Saya Thomas

John is a trial lawyer in the firm’s litigation department. His practice focuses on complex commercial litigation, insolvency matters, sports litigation, and environmental litigation. For more than a decade, John has represented plaintiffs and defendants in contract, business tort, and corporate governance disputes in a variety of industries, including banking, construction, manufacturing, and real estate. He also represents creditors in federal and state courts throughout Florida. His ...

Jim is a trial lawyer whose practice is concentrated in commercial litigation and insolvency matters. Jim is experienced in jury trials regarding business torts, contracts, secured transactions, mortgage foreclosures, fraudulent transfers, mechanics liens, trade secrets, workouts and lender liability, government contracts, non-compete issues, insurance coverage, banking and commercial paper, state court assignment proceedings and the defense of class actions. Jim’s insolvency experience...

Ivan A. Colao practices in the area of corporate and securities laws, as well as in mergers and acquisitions, venture capital investments and loan transactions. Mr. Colao has represented public and private companies, businesses and individuals in various types of financings and commercial transactions. His experience includes securities offerings, corporate acquisitions, dispositions, mergers, reorganizations, syndication and finance, asset acquisitions and dispositions, venture capital inves...

John assists clients in the areas of environmental law, real estate and land use and zoning law, with an emphasis on litigation. He helps individuals, developers and public entities in all aspects of environmental due diligence, permitting and entitlement. John also assists clients in navigating the complex web of state and federal environmental statutes and regulations, including counseling clients on compliance with the Clean Water Act (CWA), the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA...

Mr. Eckels devotes his practice to the defense of employers and insurance carriers in workers’ compensation and Longshore claims. He practices throughout Florida and Georgia in the workers’ compensation context, while his longshore and Defense Base Act practice extends nationwide. He handles all facets of workers’ compensation and longshore claims from the initial reporting of an accident and its investigation, including site visits, through the discovery process to trial, a...

Patrick W. Krechowski Full Biography

Kathryn M. Oughton is a shareholder and Practice Group Leader of the firm’s Property Damage Claims practice area. Kathryn’s practice focuses on civil litigation with an emphasis on the defense of cases involving first party property claims. Other practice areas include automobile liability, premises liability, wrongful death, and bad faith and coverage issues. Prior to joining the firm, Ms. Oughton worked for a state-wide defense firm where she served as head of the civil litigati...

Angie is a seasoned transactional lawyer whose practice focuses on complex healthcare matters and navigating mergers and acquisitions . She has advised and represented a wide variety of clients in financing transactions, healthcare regulatory matters, joint ventures, commercial contracts, clinical trials, corporate governance and more with the knowledge and insight only 25 years of experience can provide. Prior to joining Smith Hulsey & Busey, Angie was a partner at a global AmLaw 100 fir...

Kristen Van der Linde devotes her practice exclusively to the defense of cases and appeals involving trucking liability, automobile liability, premises liability, wrongful death, bad faith, negligent security, and coverage issues. She is admitted to practice law in Georgia as well as Florida. Ms. Van der Linde is Board Certified in Civil Trial Law by The Florida Bar, which means that she is an expert in civil litigation before state and federal courts, administrative agencies and arbitrators....

Christina M. Schwing is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation and Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants. Christina M., who practices law in Jacksonville, Florida, has been recognized since 2021. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Christina M. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.