Duane D. Draper

Steve Bernstein is managing partner of the firm's Tampa office. He also serves as a Chair of the firm’s Associate Development and Retention Committee. Steve maintains a traditional labor practice in which he represents employers throughout the United States in both state and federal courts, as well as before the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), and other state and federal agencies. In the proce...

Darryl has been a trial lawyer with the firm since 1982 and is Managing Partner. He has handled many types of cases, including personal injury cases, car crashes, defective product designs, legal malpractice, medical malpractice, land use litigation, non-compete litigation and sophisticated business litigation. He is also a Certified Circuit Court Mediator.

Background Lorena Hart Ludovici represents clients throughout the state of Florida. She has handled cases in Georgia, Louisiana and Texas. Her diverse clientele includes shopping center owners, retailers, supermarket chains, gas stations, restaurants, professional offices, cell tower owners, golf course owners as well as farmers, grove operators, home-owners and many others. Accomplishments .Ms. Ludovici's leadership in the field of eminent domain includes chairing The Florida Bar's eminent d...

Joe Rugg has 35 years of experience in representing healthcare providers, licensed professionals, and business clients in their transactional, tax, corporate and organizational, and regulatory matters. He has extensive experience in representing physicians and physician groups, including hospital medical staffs and independent practice associations, clinically integrated networks, management services organizations, diagnostic imaging centers, and ambulatory surgery centers. He has assisted he...

Elena Paras Ketchum focuses her practice on Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law, representing clients throughout Tampa and the Middle District of Florida. Her practice centers on guiding businesses and individuals through complex insolvency matters, with extensive experience representing debtors in possession in Chapter 11 proceedings. She has worked with companies across a wide range of industries, including trucking, manufacturing, construction, retail,...

Jeff Warren's practice focuses on Chapter 11 reorganization cases. Mr. Warren was lead bankruptcy counsel to the debtor, Celotex Corporation, in one of the largest Chapter 11 cases ever filed. He successfully argued Celotex v. Edwards before the United States Supreme Court, establishing national precedent regarding the jurisdiction of bankruptcy judges.

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...

Ryan T. Hopper is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation. Ryan T., who practices law in Tampa, Florida, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Ryan T. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Ed Carlstedt serves as the office managing partner for FordHarrison's Tampa office. His practice focuses on trade secret, non-compete and restrictive covenant disputes as well as representing management in employment law matters, including defending employers against harassment, discrimination and retaliation claims. Ed has extensive experience in matters involving trade secret, non-compete and restrictive covenant related issues, and has handled dozens of evidentiary hearings in federal and ...

Barbara Hart is a shareholder with Stichter, Riedel, Blain & Postler PA in Tampa, Florida, where her practice focuses on Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law, as well as Litigation – Bankruptcy. She is an active member of the Tampa Bay Bankruptcy Bar and previously served as the Association’s President and Chair of the Board. Barbara has also served as Chair of the District-Wide Steering Committee for the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Middl...