Nichelle Womble

Luis Santos has a unique understanding of the administrative and legal challenges faced by clients in industries like hospitality, retail, restaurant, and grocery. His previous experience as a hospitality and grocery employee gives him a particularly unique insider’s perspective. Prior to attending law school, Luis worked for many years in hospitality management. He began as a front desk clerk and worked himself up to the position of assistant hotel manager. Luis also worked as a grocer...

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...

David Banker is an experienced civil trial lawyer who has tried a broad range of cases in federal and state courts involving products liability, employment discrimination, medical negligence, personal injury, commercial disputes and consumer disputes. Mr. Banker has also litigated mass tort and class action cases involving prescription drugs, medical devices and consumer products.

Leonard H. Johnson is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Real Estate Law. Leonard H., who practices law in Tampa, Florida, has been recognized since 2023. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Leonard H. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Brian D. Agliano is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Medical Malpractice Law - Defendants and Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants. Brian D., who practices law in Tampa, Florida, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Brian D. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

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...

Lee Bentley’s practice includes the defense of False Claims Act and qui tam cases, internal investigations, and white collar criminal matters. He specializes in telemedicine/telehealth, compound pharmacy, and urine toxicology cases, among other alleged fraud schemes. His experience also includes complex civil litigation involving government entities. Lee has handled trials and appeals in numerous federal and state courts, and has served as sole or lead counsel in almost 40 civil and cri...

Joe Rugg has 35 years of experience in representing healthcare providers, licensed professionals, and business clients in their transactional, tax, corporate and organizational, and regulatory matters. He has extensive experience in representing physicians and physician groups, including hospital medical staffs and independent practice associations, clinically integrated networks, management services organizations, diagnostic imaging centers, and ambulatory surgery centers. He has assisted he...

Ed's practice focuses primarily in the areas of banking and insolvency. He has represented lenders, lessors, trustees, committees, and debtors in chapter 11 cases and has extensive legal experience in mortgage foreclosures, workouts, lending transactions, lending-related litigation, and assignments for the benefit of creditors. Ed's bankruptcy experience includes the defense and prosecution of preference actions, fraudulent transfer actions, and other avoidance actions, claims litigation, dis...

James E. Felman has concentrated his practice of law in the defense of complex criminal matters and related civil litigation for over 30 years. Mr. Felman represents clients in federal and state matters in every phase of the criminal process -- investigation, trial, sentencing, appeal, and post-conviction proceedings. He has represented clients in a wide range of matters, including allegations of bank fraud, health care fraud, mail and wire fraud, securities fraud, public corruption, environm...