Christopher S. Knopik

Justin Zinzow is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Litigation - Real Estate. Justin, who practices law in Tampa, Florida, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Justin is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

David P. Steffen has represented clients in both state and federal courts, before the Florida Commission on Human Relations, the EEOC, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division, and the NLRB. He has also advised clients on ways to manage their Workers’ Compensation claims and how to properly enforce employment policies. David regularly assists clients on preemptive strategies to limit their future exposure. Before joining C...

Janet E. Wise is Board Certified in Labor and Employment Law by The Florida Bar since 2001, which recognizes her special knowledge, skills and proficiency in labor and employment law, along with her professionalism and ethical standards. As an attorney with the Sass Law Firm, she brings over 33 years of experience to the practice which primarily represents employees from both the private and public sectors in workplace disputes. Ms. Wise speaks frequently on employment law topics, especially ...

Ed's practice focuses primarily in the areas of banking and insolvency. He has represented lenders, lessors, trustees, committees, and debtors in chapter 11 cases and has extensive legal experience in mortgage foreclosures, workouts, lending transactions, lending-related litigation, and assignments for the benefit of creditors. Ed's bankruptcy experience includes the defense and prosecution of preference actions, fraudulent transfer actions, and other avoidance actions, claims litigation, dis...

Mark A. Sessums formed the firm now known as Sessums Law Group, P.A. in April 2008. The firm has five (5) lawyers and represents clients in all types of civil litigation matters throughout the State of Florida and in other jurisdictions. Mr. Sessums has been Florida Bar Board Certified in Marital and Family Law since 1997 and Civil Trial Law since 2010. Mr. Sessums earned Board Certification from the National Board of Trial Advocacy in 2015. Mr. Sessums is recognized for excellence by Best La...

Patrick’s practice focuses on corporate financial transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, capital raises, and strategic partnerships. Patrick’s counsel covers company formation, initial capital structuring, corporate governance matters, all the way through exit of the company. Patrick organized and quarterbacked the merger and acquisition process for companies, and in other transactions separately advised the various stakeholders, including investors, entrepreneurs, exec...

Scott H. Jackman, a partner in our Tampa office, is a member of the firm’s Community Association Group and focuses on litigation defense of claims against condominium, homeowner and community associations and their officers and directors, to include civil and administrative claims based on the governing statutes, employment and housing discrimination claims, actions for breach of vendor contracts, as well as personal injury and other common law claims. Mr. Jackman also handles malpracti...

John Phillips practices in the area of labor and employment. He represents employer clients in labor and employment matters throughout the United States. Past and present clients include manufacturers, retailers, rental car companies, financial institutions, medical services, hospitals, hotels, physicians’ professional associations, employee leasing companies, government contractors, insurance companies, shipyards, mining companies, and restaurants. He regularly appears in both state an...

Jason Pill helps businesses handle the entire spectrum of workplace issues. He advises on risk assessment, policy development, education and contract creation, and he represents clients in state and federal court when litigation becomes unavoidable. Jason’s long-term client relationships give him valuable insight into how business needs affect employment decisions. Working as an extension of clients’ HR department, he acts quickly to defect or minimize potential liabilities. Jason...

Christine Howard is a partner in the Tampa and Atlanta offices. She also serves as a Co-Chair of the firm's Women's Initiative and Leadership Council. Christine focuses her practice on the defense of employment discrimination and harassment complaints and wage and hour and benefits litigation. She has successfully handled many dispositive motions, hearings and trials on behalf of employers. Over the last decade, she has defended numerous collective action cases filed on behalf of classes of e...