Henry E. Valenzuela

Tim is a Shareholder in the firm’s Construction and Design Group. As a Board Certified Construction lawyer by The Florida Bar, he has experience representing owners, developers, contractors, construction managers, design professionals and subcontractors in all phases of the construction process, with an emphasis on complex construction litigation. Tim also serves on the firm's recruiting committee as the firm's hiring shareholder. Active in both professional and Bar-related activities, ...

Lawrence R. Kemm is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Tax Law. Lawrence R., who practices law in Tampa, Florida, has been recognized since 2015. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Lawrence R. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Jolyon Acosta’s practice focuses on private wealth services for high net worth individuals, families, and multi-generational business owners. Mr. Acosta counsels clients in a variety of complex estate and business planning matters related to their wealth management needs. He has extensive experience advising clients on matters involving estate, gift, and income taxes, and routinely assists family businesses in succession and other planning matters. Mr. Acosta represents clients across a...

Michelle Bartels is a partner in Cole, Scott & Kissane, P.A.’s Tampa office and a Board Certified Civil Trial Attorney. Ms. Bartels' practice focuses in the areas of catastrophic and personal injury, general civil litigation, premises liability, trucking defense, professional malpractice, security negligence, vehicle negligence, significant wrongful death, defective products, foster care lead agency and community based care defense. Ms. Bartels earned a Bachelor of Arts degree, magn...

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...

Melissa Kuipers Blake is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Government Relations Practice. Melissa Kuipers, who practices law in Tampa, Florida, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Melissa Kuipers is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Stephanie focuses her practice on real estate acquisitions, dispositions, financing and leasing. Stephanie represents financial institutions, including banks and insurance companies, and corporate clients in a broad range of commercial real estate and commercial lending transactions. She also represents investors in joint venture transactions for a variety of asset types, including retail, multi-family residential, office and industrial space, and has extensive experience advising clients reg...

John Mullen practices in the areas of labor and employment law and in securities litigation and arbitration. He advises and represents employers throughout Florida in the defense of age, race, gender, sexual harassment, disability, and FMLA discrimination and retaliation claims, in both federal and state court trial practice and in arbitration and administrative proceedings. He also advises clients on a full range of employment-based immigration matters, and assists clients in obtaining visas...

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...

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...