Franklin L. Zemel

CHRISTOPHER K. SPEED joined the firm as a Shareholder in 1994 after representing plaintiffs in Virginia for 20 years. He has spent his entire career pursuing justice for victims of personal injury, medical and legal negligence, aviation accidents and defective products. Mr. Speed is also a founding member of the Northern Virginia Plaintiff’s Bar Association, an organization of plaintiff lawyers dedicated to improving the ability of victims to pursue justice for their injuries. He often ...

Lake H. Lytal III is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Medical Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs, Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs and Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs. Lake H., who practices law in West Palm Beach, Florida, has been recognized since 2010. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Lake H. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Patrick Broderick is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation and Litigation - Banking and Finance. Patrick, who practices law in West Palm Beach, Florida, has been recognized since 2023. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Patrick is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Clifford I. Hertz is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Land Use and Zoning Law and Real Estate Law. Clifford I., who practices law in West Palm Beach, Florida, has been recognized since 2011. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Clifford I. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Rob Barkin’s practice involves the representation of clients in all aspects of commercial real estate matters. Rob represents community, regional and national institutional lenders in construction and permanent loan transactions secured by real property as well as distressed asset loan restructuring and alternatives to foreclosure. Rob also represents institutional lenders in the disposition of assets including loan documents and real property acquired through the foreclosure or loan wo...

David Gobeo is the Office Managing Partner for FordHarrison's West Palm Beach office. He focuses his practice on the representation of management in a broad range of employment matters including against claims of discrimination, harassment and wage and hour violations. David routinely handles lawsuits involving the Fair Labor Standards Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, and th...

T. HARDEE BASS III practices exclusively in the firm’s tobacco litigation unit, litigating cases against cigarette-making giants Philip Morris, R.J. Reynolds, Lorillard Tobacco Company, and Liggett. He has tried numerous complex, multi-week tobacco cases in venues across the state of Florida, and has obtained multiple seven and eight figure verdicts, including: $21 million, Escambia County (2010) $21 million, Sarasota County (2018) $20 million, Palm Beach County (2014) $13.1 million, Pi...

CHRISTIAN D. SEARCY is president and CEO of Searcy Denney Scarola Barnhart & Shipley, P.A. and writes and lectures extensively about civil trial practice, personal injury and wrongful death. For 46 years he has litigated cases primarily involving catastrophic injury and death in venues throughout Florida as well as in other states. At age 29, he had the distinction of being the youngest lawyer in the United States to achieve a verdict of $1 million for a single personal injury lawsuit. In...

Mark Passler advises senior managers, brand managers, in-house counsel, technology transfer professionals, and inventors on intellectual property and entertainment law matters. He routinely assists clients in procuring, licensing, and enforcing patent, trademark, and copyright rights. Mark also conducts intellectual property due diligence for complex mergers, acquisitions, and other intellectual property transfers. In addition, he has extensive experience negotiating complex agreements with m...

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