James D. Silver

F. GREG BARNHART , a senior partner at Searcy Denney Scarola, Barnhart & Shipley, P.A., is recognized as one of America’s leading trial lawyers. He is Board Certified in Civil Trial Law by The Florida Bar and regularly handles cases throughout the United States. In addition to being named in The Best Lawyers in America for the past 25 years, Mr. Barnhart has been recognized as one of the Legal Elite in Florida Trend magazine, named a Top Lawyer in South Florida magazine, and listed ...

Linda C. Sweeting is a civil trial attorney in the firm’s West Palm Beach office. She has had a diversified practice that includes litigation and management of civil cases including catastrophic and personal injury, wrongful death, automobile negligence, premises liability, medical malpractice, negligent security, product liability, toxic tort, trucking accident litigation, general civil litigation, and alternative dispute resolution. Over the years, Ms. Sweeting has represented both de...

Sherry Schwartz is a partner in the firm’s West Palm Beach Office. She received her Bachelors of Science, with Highest Honors from the University of Florida, followed by her Juris Doctor Degree from the University of Miami in 2001. Both in law school and in her early years as an attorney, Ms. Schwartz has successfully tried cases for her clients in criminal, civil, family, and probate matters. She joined Cole, Scott, and Kissane with experience in more than 30 jury trials, following her...

Alan Espy is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation, Construction Law, Insurance Law, Litigation - Insurance, Litigation - Trusts and Estates and Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs. Alan, who practices law in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, has been recognized since 2022. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Alan is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal prac...

Trent Swift 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. Trent, who practices law in West Palm Beach, Florida, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Trent is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Michael J. Pike is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation, Insurance Law, Litigation - Real Estate and Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs. Michael J., who practices law in West Palm Beach, Florida, has been recognized since 2020. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Michael J. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

MATTHEW K. SCHWENCKE earned his law degree from Stetson University College of Law, where he was a member of Stetson's award-winning moot court board. While in law school, he served as intern to a federal magistrate judge and also prosecuted misdemeanor criminal offenses as a Certified Legal Intern for the Pinellas County State Attorney's office. As an undergraduate, Mr. Schwencke attended the University of Florida on a Bright Futures Scholarship; he graduated with honors. A Palm Beach County ...

Dennis W. Hillier, founding partner of the law firm Hillier & Associates, P.A., concentrates his practice on corporate and real estate law, with emphasis on the design of club membership programs. Dennis is recognized as the pioneer in the industry of equity club conversions and membership programs. During the past 30 years, he has designed more than 1,800 membership programs throughout the United States, Caribbean, Europe and the Pacific Rim. Dennis has designed these programs for a wide...

John A. Chiocca is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Construction Law and Litigation - Construction. John A., 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 John A. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

David M. Halpen is Principal-in-Charge of the Palm Beach office of Cummings & Lockwood. David has over twenty years of broad-based legal experience in trusts and estates planning, estate settlement, trust administration, business succession planning, and U.S. and international tax planning for a variety of high net worth clients. Prior to joining Cummings & Lockwood, he was a shareholder with Dunwody, White & Landon in their Naples and Palm Beach offices.