Stephen J. Szabo

Michael Bachman, Jr. joined Stichter, Riedel, Blain & Postler, P.A. in 2009 and became a shareholder in 2013. Based in Tampa, Florida, Mr. Bachman focuses his practice on bankruptcy matters and commercial transactions, with a significant concentration in Real Estate Law and commercial real estate transactions. Mr. Bachman represents debtors, creditors, purchasers, and other parties in bankruptcy cases, as well as in complex out-of-court workouts and debt restructurings. He also advises in...

Ben Dachepalli has extensive experience negotiating and drafting construction-related agreements, and litigating complex construction claims regarding contract disputes, construction defects, design errors, surety bonds and construction liens. He is dedicated to understanding each client’s business to provide comprehensive strategies that go beyond legal issues, disputes or contracts. Ben is board certified by the Florida Bar in Construction Law. He was selected as national coordinating...

Gerald P. Seipp is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Immigration Law. Gerald P., who practices law in Tampa, Florida, has been recognized since 1997. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Gerald P. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Matthew K. Fenton has been a member of the Florida Bar since 1994. Mr. Fenton received his bachelor's degree in English from the University of Florida in 1989, with honors, and his law degree from the University of Florida, with honors, in 1993, where he served on the Editorial Board of the University of Florida Law Review. Mr. Fenton served as the first law clerk to United States Magistrate Judge Mark A. Pizzo from 1995 to 1997, where he was exposed to a variety of employment law cases and d...

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...

Krysta Torok is a partner with the firm’s Tampa office. Her practice areas include premises liability, defense of claims against condominium, homeowner and community associations and their officers and directors, SIU insurance fraud, fraud litigation, actions for breach of vendor contracts, as well as personal injury and general civil litigation. Ms. Torok attended Gannon University, in Erie, Pennsylvania, where she graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science....

Mark A. Sessums formed the firm now known as Sessums Law Group, P.A. in April 2008. The firm has five (5) lawyers and represents clients in all types of civil litigation matters throughout the State of Florida and in other jurisdictions. Mr. Sessums has been Florida Bar Board Certified in Marital and Family Law since 1997 and Civil Trial Law since 2010. Mr. Sessums earned Board Certification from the National Board of Trial Advocacy in 2015. Mr. Sessums is recognized for excellence by Best La...

John Phillips practices in the area of labor and employment. He represents employer clients in labor and employment matters throughout the United States. Past and present clients include manufacturers, retailers, rental car companies, financial institutions, medical services, hospitals, hotels, physicians’ professional associations, employee leasing companies, government contractors, insurance companies, shipyards, mining companies, and restaurants. He regularly appears in both state an...

Martin E. Burke is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation. Martin E., who practices law in Tampa, Florida, has been recognized since 2021. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Martin E. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Steve Bernstein is managing partner of the firm's Tampa office. He also serves as a Chair of the firm’s Associate Development and Retention Committee. Steve maintains a traditional labor practice in which he represents employers throughout the United States in both state and federal courts, as well as before the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), and other state and federal agencies. In the proce...