Philip M. Burlington

ADAM HECHT , a veteran of more than 75 felony and misdemeanor jury trials as an Assistant State Attorney, now works with Searcy Denney Scarola Barnhart & Shipley, P.A. handling medical malpractice, personal injury, wrongful death and products liability cases. Mr. Hecht is licensed to practice law in all jurisdictions in the State of Florida and has been admitted to the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida. He has served on the Young Lawyers Board of Directors ...

Larry Rochefort is the chair of Akerman’s Litigation Practice Group, a leading team of trial lawyers advising companies in complex litigation and arbitration across the United States and Latin America. Larry is recognized for Bet-the-Company Litigation by The Best Lawyers in America and as a “Litigation Star” by Benchmark Litigation . He represents financial institutions, developers, owners, contractors, insurers, and retailers in real estate, lending, and other disputes. He...

EDWARD V. RICCI was born and raised in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. He is a graduate of The Benjamin School (1997), Georgetown College (2001), and Georgetown University Law Center (2006). Since joining the firm in 2008, Mr. Ricci has successfully tried numerous personal injury and wrongful death cases to verdict and obtained significant settlements on behalf of his clients. He has advocated for his clients in complicated cases involving product defects, medical malpractice, automobile neglige...

Robert J. Hauser grew up in Miami, Florida, and now resides in Palm Beach County, Florida. He handles a variety of litigation matters at both the trial and appellate levels for his clients throughout Florida. In addition to appellate matters in virtually any area of substantive law, his trial practice includes business litigation and trust, estate, and probate disputes. Mr. Hauser has been certified as a specialist in appellate practice by The Florida Bar since 2009. After graduating from Duk...

John A. Chiocca is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice areas of Construction Law and Litigation - Construction. John A. practices law in West Palm Beach, Florida Best Lawyers has recognized John A. Chiocca since 2025. The Best Lawyers recognition is based on a peer-review survey of lawyers in the same geographic region and legal practice area. The recognition reflects the professional regard in which John A. Chiocca is held by other lawyers.

My decision to practice law was shaped by a strong commitment to helping people facing difficult and unexpected circumstances. I am motivated by the experiences of individuals and families affected by negligence, unsafe products, and preventable harm. As an attorney with LaBovick Law Group in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, I work with clients seeking accountability and financial recovery after serious injuries and losses. I represent clients in Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs and Mass T...

Christopher Duke serves as managing partner of Akerman’s Palm Beach County Offices. With a diverse practice in employment law and complex commercial litigation, Chris represents clients in federal and state courts, as well as in various arbitration forums and before federal, state, and local administrative bodies. His clients operate across multiple sectors, including hospitality, travel/recreation, healthcare, retail, financial services, and alternative energy. Chris routinely represen...

Kristen H. McMullen is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area of Commercial Litigation. Kristen H. practices law in West Palm Beach, Florida Best Lawyers has recognized Kristen H. McMullen since 2025. The Best Lawyers recognition is based on a peer-review survey of lawyers in the same geographic region and legal practice area. The recognition reflects the professional regard in which Kristen H. McMullen is held by other lawyers.

William Sepulveda is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice areas of Medical Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs, Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs and Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs. William practices law in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida Best Lawyers has recognized William Sepulveda since 2026. The Best Lawyers recognition is based on a peer-review survey of lawyers in the same geographic region and legal practice area. The recognition reflects the professional regard in...

Laurie L. Gildan's wide-ranging experience in real estate includes representing home builders in land acquisition and project development; office building owners in leasing and building operations; developers and lenders in loans and loan restructuring; analysis of default situations and entitlement reviews of residential, golf course, commercial, office and warehouse properties. She is experienced in the representation of land bankers. Laurie also has the unique distinction of being a regist...