David J. Akins

Katelyn Mae Ferry is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Insurance Law. Katelyn Mae, who practices law in Longwood, Florida, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Katelyn Mae is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Nate Balint represents private equity funds, strategic acquirers, and entrepreneurs on the purchase and sale sides of merger, acquisition, and leveraged buyout transactions, including associated equity and debt arrangements. His experience spans sectors such as business services, retail, restaurants, technology, consumer products, education, and energy. Nate also works with venture capital and growth equity funds, advising on the completion of early and growth stage investments. Related to hi...

Chris Roper is a land use lawyer focused on real estate development, entitlements, and concurrency. He has experience throughout central Florida representing clients in due diligence, re-zonings, comprehensive plan amendments, vested rights, Developments of Regional Impact (DRIs), binding letters, and special taxing districts, including community development districts (CDD). Chris also has experience in real estate tax appeals.

Christine A. Wasula is a partner in the firm’s Orlando office. She is an accomplished civil litigation attorney with over twenty-five years of experience. Her background includes tenures at several national law firms, and she also worked as an Assistant Attorney General in the Economic Crimes Division of the Florida Attorney General’s Office. Prior to attending law school, she worked as a legislative assistant to U.S. Senator Bob Graham in Washington, D.C., where she advised the S...

Having successfully represented prominent developers and home builders, Robert Poppell maintains a vibrant real estate development and transactional practice. He represents developers of large scale, mixed-use planned developments, as well as residential home builders, in connection with acquisitions, sales, planning, operations, and governance structures for phased and jointly developed communities; developers of neighborhood to regional shopping centers; and end-user, out parcel, and retail...

Phillip Joseph co-chairs Ball Janik LLP’s construction litigation practice, which is growing in national reach and prominence. He is a commercial litigator whose primary focus is construction and real estate litigation, including design and construction disputes, construction defect, general counsel for community associations, purchase/sale disputes, real estate disputes, commercial landlord/tenant, and collections. Mr. Joseph has received the AV® Preeminent™ Rating from Marti...

David H. Simmons is one of the founding partners of DSK Law Firm in Orlando, Florida. As DSK Law’s financial managing partner, David is responsible for the firm’s overall practice, management, and day to day operations. David Simmons was born in Nashville, Tennessee. David graduated with highest distinction from Tennessee Technological University, where he was first in his class in Mathematics and received both the R. H. Moorman Scholarship and the Mathematics Award. At Vanderbilt...

Laura Jo O. Thacker is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Real Estate Law. Laura Jo O., who practices law in Orlando, Florida, has been recognized since 2013. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Laura Jo O. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Ken Hazouri was raised in Gainesville, Florida, and has lived in Orlando since 1994. He received his Juris Doctor, with honors, from the University of Florida where he was a member of The Florida Law Review. While also an experienced trial attorney, Ken is certified in Appellate Practice by The Florida Bar and has numerous reported appellate decisions establishing important precedents in Florida law. He holds the highest ranking possible from the Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory for legal ski...

Caryn has limited her practice exclusively to Marital and Family Law since her admission to the Florida Bar in 1996. Caryn promotes problem solving by utilizing appropriate dispute resolution methods designed to avoid expensive litigation, whenever possible. Caryn, a partner at West, Green & Associates, P.L., brings over 19 years of Family Law experience to the firm and is board certified by the Florida Bar, a Fellow of the prestigious American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, and is A/V r...