Top Rated Real Estate Attorney in St. Petersburg, FL

Honors and Awards:

• Stetson University College of Law Hall of Fame, Stetson University College of Law, 2013
• Ben C. Willard Award, Stetson Lawyers Association, 2011, Ben C. Willard Award, Stetson Lawyers Association, 2011
• Barbara Sanders Memorial Writing Competition, The Florida Bar Journal, 2001
• Super Lawyers
• Rated 10 by AVVO
• Who's Who of Emerging Leaders in America
• Who's Who in Entertainment
• Who's Who in the South/Southwest
• Who's Who in the World
• Who's Who in America
• Who's Who in American Law
• Martindale-Hubbell AV rating

Special Licenses/Certifications:

• Board Certified by the Florida Bar in Real Estate Law

Bar/Professional Activity:

• Chair, St. Petersburg Bar Association Business Law Section, 2009
• Chair, St. Petersburg Bar Association Real Property Section, 2008
• Chair, St. Petersburg Bar Association Probate Section, 2007
• Chair, St. Petersburg Bar Association Technology Section, 2004
• Chair, St. Petersburg Bar Association Probate Law Section, 2000
• The Florida Bar Probate Rules Committee, 1994
• Chair, The Florida Bar Coordinating Committee on Technology, 1992
• Secretary, The Florida Bar Law Office Management Section, 1980
• Florida
• U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida
• U.S. Court of Appeals 11th Circuit
• U.S. Supreme Court
• Editorial Board, ALI CLE The Practical Lawyer, American Law Institute - American Bar Association (2010-2016)

Pro bono/Community Service:

• Board of Directors, Florida Trust for Historic Preservation, 2003
• Councilman, Pinellas County Arts Council (1997-2001), 2001
• Board of Trustees, and Secretary, Florida International Museum, St. Petersburg, Florida (1992-94), 1994
• Board Attorney, St. Petersburg Chamber of Commerce, 1992
• Graduate, Leadership Tampa Bay (Board of Directors 1989), 1988
• Co-founder, Bring Back the Vinoy, Inc., 1984
• City Councilman, City of St. Petersburg, Florida, 1982
• Graduate, Leadership St. Pete (Planning Committee 1982), 1980
• Secretary, Trustee and/or Attorney, Salvador Dali Museum, Inc., St. Petersburg, Florida (1980-present)

Scholarly Lectures and Writings:

