of South Florida. Admitted to practice in the U.S District Court, Middle District. Frequently handles cases filed in Federal Court and the Division of Administrative Hearings. Extensive experience in complex insurance litigation including medical malpractice, employment discrimination, nursing home defense, premises liability, products liability, auto litigation, and general liability in cases involving personal injury or death. Member of the Florida Bar Association, Defense Research Institute, and Hillsboro Bar Association. Has lectured on Florida Law with respect to awardable damages in negligence cases.

 

Stephens Lynn Klein, P.L., serving the State of Florida