Emily Plakon

Joe is a board certified intellectual property attorney with significant experience litigating commercial and intellectual property matters in both federal and state court. He specializes in intellectual property litigation (including trademark, copyright and patent matters), trademark and copyright registration, computer litigation, and domain name/cybersquatting issues. His practice covers commercial litigation, including non-compete agreements, antitrust matters and general business disput...

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...

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

Joseph F. Diaco, Jr. is committed to helping injury victims in personal injury claims. Mr. Diaco began building a reputation as an aggressive advocate while litigating complex insurance cases early in his legal career beginning in 1995. For nearly 2 decades, Mr. Diaco has managed thousands of injury claims, deposed hundreds of experts (including doctors), and successfully handled dozens of jury trials Mr. Diaco grew up in St. Petersburg, and he graduated from Northeast High School in 1988. He...

Kelly R. High is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Health Care Law, Insurance Law, Litigation - Health Care, Litigation - Insurance and Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants. Kelly R., who practices law in Tampa, Florida, has been recognized since 2020. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Kelly R. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Erin Raschke practices in the area of insurance and reinsurance. She has exclusively represented insurers and their agents since she joined Phelps Dunbar in January 2008. Her practice is focused on complex insurance coverage, counseling, and litigation and includes advising and defending insurers regarding allegations of insurer “bad faith.” Erin advises surplus lines and admitted, both foreign and domestic, insurance carriers and routinely represents them in both state and federa...

Richard B. Stephens, Jr. is a partner in Holland & Knight's Lakeland office. Mr. Stephens divides his time between tax exempt financings and a diverse corporate practice. On the corporate side, Mr. Stephens has extensive experience in large corporate transactions focusing on the gas, power, cement and road based industries (including structured products, prepaid gas transactions, financings, derivatives, acquisitions, mergers, and general contract drafting). He also has significant experi...

Robert H. Gidel, Jr. is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Real Estate Law. Robert H., 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 Robert H. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

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...

John Giordano is regularly involved in complex business-related transactions. Mr. Giordano’s practice encompasses a broad range of areas, including federal and state securities law, corporate finance, mergers, acquisitions and tax law. Mr. Giordano has substantial experience in counseling clients, including start-up enterprises, in obtaining capital and advising clients about obstacles to successfully growing a business.