James Alexander Stepan

Florida attorney, Jay Cohen focuses his practice in Plaintiff Personal Injury and Medical Malpractice. As a senior partner at Cohen, Blostein & Ayala, P.A. , he represents individuals and families who have suffered catastrophic loss due to the negligence of others. His experience and professionalism have earned him membership in the American Board of Trial Advocates, peer recognition from Super Lawyers, Florida’s Legal Elite and The Best Lawyers® in America, and an AV Preeminent...

William “Bill” R. Scherer cofounded the firm in 1974 with his late partner Rex Conrad. Over the past five decades, Mr. Scherer has grown Conrad & Scherer into one of Florida’s leading law firms and has expanded the firm’s presence with offices in New York, New York, Brevard, North Carolina, and Quito, Ecuador. AV® Preeminent™ Peer Rated by Martindale-Hubbell® since 1987, Mr. Scherer is a seasoned trial attorney. He has litigated over 100 trials in bot...

Ellen S. Morris is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Elder Law, Litigation - Trusts and Estates and Trusts and Estates. Ellen S., who practices law in Boca Raton, Florida, has been recognized since 2023. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Ellen S. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Jennifer Kramer is a partner in the Real Estate Practice Group and a member of the firm’s Hospitality Sector Team. Jennifer works with clients in all facets of commercial real estate transactions, with a strong concentration in the representation of clients in the hospitality sector, including owners, operators, lenders, and developers of hotels, resorts, condominiums, fractional ownership regimes, and mixed-use community developments throughout the United States and abroad. She handles...

Michael A. Hersh 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. Michael A., who practices law in Boca Raton, Florida, has been recognized since 2021. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Michael A. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Andy Robins serves as the co-chair of Akerman’s Hospitality Sector Team, a multidisciplinary group providing an extensive range of legal counsel and services to lodging and lifestyle companies. In this capacity, he works on a broad variety of hotel and resort development, operations and regulatory matters, including the evaluation of litigation. Andy is recognized nationally by Chambers USA as a leading authority on the development and structuring of mixed-use real estate projects throu...

Leslie Tomczak serves as managing partner of Akerman’s Fort Lauderdale office. She is a construction attorney, Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Construction Law, whose practice focuses primarily on the representation of lenders, developers, owners, landlords, contractors, subcontractors, architects and other design professionals, in a wide range of complex construction contract, project administration, lien, and construction litigation matters. Leslie is also a LEED® Accredited...

Eric T. Halsey is an accomplished trial lawyer whose practice at Grossman Roth Yaffa Cohen focuses on medical malpractice. Prior to joining the firm, Eric worked extensively in all types of tort litigation including wrongful death, medical malpractice, slip and fall, cruise line negligence, landowner negligence, negligent security, and motor vehicle accidents. He also worked as a trial lawyer for a highly regarded South Florida law firm defending health care providers in medical malpractice c...

Brian J. Gavsie is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Mergers and Acquisitions Law and Securities / Capital Markets Law. Brian J., who practices law in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, has been recognized since 2019. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Brian J. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Janna Peters Lhota is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Land Use and Zoning Law and Real Estate Law. Janna Peters, who practices law in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Janna Peters is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.