Carol Finklehoffe
Top rated Transportation & Maritime attorney in Coral Gables, Florida
Lipcon, Margulies & Winkleman, P.A.
Practice areas: Transportation & Maritime, Personal Injury
Licensed in Florida since: 1994
Education: University of Miami School of Law
Selected to Super Lawyers: 2024 - 2026 Call today:
888-967-5020
Lipcon, Margulies & Winkleman, P.A.
2800 Ponce de Leon Blvd.Suite 1480
Coral Gables, FL 33134 Visit website
Carol L. Finklehoffe is a partner at Lipcon, Margulies and Winkleman, P.A. who has been practicing for 30 years in both the state and federal courts throughout Florida, California and Massachusetts. Ms. Finklehoffe is an “AV” rated trial attorney who is a certified specialist in Maritime and Admiralty law.
The main concentration of her practice relates to complex personal injury, resort law, wrongful death, sexual assault and medical malpractice. Ms. Finklehoffe is also a skilled maritime lawyer who has developed an expertise in cases involving cruise ship passengers and maritime crew members on various types of commercial and private vessels. Ms. Finklehoffe is the former Chair of the Cruise Line and Passenger Ship Committee for the Maritime Law Association of the United States and has co-authored the chapter on Personal Injury and Wrongful Death of Seaman and Other Maritime Workers in the Florida Bar’s Florida Maritime Law and Practice Manual, 7th Edition.
Before specializing in protecting the rights of the wrongfully injured, Ms. Finklehoffe spent over a decade working as a defense attorney for the cruise lines, as well as ship owners and operators. Her experience gives her a unique insight into the maritime industry and provides her with an advantage in advocating for the rights of the injured passengers and crewmembers.
Ms. Finklehoffe lectures to maritime industry groups speaking on various issues, including Prosecuting and Defending Sexual Assaults Occurring Aboard Cruise Ships, Liability for Medical Malpractice Occurring on Cruise Ships, and Liability for Cruise Ship Tour Operators. She is also a frequent commentator on national news.
Complementing her legal skills, Ms. Finklehoffe is also a trained Civil Circuit Court Mediator skilled in negotiations. This additional expertise enhances her ability to find favorable resolutions for her clients, promoting effective dispute resolution.
Practice areas
Transportation/Maritime, Personal Injury - General: Plaintiff- 70% Transportation/Maritime
- 30% Personal Injury - General: Plaintiff
First Admitted: 1994, Florida
Professional Webpage: https://www.lipcon.com/our-attorneys/carol-l-finklehoffe/
Bar / Professional Activity
- Florida Bar, 1994
- United States District Court Central District of California, 2017
- United States District Court Middle District of Florida, 1995
- United States District Court Southern District of Florida, 1995
- United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, 1995
- California Bar, 2002
- Massachusetts Bar, 1996
Verdicts / Settlements (Case Results)
- Cortes v. Princess Cruise Lines, Ltd., 2020 WL 5492988 (C.D. Ca. September 8, 2020), 2020
- Doe v. Celebrity Cruises, Inc., 145 F.Supp. 2d 1337 (S.D. Fla. 2001), 2001
- Bird v. Celebrity Cruise Line, Inc., 428 F.Supp 2nd (S.D. Fla. 2005), 2005
- Gabriel v. Celebrity Cruises, Inc., 2005 AMC 1617 (S.D. Fla. 2005), 2005
- Ozarslan v. Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd, 1627 AMC 2008 (11th Judicial Circuit in and for Miami-Dade County, Florida, May 15, 2008), 2008
- Vasquez v. YII Shipping Co. Ltd., 46 So.3d 1235 (4th DCA 2010), 2010
- Gibson v. Norwegian Cruise Line, 2012 WL 1952667 (S.D. Fla. May 30, 2012), 2012
- Perciavalle v. Carnival Corporation, 2012 WL 2412179 (S.D. Fla. June 26, 2012), 2012