• Lecturer, Basics of Contract Drafting, The Florida Bar, 2018
• Book author: "Nonprofit Corporations and Associations", volume 29, West's Legal Forms 2nd, 3rd and4th editions 1986-2004), 2004
• Supplements Editor:  Florida Jur Forms, volumes 1 - 15, West Publishing (1998 & 1999), 1999
• Books co-author with Greg Yadley: "Business Organizations", West's Florida Legal Forms Volumes 1 and 2 (1991-1995), 1995
• Books author: "Specialized Forms", West's Florida Legal Forms Volumes 8 and 9 (1991-1995), 1995
• Books author: "Real Estate Transactions", West's Florida Legal Forms Volumes 3 and 4 (1991-1995), 1995
• Book author: "West's Florida Corporations System", 1984
• Adjunct Professor of Law, Contract Drafting and Law Practice Management, Stetson College of Law
• "An Introduction to the Paperless Law Office", 2009
• Tips for Handling the Complex Real Property Transaction, ALI CLE The Practical Lawyer (accepted for publication 2013)
• "A Client Letter", The Practical Lawyer, ALI-ABA; Getting to Paperless: A Lawyer or Law Firm's Step-by-Step Guide", Florida Bar Young Lawyers Basic Technology Course (2013)
• "How to Protect the Plaintiff in a Structured Settlement", Trial Magazine, ATLA (1982)
• "A Ban on 'Adult Only' Communities and Much More:  The Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988", Probate & Property, Real Property, Probate & Trust Law Section, American Bar Association (Sept/Oct 1989)
• "Fifty Tips for Writing the Contract That Stays Out of Court", The Practical Real Estate Lawyer (ALI-ABA May 1998), Florida Bar News (Aug 1, 1997)
• "How to Write Contracts and Other Documents as a Professional in a Mechanistic World" ("The Lawyer's Conscience: Professionalism in Writing Contracts and Wills for a Mechanistic World"), The Practical Real Estate Lawyer (ALI-ABA Nov. 1999), Florida Bar News (Aug 1, 1998)
• "How to Write Letters Nonlawyers Will Read", The Practical Lawyer (ALI-ABA Jan 2000), Florida Bar News (Sep 1, 1999)
• "Fifty Tips for Writing the 21st Century Contract That Stays Out of Court", ALI-ABA Practical Real Estate Lawyer & Florida Bar Journal (Nov 2000), The Florida Bar Journal 2001 Barbara Sanders Memorial Writing Competition Award,  ALI-ABA's Practice Checklist Manual for Drafting Leases IV, June 2003
• "Putting Your Entertainment or Sports Clients' Nest Egg in Florida: Legal Ways to Preserve Wealth," Entertainment, Arts & Sports Law Section Newsletter, Florida Bar (May 2001)
• "Forming a Small Music Business: The Who Meets the Whys and Wherefores," The Practical Lawyer ALI-ABA (Mar 2002)
• "Drafting the Contract or Settlement Agreement That Stays Out of Court," The Brief (ABA Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section, Winter 2003), The Best Articles Published by the ABA (ABA General Practice, Solo & Small Firm Section, Sep 2003)
• "Legislature Limits Homeowners' Rights to Sue Contractors," The Florida Bar News (June 1, 2003)
• "Jim's Three Favorite Technology Tools," The Florida Bar News (July 15, 2003), ALI-ABA CLE Review (Dec 26, 2003)
• "A File Management System for Lawyers," The Florida Bar News (Sep 15, 2003)
• "Practice Tip: It's Okay to Contact the Judicial Assistant," St. Petersburg Bar Association Paraclete (Nov 2003)
• "The Technology You Need to Project the Vision of Your Case," The Practical Litigator, ALI-ABA  (Mar 2004), The Florida Bar News (Oct 15, 2003)
• "Construction Contractors in Florida Are Incorporating," The Florida Bar News (Feb. 1, 2004)
• "Forget to Put Your Client's Address in the Judgment?", The Florida Bar News (Mar. 1, 2004)
• "Be Careful Using Form Real Estate Contracts," The Florida Bar News (April 30, 2004)
• "Is the Law of the Body a Body of Law?", The Florida Bar News (June 1, 2004)
• "How to Sue an LLC Member Without Piercing the Corporate Veil", The Florida Bar News (Sep 1, 2004)
• "I Want to Probate a Will in Federal Court", The Florida Bar News (June 1, 2006)
• "May I Shred My Scanned Paper Files", The Florida Bar News (Dec 1, 2006)
• "A Model Electronic File Policy for the Law Office", The Practical Lawyer, ALI-ABA (April 2007), The Florida Bar News (Nov 1, 2006)
• "Going Paperless...Or Not", The Practical Lawyer, ALI-ABA (Oct 2007)
• "Ten Tips for Handling Complex Probate (With Forms)", The Practical Lawyer, ALI-ABA (Aug 2008)
• "Ten Tips for Handling Complex Probate (With Forms)", The Practical Lawyer, ALI-ABA (Aug 2008)
• "Don't Print That Email", The Practical Lawyer, ALI-ABA (April 2009)
• "I Want to Sign an Electronic Will", The Practical Lawyer, ALI-ABA (June 2009)
• Tips for Handling the Complex Real Property Transaction, St. Petersburg Bar Real Property Section, 2013
• “Getting to Paperless: A Lawyer or Law Firm's Step-by-Step Guide", Florida Bar Young Lawyers Basic Technology Course, 2013
• "Tech Check for Lawyers," "Document Scanning System for Lawyers," & "Computer Security for Lawyers," St. Petersburg - Clearwater Bar Associations Technology Seminar, 2004
• "Godzilla in Cyberspace: Art Meets the Internet Police; Legal Tips for Artists Working Online," Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts, Pinellas County Arts Council, 2002
• "The Technology You Need to Project the Vision of Your Case," Bench & Bar Conference, Stetson College of Law, St. Pete.-Clearwater Bar Associations, 2003
• "Writing the Contract That Stays Out of Court", Florida Bar Conventions, 1994, 1997, 2000
• "The Lawyer's Conscience: Professionalism in Writing Contracts and Wills for a Mechanistic World", Florida Bar Convention, 1998
• "How to Write Letters Non Lawyers Will Read", Florida Bar Convention, 1999
• "Forming a Small Music Business: The Who Meets the Whys and the Wherefores", Florida Bar Entertainment, Arts & Sports Law Section annual meeting, 2001
• "The Lawyer's Conscience: Professionalism and Ethics in Writing", Florida Bar Convention, 2001
• "Drafting the Settlement Agreement That Stays Out of Court", American Bar Association Convention, Tort & Insurance Practice Section, Chicago, 2001
• "Ten Tips for Handling Complex Probate", St. Petersburg Bar Association Probate Section, 2007
• "Drafting a Clear As-Is Agreement", St. Petersburg Bar Association Real Property Section, 2007
• "Snakes in the Grass: Hidden Real Property Issues in Probate", St. Petersburg Bar Association Probate & Real Property Section, 2008

Educational Background:

• Stetson University College of Law, J.D., 1974
• Stetson University, B.S., Mathematics, 1971
• Co-Op Engineering Student, Georgia Institute of Technology