Sean C. Domnick

Claire Hurley is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Product Liability Litigation - Defendants. Claire, 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 Claire is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

T. HARDEE BASS III practices exclusively in the firm’s tobacco litigation unit, litigating cases against cigarette-making giants Philip Morris, R.J. Reynolds, Lorillard Tobacco Company, and Liggett. He has tried numerous complex, multi-week tobacco cases in venues across the state of Florida, and has obtained multiple seven and eight figure verdicts, including: $21 million, Escambia County (2010) $21 million, Sarasota County (2018) $20 million, Palm Beach County (2014) $13.1 million, Pi...

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...

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...

CHRISTOPHER K. SPEED joined the firm as a Shareholder in 1994 after representing plaintiffs in Virginia for 20 years. He has spent his entire career pursuing justice for victims of personal injury, medical and legal negligence, aviation accidents and defective products. Mr. Speed is also a founding member of the Northern Virginia Plaintiff’s Bar Association, an organization of plaintiff lawyers dedicated to improving the ability of victims to pursue justice for their injuries. He often ...

DONALD J. WARD III is a graduate of the University of Virginia and the University of Notre Dame Law School, where he earned his degree cum laude. At age 26, in his first jury trial, Mr. Ward obtained a verdict of $824,200, which was more than thirteen times what the defendant had offered to settle the case. Since joining Searcy Denney, he has recovered in excess of $100 million on behalf of his clients. He currently serves as President of the Palm Beach County Justice Association, a countywid...

Kevin C. Smith is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Medical Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs, Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs, Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs and Professional Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs. Kevin C., who practices law in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, has been recognized since 2010. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Kevin C. is held by other top lawyers in the same g...

Robert Sanders focuses his practice on governmental, administrative and real estate matters. Prior to joining the firm, Bob served as City Administrator for the City of West Palm Beach, Florida, reporting directly to the Mayor. Bob was brought into the city administration by Mayor Graham to lead the city's revitalization development efforts as its strategist, key negotiator and facilitator in all significant economic impact development projects and transactions. Before his tenure with the Cit...

DAVID P. VITALE JR. is an experienced trial attorney who has litigated cases throughout the state of Florida. Mr. Vitale has been nationally recognized for his achievements by Best Lawyers in America (Ones to Watch) and The National Trial Lawyers (Top 40 Under 40 Civil Plaintiff Attorney – Florida). He has also been recognized by his local peers as a Palm Beach Illustrated Top Lawyer and a Jupiter Magazine Top Lawyer. In addition to pursing personal injury, wrongful death, and medical m...

Marcia H. Langley joined the firm's Real Estate Practice as a shareholder in April of 1998 after seven years at Atlantic Gulf Communities Corporation where she served as vice president/general counsel. Prior to Atlantic Gulf, Ms. Langley served as general counsel and secretary to the Board of Directors of Gulfstream Housing Corporation, a large real estate development company based in Jacaranda and Tampa, Florida.