Attorneys

CARL PETE STEPHENS, JR.(1928-2008) *
Born Miami, Florida, 1928. Admitted to bar, 1953, Florida. Legal education: University of Miami, graduated with honors, 1953. Member of Dade County Bar Association, Florida Bar Association. Past lecturer for Defense Research Institute (lectured for two days at DRI seminar in Toronto, Canada in May of 1980, "Defense Tactics and Trial Techniques"; lectured at DRI seminar in May of 1981, "The Defense of Excess Liability Cases"; lectured at DRI seminar in May of 1982, "Excess Liability Cases, Avoiding Them and Defending Them"). Handled all types of heavy litigation for insurance companies including all types of professional liability cases (including legal, accounting and medical malpractice); product liability cases; fidelity and dishonesty bond cases and insurance policy litigation.

*Retired Founding Partner.

JONATHON P. LYNN
Born Janesville, Wisconsin, 1947. Admitted to bar, 1972, Florida. Preparatory education: Exeter College Oxford University, Oxford, England; Lafayette College (A.B. 1969); legal education: Cornell University, graduated with honors; Order of the Coif, (J.D. 1972). Dade County Bar Association; Florida Bar Association; American Bar Association; Dade County Defense Bar Association; and Florida Defense Lawyers Association. Heavy trial experience involving personal injury of all types for insurance companies. Has been extensively involved in the defense of doctors and hospitals in professional liability cases and has assumed the responsibility for preparation and trial of numerous product liability suits. Frequent lecturer for various medical groups throughout Florida in the area of medical malpractice.

ROBERT MICHAEL KLEIN
Born New Haven, Connecticut, 1949. Admitted to bar, 1976, Florida; 1993, Massachusetts. Also: 1977, Florida Supreme Court; 1977, U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida; 1978, Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals; 1981, Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals; 1984, U.S. Supreme Court; 1988, U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida; 1991, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Florida. Preparatory education: Franklin Marshall College, Lancaster, Pa. (B.A. 1971); legal education: Ohio Northern University (J.D. 1976), Manuscript Editor, Ohio Northern University Law Review. Clerk, Third District Court of Appeal (1976). Member Dade County Bar Association; Florida Bar Association; American Bar Association; Dade County Defense Bar Association; Florida Defense Lawyers Association; Defense Research Association; and American Board of Trial Advocates. Wrote papers for Defense Research Institute for Orlando presentation in 1979; Toronto, Canada in 1980 and Iowa in 1981; (these papers appeared in course books on "Bad Faith - - Defense Tactics and Trial Techniques.") Has handled all types of litigation for insurance companies and has done extensive appellate work in the District Courts of Appeal and Supreme Court of Florida, the Federal Circuit Courts of Appeal and the United States Supreme Court. Principally involved in the defense of professional liability cases (including legal, accounting and medical malpractice), product liability cases, surety, fidelity and dishonesty bond cases; and complex insurance coverage litigation. Considerable experience in multi-district product liability, CERCLA and coverage litigation, including defense of asbestos litigation at trial court level and coordination of multi-district defense teams for environmental and coverage litigation, and federally-based causes of action involving RICO and 1983 actions. Extensive experience in class action litigation involving both product liability and insurance coverage, underwriting, rate and premium matters. Has handled numerous appeals as amicus curiae before the Florida Supreme Court on behalf of major Florida medical malpractice carriers, the Florida Medical Association, the Florida Hospital Association, the American Medical Association and the Florida Defense Bar Association. Has lectured extensively for the Florida Bar on matters involving legal malpractice and trial practice, including presentation of one week seminar on trial techniques. Author of several chapters of Florida Bar Continuing Legal Education textbook on the trial of a legal malpractice action.

LOUIS J. LACAVA
Born Bronx, New York, 1954. Admitted to bar, 1985, Florida. Admitted Federal Bar, Southern District of Florida, 1987, Middle District of Florida, 1995 and Northern District of Florida, 1996. Preparatory education: University of Florida (B.A. with honors, 1976). Legal education: Nova University (J.D., cum laude, 1985). Staff member Nova Law Journal, 1983-1985. Book awards in Evidence, Trial Advocacy and Federal Income Tax. Member Florida Bar Association, Hillsborough County Bar Association, West Coast Claims Association, Florida Defense Bar Association, Florida Medical Malpractice Claims Association, Professional Liability Underwriting Society, and Defense Research institute. Extensively involved in defending professional negligence cases against physicians, hospitals and nursing homes. Also involved in representing physicians and dentists in administrative actions initiated by the Agency for Health Care Administration and Department of Health. Additional experience in defending other types of professional negligence cases, including cases against lawyers and insurance agents, stock brokers, and general liability cases. Frequent lecturer at risk management seminars for medical malpractice insurance companies and physician groups. Martindale-Hubbell "AV" rated.

