We are a law firm of specialists certified as experts in business litigation and labor and employment law by The Florida Bar and have worked in Tampa Bay for over 35 years.
Lee Haas is Florida Bar Board Certified in Business Litigation and ‘AV’ rated by the Martindale-Hubbell legal directory. He leads our business litigation practice.
Marcus Castillo is Board Certified in Labor and Employment Law by the Florida Bar, one of the first lawyers in the state to achieve that distinction. He leads our employment and employee benefits practice.
Florida Accidental Death & Dismemberment Law
April 14, 2020In this series of articles, we are looking at the law governing Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D) cases, the law as developed in the Eleventh Circuit.- April 13, 2020Most of us are well familiar with life insurance. All forms of life insurance provide a death benefit to a beneficiary. With the exception of suicide, life insurance typically pays benefits in most scenarios whether death was caused accidentally or by natural causes.
- April 12, 2020In this series of articles, we are examining the law governing Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D) cases with an emphasis on case law within the Eleventh Circuit. This Federal focus is in large part due to the fact that the majority of AD&D cases involve employer-sponsored plans thus triggering the applicability of ERISA.
- April 11, 2020Most of us are well familiar with life insurance. All forms of life insurance provide a death benefit to a beneficiary. With the exception of suicide, life insurance typically pays benefits in most scenarios whether death was caused accidentally or by natural causes.
April 8, 2020Marcus Castillo lays out the issues at stake in an AD&D case and how you can fight back to defeat the carrier’s bogus defenses. Read more or download the eBook.- September 5, 2019Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D) cases are growing in number in Federal and state courts. In this and a future set of articles, we will dive into the legal issues faced by practitioners from the time of intake through briefing or trial.
Florida Business Law
April 18, 2020Many businesses are sitting ducks for a lawsuit claiming that their websites are not accessible to the disabled. Learn key steps to protect yourself from hungry plaintiffs’ attorneys. Read more or download the whitepaper.
April 15, 2020Quickly and easily incorporate these ten ideas into business operations that could significantly limit your exposure to litigation. Read more or download the eBook.
Florida Construction Law
November 5, 2012I had an interesting question asked last week about filing a lien for lawn service, either commercial or residential. When I explained it couldn’t be done, the questioner replied that he knew of other lawn services that had filed liens to get paid.
Florida Employment Law
April 19, 2020All small business owners should familiarize themselves with rescue measures passed by Congress in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Read more or download the whitepaper.- April 6, 2020Take these ten steps and join the ranks of those who choose not to let their business become an easy litigation target. Read more or download the eBook.
May 7, 2013The 2013 U.S. Supreme Court term features several employment law cases important to employers and human resource professionals.- November 2, 2012In a recent decision, the National Labor Relations Board once again illustrated its willingness to regulate non-union workplaces. In Karl …
Florida ERISA Law
June 25, 2013Last year I had the opportunity to attend a gathering of many of the ERISA litigators in Florida, both plaintiff and defense. One of the hot topics at that conference was a case known as Howard v. Hartford Life & Accident Insurance Co. which was possibly going to be the vehicle for the Eleventh Circuit to clarify the rules of discovery in ERISA cases.- May 6, 2013In my last blog post I overviewed the opposing arguments heard by the Supreme Court in U.S. Airways v. McCutchen. On April 16, 2013 the …
- January 17, 2013Most personal injury attorneys undoubtedly view ERISA liens arising out of group health insurance payments as the “800 pound gorilla” that can gut a client’s recovery or indeed dissuade a lawyer from taking a case in the first place.
- December 10, 2012In my previous post I briefly discussed the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2011 decision in Cigna Corp. v. Amara. The question in that case was the scope of relief available under Section 502(a)(1)(B) compared to Section 502(a)(3) of ERISA.
- October 26, 2012For years the courts have struggled with the meaning of “appropriate equitable relief” in ERISA cases. Last year the U.S. Supreme Court handed down Cigna Corp. v. Amara, a case with far-reaching implications on the “equitable relief” front.
- April 11, 2005The scope of ERISA’s fiduciary duties was recently analyzed by the Eleventh Circuit in Cotton v. Massachusetts Mutual.
- March 4, 2005Long time no blog – got a bit behind with a 2-week flu bug and the game of catch up that followed.
- January 26, 2005The standard of review in a benefits case often drives the outcome. This was illustrated in a recent Middle District opinion: Dowling v. Metropolitan Life Insurance Co.
- January 20, 2005On November 18, 2004, New York State Attorney General Elliott Spitzer announced a landmark settlement with Unum resolving a multi-state investigation into alleged unfair claims-handling practices.
- January 18, 2005A recent decision out of the Southern District illustrates the attorneys’ fees analysis applicable to ERISA cases in Florida.
