Beaujeaux De Lapouyade

Mark S. Roman is the founding partner of Roman Austin Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers in Clearwater, Florida, which he established in 1996. Admitted to The Florida Bar in 1986, he has practiced exclusively in personal injury law for four decades. Mr. Roman is a Board Certified Civil Trial Lawyer, a designation held by fewer than two percent of Florida attorneys and one that requires substantial trial experience, peer review, and a written examination. He holds an AV Preeminent rating...

Michael L. Chapman is a member of Holland & Knight's senior management team, serving as the firm's general counsel. In this role, Mr. Chapman is legal advisor to management and the firm's Directors Committee and works to ensure that the firm operates in full compliance with all legal requirements, bar ethics standards, its partnership agreement and core principles. For more than 20 years, Mr. Chapman has practiced as a commercial trial lawyer. He has extensive experience handling disputes...

Matt Litsky’s practice focuses on complex first party insurance coverage, litigation, and counseling. He handles various first-party matters including claims involving catastrophes (hurricanes and earthquakes), suspected burning, fraud, theft, business interruption, condominium losses, collapse, appraisal, jeweler’s block and motor losses (physical damage and motor truck cargo). He also specializes in first and third party bad faith matters. Mr. Litsky has handled and litigated ma...

Irene Bassel Frick serves as the managing partner of Akerman’s Tampa office. A trial lawyer with experience in state and federal court, arbitrations, and administrative proceedings, Irene has a multifaceted litigation practice encompassing contractual disputes, class action defense, fiduciary duty claims, business torts, non-compete litigation, construction disputes, and commercial foreclosure litigation. Her clients include employers, insurers, employee benefit plans, and third party p...

Ben Dachepalli has extensive experience negotiating and drafting construction-related agreements, and litigating complex construction claims regarding contract disputes, construction defects, design errors, surety bonds and construction liens. He is dedicated to understanding each client’s business to provide comprehensive strategies that go beyond legal issues, disputes or contracts. Ben is board certified by the Florida Bar in Construction Law. He was selected as national coordinating...

Since starting with the Firm in 1988, Michael’s practice has concentrated on bankruptcy and insolvency related Litigation. Michael has represented corporate and individual debtors, secured creditors, equipment lenders, landlords, creditor’s committees, trustees and petitioning creditors in involuntary bankruptcies. Michael also has substantial experience in receivership cases.

Steve is a commercial litigator with more than 20 years of experience prosecuting and defending complex business disputes on behalf of his clients. His practice focuses on multi-million-dollar business torts, breach of contract matters, real estate litigation and construction disputes. Steve’s list of clients includes global pharmaceutical companies, Florida’s largest real estate developers, and mid-to-large scale corporations operating in a host of other industries. Steve employs...

Melissa Kuipers Blake is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area of Government Relations Practice. Melissa Kuipers practices law in Tampa, Florida Best Lawyers has recognized Melissa Kuipers Blake since 2026. The Best Lawyers recognition is based on a peer-review survey of lawyers in the same geographic region and legal practice area. The recognition reflects the professional regard in which Melissa Kuipers Blake is held by other lawyers.

James O. Lang is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area of Tax Law. James O. practices law in Tampa, Florida Best Lawyers has recognized James O. Lang since 2023. The Best Lawyers recognition is based on a peer-review survey of lawyers in the same geographic region and legal practice area. The recognition reflects the professional regard in which James O. Lang is held by other lawyers.

Jeff Shear is a member of the firm's Real Estate Practice Group, where he represents a wide variety of stakeholders, ranging from developers and lenders to institutional investors regarding real estate acquisitions, dispositions, financing and lending. For developer representation, Jeff handles all aspects of commercial and residential real estate projects, including acquisitions, zoning and permitting, financing, and disposition. He also represents buyers and sellers in commercial real estat...