Frank L. Hearne

Howard Scholl is a partner based in our firm’s Tampa office and an experienced trial lawyer. He handles cases involving personal injury, wrongful death, nursing home neglect, trucking defense, hospitality industry defense, medical malpractice, contract disputes including insurance claims, construction defect claims, SIU fraud investigations as well as other general liability issues and claims for professional malpractice. Mr. Scholl is a native Floridian and graduated from the Universit...

Catriana Messina practices in the area of insurance. She has exclusively represented insurers and their agents since she joined Phelps Dunbar in 2014. Her practice is focused on complex first-party insurance coverage matters arising under homeowners, commercial property, builders risk, catastrophe and other property insurance policies, including but not limited to hurricane claims, sinkhole claims, and claims involving suspected arson, fire, fraud, vandalism, theft, collapse, business interru...

David A. Miller is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Corporate Law. David A., who practices law in Lakeland, Florida, has been recognized since 2022. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which David A. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

ABOUT Brett Berger is a Partner at MANEY | GORDON Trial Lawyers and an experienced trial lawyer who represents individuals injured as a result of the negligence of others. Brett focuses his practice in the areas of automobile negligence, medical malpractice, nursing home negligence, assisted living facility negligence, trip/slip and falls, negligent security, and acts as personal counsel to those accused of negligence when their insurance carriers refuse to take the insured’s best inter...

Mark Bernet litigates complex commercial and business disputes, class action defense, bankruptcy, creditors’ rights/foreclosures, and appellate matters in state and federal court. Experienced across a range of sectors, including finance, banking, real estate, aviation finance, and hospitality, his clients include local, regional, and national banks and financial institutions, manufacturers, and venture capitalists. Frequently recommended by the federal agencies and Attorneys General fro...

Astrid Guardado is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation, Community Association Law, Litigation - Construction and Litigation - Real Estate. Astrid, 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 Astrid is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Jason Whittemore is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Legal Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs, Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs and Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs. Jason, who practices law in Tampa, Florida, has been recognized since 2021. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Jason is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

For more than 25 years, Bill Tinsley has provided design professionals, owners, contractors and sureties with pragmatic, cost-effective resolution of complex claims and disputes through litigation, arbitration and mediation. His practice includes drafting and negotiating design and construction contracts for traditional and alternative contract delivery methods including design-build and construction management. Each contract is tailored to meet specific project requirements. Additionally, Bi...

An aggressive litigator, Karina Perez Ilic has diverse expertise in civil litigation including catastrophic workplace accidents, contracts, commercial disputes, premises liability, and Tampa motor vehicle accidents. She is not afraid to be a fierce advocate for clients who have been wronged or injured. A Florida native, she ventured to New Orleans to receive her bachelor’s degree in business law with a minor in French language at Tulane University. She continued her legal education in N...

Mike Hooker concentrates his practice in the area of commercial litigation. During his more than 30-year career, Mr. Hooker has litigated a variety of complex commercial actions, including contract disputes, business torts, products liability claims, shareholder disputes and derivative actions, antitrust and trade regulation issues, disputes between franchisors and franchisees, Section 1983 constitutional claims, real estate disputes, land use issues, unfair trade practice claims, telecommuni...