Legal Briefs (Tampa edition)

Legal Briefs (Tampa edition)

Bar seeks nominees

for judicial award

The Florida Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism and the Florida Bar Standing Committee on Professionalism seek nominations for the 2004 William M. Hoeveler Judicial Award.

The award recognizes a judge who best exemplifies strength of character and competence as a jurist, lawyer, and public servant. The award will be presented during the judicial luncheon at The Florida Bar Annual Meeting in June.

Nominations are due Dec. 1. Forms are available on the Bar's Web site at www.flabar.org. For more information, contact the Center for Professionalism, (850) 561-5747.

Coffman opens Tampa firm

to handle insurance litigation

William S. Coffman Jr. opened a law practice at 8910 North Dale Mabry Highway, Suite 36, Tampa. Coffman limits his practice to long-term disability insurance litigation in Florida and federal courts.

Before starting his own practice, Coffman directed long-term disability insurance litigation for Kimsey Law Group in Tampa. He received his law degree from Cleveland Marshall College of Law in Cleveland, Ohio. He received a master's degree from the Writing Seminars at The Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore and also holds a master's of fine arts degree from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville. He earned his bachelor's degree from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland.

Foley & Lardner adds two new associates to Tampa office

Foley & Lardner continues to expand its Tampa office with the addition of attorneys Megan J. Ellis and Amanda M. Uliano.

A member of the firm's business law department, Ellis graduated this year from the University of Florida Levin College of Law, where she served as the senior research editor of the Florida Law Review. She earned her bachelor's degree from the University of Florida in 1999. Prior to joining Foley & Lardner, Ellis was a judicial clerk for Eighth Circuit Judge Pete K. Sieg in Gainesville.

Uliano joins the firm as a member of the litigation department. Prior, she was a legal assistant for Eraclides, Johns, Hall, Gelman, Eikner & Johannessen LLP. Uliano received her law degree in 200