- Gibson v. Norwegian Cruise Line, 2012 WL – (S.D. Fla. June 28, 2012), 2012
- Guest v. Carnival Corp., 917 F.Supp.2d 1242 (S.D. Fla. November 2012), 2012
- Sorrels v. NCL (Bahamas) LTD, 796 F.3d 1275 (11th Cir. August 4, 2015), 2015
- K.T. v. Royal Caribbean Cruises, Ltd., 931 F.3d 1041 (11th Cir. 2019), 2019
Special Licenses / Certifications
- Civil Circuit Court Mediator (certification pending)
- Admiralty & Maritime Law Certified Specialist (CA)
Educational Background
- Boston College, B.S., Magna Cum Laude, 1991
- University of Miami School of Law (J.D., 1994, Cum Laude), 1994
Scholarly Lectures / Writings
- Personal Injury and Wrongful Death of Seaman and Other Maritime Workers, Chapter 3, Florida Maritime Law and Practice, 7th Edition, The Florida Bar (2022)(co-author), Co-author, Personal Injury and Wrongful Death of Seaman and Other Maritime Workers, Chapter 3, Florida Maritime Law and Practice, 7th Edition, The Florida Bar, 2002
- Sea Food - Who is Liable for a Bad Catch? An Analysis of a Ship Owner’s Liability for Claims of Food Poisoning, University of San Francisco Maritime Law Journal, Vol. 19, Page 119 (Winter 2006)(co-author), Co-author, Sea Food - Who is Liable for a Bad Catch? An Analysis of a Ship Owner’s Liability for Claims of Food Poisoning, University of San Francisco Maritime Law Journal, 2006
- Medicare’s Mandatory Reporting Program, Maritime Law Association Report, Fall 2009/Spring 2010, Medicare’s Mandatory Reporting Program, Maritime Law Association Repor
- Enactment of the Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act, Maritime Law Association Report, Spring/Fall 2010, Enactment of the Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act, Maritime Law Association Report, 2010
- Shipboard Releases – The Next Battle Ground, Maritime Law Association Report Document 800, Page 16247(Spring 2011) (co-author), Co-author, Shipboard Releases – The Next Battle Ground, Maritime Law Association Report Document 800, Page 16247, 2011
- Update on the Implementation of the Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act of 2010 (CVSSA), Maritime Law Association Report Document 804, Page 16514 (Fall 2011), Update on the Implementation of the Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act of 2010 (CVSSA), Maritime Law Association Report, 2011
- Cruise Ship Passenger Litigation: An Ocean of Opportunity, Bill of Particulars, New York State Trial Lawyers Institute, Vol. 1, 2012, page 89 (co-author), Co-author, Cruise Ship Passenger Litigation: An Ocean of Opportunity, Bill of Particulars, New York State Trial Lawyers Institute, 2012
- Navigating Obstacles Created by Cruise Lines in Shore Excursion Tragedies, Massachusetts Academy of Trial Attorneys Journal, Vol.6, No.3 (February 2013)(co-author), Co-author, Navigating Obstacles Created by Cruise Lines in Shore Excursion Tragedies, Massachusetts Academy of Trial Attorneys Journal, 2013
- Cruise Line Passenger Bill of Rights, Maritime Law Association Report Document 812, Page 17894 (Fall 2013), Cruise Line Passenger Bill of Rights, 2013
- Tulane Law Journal, Co-author, Time has Passed Barbetta By: Washing Away Over 100 Years of Outdated Precedent, Tulane Law Journal, 2015
Honors
- Best Lawyers, Best Lawyers, 2026
- America's Top 100 Personal Injury Attorneys®, America's Top 100 Personal Injury Attorneys®, America's Top 100 Personal Injury Attorneys®, 2025
- Super Lawyers, Super Lawyers, 2025
- AV - Rated attorney, Martinedale Hubble, 2025
Industry Groups
- American Association Of Justice
- Florida Assiciation Of Women Lawyers
- Maritime Law Association
Office location for Carol Finklehoffe
2800 Ponce de Leon Blvd.
Suite 1480
Coral Gables, FL 33134
Phone: 888-967-5020
Selections
- Super Lawyers: 2024 - 2026
