Practice Areas
Family Law; Divorce; Child Custody; Civil Litigation; Criminal Law; Federal Criminal Law; Business Litigation
Admitted
1999, Florida and U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida; 2005, U.S. Supreme Court
Education
University of West Florida (B.A., 1996); Nova Southeastern University (J.D., 1998)
Bar Association Memberships
The Florida Bar (Member: Board of Governors, Young Lawyers Division, 2004-2012; Civil Procedure Rules Committee, 2001-2007; Judicial Administration and Evaluation Committee, 2011-2017); Moderator: National Business Institute CLE – As Judges See It: Top Mistakes Attorneys Make in Civil Litigation; Constitutional Judiciary Committee 2017; Willson American Inn of Court (1999-); Tenth Circuit Judicial Nominating Commission (2010-2014); Lakeland Bar Association; Executive Committee, YLD Board of Governors (2007-2008); Chairman, By-Laws Committee, YLD Board of Governors (2007-2008); YLD Sergeant of Arms; Florida Bar Board of Governors (2010-2011); Tenth Circuit Professionalism Committee (2013-2014); Polk County Family Law Bar Association (Secretary, 2003; Treasurer, 2004; Vice President, 2005); Polk County Trial Lawyers Association (1999-Present); Vice President, 2018; President, 2019; Young Lawyers Division Liaison to The Florida Bar Foundation (2005); Member, Tenth Judicial Circuit Grievance Committee “A” (2019-Present); Member Tenth Circuit Bench-Bar and Pro Bono Committee (2019-Present); Member, Fairness and Diversity Committee (2019-Present). Recipient: Family Law Book Award. Speaking engagements: Moderator, Basic Corporate Law, Fla. Bar, 2010; Ethical Collection of Attorney Fees, 2009. Publications: Article – “New Considerations Regarding Attorney’s Fees, Pleadings, and Disclosures in Family Law Cases”; “Inside the Minds: Strategies for Family Law in Florida”, 2012 ed., Aspatore Books, (leading lawyers on working with clients, creating an effective strategy, and handling complex cases), 2018 elected as Vice President of Polk County Trial Lawyers Association, 2019 elected as President of the Polk County Trial Lawyers Association.
Reported Cases
Garnett v. Garnett, 765 So.2d 946 (Fla. 5th DCA 2000); Williams v. Williams, 766 So.2d 1127 (Fla. 2d DCA 2000); Vargas v. Vargas, 816 So.2d 238 (Fla. 2nd DCA 2002); Willis v. Willis, 818 So.2d 530 (Fla. 2d DCA 2002); Pitt v. Benzenhafer, 843 So.2d 1021 (Fla. 2d DCA 2003); Buchanan v. Buchanan, 932 So.2d 270 (Fla. 2d DCA 2005); Gilileo v. State, 843 So.2d 1021 (Fla. 2d DCA 2006); Rogers v. Rogers, 12 So.3d 288 (Fla. 2d DCA 2009); Baker v. Baker, 35 So.3d 76 (Fla. 2d DCA 2010); Rowe v. Rodriguez-Schmidt, 51 So. 3d 1238 (Fla. 2d DCA 2011); Rowe v. Rodriguez-Schmidt, 89 So.3d 1101 (Fla. 2d DCA 2012); R.M. v. R.C., 227 So 3d 160 (Fla App. 2DCA 2017).