Legal Briefs (Tampa)

Legal Briefs (Tampa)

Company seeks

reimbursement

A Pinellas County coin collector is trying to force its insurance carrier to pay $450,000 for a stolen coin collection.

In a federal lawsuit, GBC Inc. claims a briefcase of rare coins, valued at $450,000 or more, was taken from an exhibition booth at a Rosemont, Ill., show on June 26, 2004. Despite prompt notification of the theft, Underwriters at Lloyd's has refused to pay the claim, according to the lawsuit filed Sept. 14 in Tampa.

GBC is represented by Tampa attorney D. Frank Winkles.

National economist to discuss

Tampa Bay area outlook

Banc of America Capital Management's Chief Economist Alison "Lynn" Reaser will discuss the national, state and local economic outlook at an Oct. 12 meeting sponsored by the Florida Venture Forum, and the Tampa Bay chapters of the Association for Corporate Growth and the Financial Executives International.

Reaser, who holds a doctorate's degree in economics from the University of California at Los Angeles, is chair of the American Bankers Association's Economic Advisory Council. Banc of America Capital Management oversees investments of more than $335 billion on behalf of clients of Asset Management Group.

The 5:30 p.m. meeting at the Hyatt Regency Tampa, Two Tampa Center, Tampa, cost $40 in advance or $45 at the door. For more information, call (813) 335-8116.

Lawyer announces

candidacy for U.S. House

Tampa lawyer Michael Steinberg, a Democrat, recently announced his candidacy for the U.S. House of Representatives, District 11 seat, which is being vacated by Jim Davis, who's running for governor.

Steinberg's slogan: "Protecting Social Security, Medicare and veteran benefits."

"While I have had the privilege of enjoying a successful law practice, I can no longer sit on the sidelines while Social Security and VA claimants lose their homes, their families and sometimes their lives waiting for the Department of Veterans Affairs and Social Security Administration to make a decision on their claims," Steinberg said in a news release.

Animal group to provide CLE

for professional advisers

The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Tampa Bay will hold its semi-annual continuing education seminar for professional advisers Oct. 27 at the downtown St. Petersburg campus of the University of South Florida.

The 2 p.m. seminar on estate and tax planning are hosted by the SPCA's Planned Gifts Professional Advisory Committee. Holger D. Gleim of Bronstein, Carlson, Gleim & Smith PA will chair the seminar. For more information, call Nina Berkheiser at (727) 581-3249.

Hensler joins Thompson

Sizemore as associate

Ann Marie Hensler joined Thompson, Sizemore & Gonzalez PA as an associate. A 2000 graduate of Florida State University College of Law, Hensler served as a law clerk to 13th Circuit Judge Florence Foster and Florida Supreme Court Justice Harry Lee Anstead.

Fowler White adds associates,

announces board appointments

Andrew B. Demers, Jordan G. Lee and Andrew A. Bokan joined Tampa's Fowler White Boggs Banker as associates.

Demers, a graduate of the University of Michigan Law School, will practice in the firm's commercial litigation practice group where he will focus his practice on bankruptcy and creditors' rights and general business litigation.

Lee, who holds degrees, including an LL.M. in taxation, from the University of Florida, will practice in Fowler White's trusts and estates practice group. He will concentrate in the area of estate planning, probate, trust and estate administration, federal income estate, gift and generation skipping transfers taxation, charitable tax planning and tax-exempt organizations.

Bokan, who has a law degree from the University of Maryland School of Law, will practice in the firm's Employment Law Practice Group. He was previously with Henderson, Franklin, Starnes & Holt PA, Fort Myers.

In other firm news, attorney Karen Dean was elected president of the Tampa Bay Chapter of the American Association of Nurse Attorneys. Dean practices in the firm's Health Care Practice Group.

Plus, Katherine C. "Kacy" Lake, a shareholder, was appointed chair of Business Litigation Committee of the Florida Bar Business Law Section.

In addition, Julie S. Sneed was appointed to the Constituency Board for the Center for Autism and Related Disabilities at the University of South Florida. She practices in the firm's securities, financial services and white-collar practice group.

Plus, Nestor J. Rivera was appointed co-chair of the membership and diversity subcommittee of the American Bar Association Litigation Section's commercial and business law committee. Rivera is an associate in the firm's health care practices group.

Carlton Fields' attorneys

appointed to boards

Carlton Field PA shareholder Edward J. Page was named president of the Tampa Bay Chapter of the Federalist Society, an organization of conservatives and libertarians interested in the state of legal order. Page handles white-collar criminal defense, aviation, product liability, wrongful death and general commercial matters.

In other firm news, Min K. Cho was elected to the board of directors for Tampa Crossroads Inc., which provides comprehensive residential and non-residential services to criminal offenders.

The non-profit group fosters an educational and rehabilitative environment for those who have broken the law or who want to change their life in a positive direction.

Cho, a member of the firm's litigation and dispute resolution group, concentrates his practice in the areas of commercial litigation, bankruptcy and creditors' rights and white-collar criminal defense.