The Best Lawyers In America^© recently announced their 2017 Best Lawyers^® and named David D. Ferrentino, Tabatha A. Liebert, Donna L. Longhouse, Marian P. McCulloch, Cynthia A. Mikos, Frank J. Rief, III, Joseph W. N. Rugg, Gary Walker and Philip S. Wartenberg as recipients of this outstanding recognition.

For multiple years, Ferrentino, Liebert, Longhouse, McCulloch, Mikos, Rief, Rugg, Walker and Wartenberg have all received this designation. They are recognized in the following areas of law:

David D. Ferrentino, Commercial Litigation

Tabatha A. Liebert, Construction Litigation

Donna L. Longhouse, Trusts and Estates

Marian P. McCulloch, Family Law

Cynthia A. Mikos, Health Care Law

Frank J. Rief III, Non-Profit / Charities Law & Trusts and Estates

Joseph W. N. Rugg, Health Care Law

Gary Walker, Health Care Law

Philip S. Wartenberg, Family Law

Since it was first published in 1983, Best Lawyers^® has become universally regarded as the definitive guide to legal excellence. Best Lawyers^® lists are compiled based on an exhaustive peer-review evaluation. Lawyers are not required or allowed to pay a fee to be listed; therefore inclusion in Best Lawyers^® is considered a singular honor. Corporate Counsel magazine has called Best Lawyers^® “the most respected referral list of attorneys in practice.”

The Allen Dell law firm, with 22 practicing attorneys, provides representation in over 30 areas of the law and serves the Tampa Bay area as well as clients throughout Florida.

Cynthia A. Mikos was recently recognized in the 2016 edition of Florida Trend’s Florida Legal Elite™. Ms. Mikos has been recognized in the practice area of Health Law and is Board Certified in Health Law by The Florida Bar Board of Legal Specialization and Education. She represents health care facilities and professionals in their dealings with federal and state regulators, Florida licensing agencies and in business transactions. Ms. Mikos is honored to be recognized by Florida Legal Elite repeatedly since 2012.

Actively practicing Florida attorneys were asked to name the attorneys that they hold in highest regard as professionals – lawyers with whom they have personally worked and would recommend to others. Florida Bar President William J. Schifino, Jr. notes, “My goal is to engage and utilize the incredible resources of legal leaders throughout the state. For the public and our profession, Florida Legal Elite offers a guide to outstanding attorneys recommended by their peers.”

The Allen Dell law firm, with 23 practicing attorneys, provides representation in over 30 areas of the law and serves clients throughout Florida.

The entire Legal Elite report can be viewed at www.FloridaTrend.com/Legal-Elite.

Homeowner Insurance Rates are on the rise….but not because of hurricanes! Water Intrusion Claims are also on the rise…but not because of hurricanes! What are the causes of these increases? Learn how you can better protect yourself from these increases!

Learn the latest regarding:

• the national flood insurance program and efforts to create a private market in Florida, and
• legislative efforts to limit the post-loss assignment of insurance benefits under homeowner property insurance policies

The Florida Bar is hosting a 1 hour CLE on Upcoming Legislation for Flood Insurance and Assignment of Insurance Benefits Reform Friday, June 3, at 3pm. For our friends and clients you may all attend the FREE CLE from the comfort of your office or home. Call in and find out what legislative changes to flood insurance are being considered before the NFIP expires in September of 2017. The call-in number and passcode are 1-888-376-5050 Pin: 842 548 4201# (# sign is required)

About the Speakers:

Lisa Miller, CPM, has served as Deputy Chief Financial Officer and Chief of Staff for the Florida Department of Financial Services, and as Deputy Commissioner and Chief Lobbyist for the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation. Ms. Miller was also the Office of Insurance Regulation’s Board Liaison to many quasi-governmental entities including Citizens Property Insurance Corporation, The Florida Automobile Joint Underwriting Association, The Medical Malpractice Joint Underwriting Association, the Workers’ Compensation Insurance Guaranty Association and the Florida Insurance Guaranty Association. She is currently the owner of her own firm Lisa Miller & Associates, based out of Tallahassee, Florida. She also regularly serves as an expert witness on a variety of insurance and regulatory matters.

Paul Handerhan is board member, FL Association of Public Insurance Adjusters (FAPIA) and policy director for the FL Association for Insurance Reform (FAIR) which is the consumer group who was the lead advocate for Assignment of Benefits legislative reform.

Frederick R. “Fred” Dudley is a partner with Dudley, Sellers, Healy & Heath, P.L. in Tallahassee, Florida. He is a Board Certified Construction Lawyer with over 46 years of experience in real estate and construction law. He is a member of the Executive Councils of both the Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section and the Administrative Law Section, and practices statewide from Tallahassee, Florida, where he located in 1998 after 16 years of legislative service in both the Florida House of Representatives and the Florida Senate, where he served as chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Trey Goldman is Legislative Counsel for the Florida Realtors®. He participates in all of their legislative and regulatory efforts, and represents Realtors® before the Florida Legislature, state regulatory agencies, the Governor’s office, and the Cabinet.

Florida law provides that a Power of Attorney naming the other spouse as agent: Florida Statute 709.2109 states that a person named as agent under his/her spouse’s Florida Durable Power of Attorney for Property loses legal authority to act on the spouse’s behalf in the event of divorce or annulment, or when an action is filed for divorce or legal separation. The only exception is if the Durable Power of Attorney specifically states otherwise (i.e., that the agent’s powers continue in these circumstances. The law became effective Oct. 1, 2011; however, it applies to every Florida Durable Power of Attorney regardless of the date the document was executed.

The attorneys of Allen Dell pride themselves on their knowledge of laws affecting our clients. Stay calm and call us.

All eligible Hillsborough County Bar Association members please vote for Michelle Hutt in HCBA’s elections for the 2016-17 Board of Directors – the voting closes today at 5 p.m.
All eligible voters should have received an email from Intelliscaninc.com, a third-party polling service, with instructions for online voting.
If you have any problems or didn’t receive an email, please contact HCBA at hcbarsvp@hillsbar.com or (813) 221-7777.