ILISA W. HOFFMAN
Born Miami Beach, Florida, 1957. Admitted to bar, 1982, Ohio; 1983, Florida. Admitted to U.S. District Court, North District of Ohio, 1983. Preparatory education: Ohio State University (B.S.S.W. 1979); legal education: Cleveland-Marshall College of Law (J.D. 1982). Member Florida Bar Association; Ohio State Bar Association; Florida Defense Bar Association; Dade County Defense Lawyers Association; Dade County Bar Association and Florida Association of Women Lawyers. Past Member of Board of Directors of Dade County Defense Bar Association. Member of the 11th Judicial Circuit Grievance Committee of the Florida Bar. Published article, "Women's Rights in the Criminal Justice System: Arrest to Trial," Copyright (C) 1981. Principally involved in defense of medical negligence cases, nursing home and hospital malpractice cases and general liability cases. Jury trial experience in the defense of professional negligence cases. Has lectured extensively in areas of medical negligence, loss prevention and risk management.

KEITH J. PUYA
Born Miami, Florida, 1957. Admitted to bar, 1986, Florida. Admitted to U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida, 1993. Preparatory education: University of Florida (B.A. 1980); legal education: Nova University (J.D. 1983); Member Florida Bar Association; Palm Beach County Bar Association; American Bar Association; Association of Trial Lawyers of America. Principally involved in defending medical negligence cases against physicians and other health care providers, including nursing homes. Additional jury experience in defending dentists and lawyers and general liability cases. Has lectured in areas of medical negligence and risk management. Martindale-Hubbell "AV" rated.

GARY KHUTORSKY
Born Kiev, U.S.S.R., 1964. Admitted to bar, 1989, Florida. Admitted to U.S. District Court, Southern and Middle Districts of Florida; U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. Preparatory education: University of Florida (B.S., B.A., with honors, 1986); legal education: University of Florida; Leiden University, Netherlands (J.D. 1989). Student Works Editor, Florida International Law Journal. Member Florida Bar Association; Dade County Bar Association; Florida Defense Lawyers Association; Defense Research Institute. Principally involved in the handling of appellate matters and all forms of insurance coverage litigation.

GREGORY S. GLASSER
Born Miami, Florida, 1968. Admitted to bar, 1994, Florida. Admitted to U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida (1995). Preparatory education: University of Texas at Austin (B.B.A., with honors, 1990); graduate education: University of Texas at Austin (M.B.A. 1991); Legal education: University of Florida College of Law (J.D., with honors, 1994). Member Florida Bar Association; American Bar Association; Dade County Bar Association. Principally involved in the defense of professional malpractice, automobile liability, premises liability and general liability.

KARI KATZMAN JACOBSON
Born Miami, Florida, 1967. Admitted to bar, 1992, Florida. Admitted to U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida, 1994. Preparatory education: University of Florida (B.A. 1989); Legal education; University of Miami School of Law (J.D. 1992). Member: Florida Bar Association; American Bar Association, Hillsborough County Bar Association. Formerly an Assistant State Attorney for Dade County, and Pinellas County, Florida. Principally involved in the defense of employment discrimination, general liability, and professional liability claims.

CHARLES ANDREW THARP
Born LaJolla, California, January 24, 1961. Admitted to bar, 1988, Florida. Admitted to U.S. District Court, Southern, Middle and Northern Districts of Florida. Preparatory education: Occidental College (A.B. 1983); legal education: University of Miami (J.D. 1987). Member: Broward County Bar Association (Professional Responsibility Committee 2003-Present); Florida Defense Lawyers Association; ABA Standing Committee on Lawyer's Professional Liability. Presently involved in the defense of professional liability (including legal, accounting and insurance agent & broker malpractice) and product liability claims. Extensive involvement in handling premises, automobile and general liability cases as well as property insurance coverage issues. Martindale-Hubbell "AV" rated.

HOUSTON S. PARK III
Born Washington, D.C., 1944. Admitted to Florida Bar, 1993, District of Columbia Bar, 1994. Preparatory education: George Washington University (A.B., Design, 1967); legal education: University of Miami School of Law (J.D., cum laude, 1992; Business Law Journal; Dean's Honor Scholarship; Dean's List; American Jurisprudence Book Awards: Commercial Law, Business Associations; Master of Laws, Taxation, 1993). Publications: "Innocent Mortgagees and In Rem Civil Forfeitures," University of Miami Business Law Journal, Spring 1993. Licensed Florida general contractor and real estate broker. Member Florida Bar Association; District of Columbia Bar Association; American Bar Association. Previous experience includes extensive criminal trial defense with Dade County, Florida Office of Public Defender. Presently engaged in defense of professional liability, product and general liability claims.

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