On the Pulse…Our Jacksonville Office
Marshall Dennehey has been an active part of the Jacksonville legal community since 2004. We opened with a few well-known and highly-respected members of the Duval County Bar and have since developed into a vibrant group of attorneys from many walks of life, handling diverse case loads in multiple practice groups. The Jacksonville office is within walking distance of the beautiful Duval County Courthouse, and we can often be found working there. However, we handle litigation far beyond the immediate area, covering an expansive territory across northern Florida, from the Atlantic Coast to the Gulf Coast.
One of the founding members of the Jacksonville office is Michael DeCandio. Michael is well known as one of the leading construction defect defense attorneys in the state, regularly representing engineers and architects as well as the trades. Joining Michael in this practice group is Elizabeth Ferguson, a Board Certified Construction Defect attorney who is also recognized as a go-to construction defect lawyer. Elizabeth has a long history of leadership with the bar, and she is a former president of the Jacksonville Bar Association. They are supported by associate Avery Sander, who is active in the Jacksonville Women Lawyers Association, the Florida Association of Women Lawyers and the Chester Bedell Inn of Court.
Jacksonville’s newest practice is the Workers’ Compensation Practice Group led by Heather Carbone. Heather and Linda Farrell joined us three years ago as part of the firm’s strategic plan to expand the Workers’ Compensation Department into the state. Heather and Linda provide their clients with unparalleled service through their advocacy, incredible work ethics and professionalism. Kelly Scifres is an associate in the group who is rapidly developing her own client relationships and reputation in the close-knit workers’ compensation bar.
Responding to the needs of our clients, in 2019, Corey Setterlund transferred to Jacksonville from our Fort Lauderdale office to provide much needed defense of first-party property cases. Corey is a passionate, dedicated and diligent lawyer for her clients. (Is it any wonder that in her spare time she runs ultra-marathons?) The newest member of the property team is Caitlin Polly, who came over from the dark side (a little defense bar humor) to provide her unique insight and energy to the team.
I am fortunate to lead the Casualty Practice Group in Jacksonville. As an attorney with 30+ years of experience and more than 150 verdicts in four states, it is my privilege to watch the attorneys I work with develop and grow their talents to the benefit of our clients. Rob Williams is a Jacksonville native who previously served as in-house counsel for a major casualty insurer. Sean Reeves is a former Army helicopter pilot whose experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan surely contribute to his fearless, warrior spirit in attacking any challenge, no matter how complex. Kathleen Carlson is extremely knowledgeable in the auto defense arena and is relentless in her pursuit of excellent outcomes for her clients while assuring on-time and informative reporting to the carriers.
In addition to these primary practice areas, the attorneys in our Jacksonville office also handle employment and health care matters. Whatever your civil litigation needs are, we have the diverse talent, experience, energy, and flexibility to efficiently and effectively handle your litigation throughout north Florida. Please contact me with any questions about your legal needs. We look forward to working with you!
*Jim is the managing attorney of our Jacksonville, Florida office. He can be reached at 904.358.4208 or jphanratty@mdwcg.com.
Defense Digest, Vol. 27, No. 2, March 2021 is prepared by Marshall Dennehey Warner Coleman & Goggin to provide information on recent legal developments of interest to our readers. This publication is not intended to provide legal advice for a specific situation or to create an attorney-client relationship. ATTORNEY ADVERTISING pursuant to New York RPC 7.1. © 2021 Marshall Dennehey Warner Coleman & Goggin. All Rights Reserved. This article may not be reprinted without the express written permission of our firm. For reprints, contact tamontemuro@mdwcg.com.