Seminole, FL

Paul R. Cavonis

Paul R. Cavonis (passed away in 2025) was a devoted attorney, mentor, and integral member of DeLoach, Hofstra & Cavonis, P.A. for over 30 years. A formidable, Board Certified Civil Trial Attorney, he was known for meticulous preparation and fearless advocacy, leading to many favorable outcomes. Outside of law, he was a passionate motorsports enthusiast, founding HelpForTheHurt Motorsports, and a devoted family man. His legacy of service, integrity, and compassion ensues.

Marc Matthews

Mr. Matthews spent several years working in the trial departments of some of the largest and most prestigious law firms in the U.S., including Holland & Knight, LLP and DLA Piper US LLP, representing companies in cases involving truck crashes, catastrophic injury and product liability, and business disputes. Relying on that experience, Mr. Matthews joined forces with one of the preeminent plaintiffs’ firms in the State of Florida, prosecuting catastrophic injury and wrongful death claims through verdict. In 2013 alone, he obtained two verdicts in excess of ten million dollars. Always striving to passionately represent his clients in seeking to maximize their recovery, Mr. Matthews formed Matthews Injury Law in 2014. In 2018, Mr. Matthews obtained one of the Top 10 Car Accident Verdicts in the State of Florida. Born in Bradenton and raised in Pinellas County, Mr. Matthews attended the University of Central Florida on an academic scholarship before graduating from the University of Florida College of Law with honors. Since law school, Mr. Matthews has lived and practiced law in Orlando, West Palm Beach and Tampa, Florida. Mr. Matthews previously served as a member of the national trial counsel team for an international Fortune 100 trucking company. His experience includes litigating cases throughout the State of Florida and the nation involving catastrophic trucking accidents, traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, tire blowouts/rollovers, wrongful death, product liability claims, and commercial actions. In recognition of his legal skills and ethical standards, Mr. Matthews received an AV Preeminent Rating - the highest rating given to lawyers - from Martindale Hubbell. Mr. Matthews is admitted to practice in all of the state and federal courts throughout Florida. He has appeared in the Northern, Middle, and Southern District Courts of Florida in cases ranging from multi-million dollar business disputes to multi-million dollar insurance claims. And he has tried cases ranging from wrongful death to motor vehicle accidents to real estate property claims to breach of contract disputes. Mr. Matthews has taken cases to trial in jurisdictions ranging from Walton County to Hillsborough County to Manatee County to Orange County to Miami-Dade County. And in seeking to fully represent his clients’ best interests in pursuing the justice they deserve, Mr. Matthews has also prosecuted cases through appeal when necessary. Mr. Matthews is a 2009 graduate of Leadership Tampa Bay. In an effort to stay involved in his community outside of work, Mr. Matthews serves on the Board of Directors of three charitable foundations - Palma Ceia Little League, Vincent Jackson’s Jackson in Action 83 Foundation, which supports military children and families, and The Ryan Nece Foundation, which strives to empower student leaders to impact giving in their communities. Mr. Matthews is the Chairman of the Board of the Ryan Nece Foundation. Mr. Matthews also supports the Sidewalk Stompers, a nonprofit committed to providing safe crosswalks and sidewalks for children trying to get to school safely.

Frank W. McDermott

Frank W. McDermott is a Board Certified Criminal Trial Attorney and Principle Owner & Director at McDermott Law Firm, P.A. He received his Board Certification in August of 2011 after 12 years of practice. He has worked on over 5,000 criminal cases and is admitted to practice in all Florida State Courts and the U.S. Middle District Court, Tampa, Florida. He is devoted to representing clients in personal injury and criminal defense law.

Ryan Rooth

Ryan Rooth is a dedicated elder law and estate planning attorney in Metro St. Petersburg, Florida. He has been a Florida attorney since 2003, starting his career as an assistant state attorney before establishing his own practice focusing on criminal defense and personal injury. He joined Rooth & Rooth in 2014, shifting his focus to elder law and estate planning. He holds degrees in business administration, law, and an MBA from Stetson University. Ryan has received accolades such as the Preeminent AV rating from Martindale-Hubbell and a Superb 10 rating from AVVO.

Matthew Crist

Matthew A. Crist exclusively represents people and their family members who have been injured or killed because someone else did not take the proper safety precautions in cases that involve automobile and commercial vehicle crashes, defective consumer products, injuries in public places, claims against homeowners, and injuries at work. He also represents clients in class action cases and lawsuits against insurance companies for bad faith and otherwise improper claims handling. Before joining forces with the Matthews Injury Law team, Matt was the founding partner and managing shareholder Crist Legal | PA, a personal injury and class action law firm based in Tampa that represented clients throughout Florida and was successful in recovering millions of dollars on their behalf in cases against insurance carriers, construction companies, reckless and intoxicated drivers, ride-share companies, commercial trucking operators, rental car agencies, commercial establishments that failed to look out for the safety of their guests, and countless others. Throughout his career, Matt has been recognized by his peers as a top personal injury lawyer in Florida. He has been selected as a Florida “Super Lawyer” every year since 2012 and is a member of Florida Trend’s “Legal Elite.” He has also been rated by his peers in the Florida legal community as “AV Preeminent” by Martindale-Hubbell, the highest rating given. Matt has been involved in several high-profile cases and has appeared on NBC’s Today Show. After graduating from law school, he started his legal career as a federal court law clerk working for Judge Marcia Morales Howard with the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida. He then worked for Greenberg Traurig, a large international law firm, on behalf of Fortune 500 and other large corporations in cases involving catastrophic injuries, defective consumer products, complex commercial litigation, and environmental contamination. Matt grew up in Florida and received his undergraduate degree from the University of Florida. He then taught American History in St. Augustine before returning to the University of Florida to attend the Levin College of Law where he competed for the nationally recognized Justice Campbell Thornal Moot Court Team and graduated with honors.

Lisha Bowen

Attorney Lisha Bowen is a proven advocate for the injured and their families, with an impressive track record of success at trial. Lisha also assists her clients with insurance coverage disputes that arise when an insurance carrier fails to fulfill their obligations. Before graduating from Stetson University College of Law, with honors, Lisha worked as a paralegal focusing on personal injury cases. For more than a decade, she has litigated and tried cases on behalf of those injured by the negligence of others. Her results speak for themselves, with seven verdicts in excess of two million dollars, including four verdicts in excess of ten million dollars. Her victory in a case involving the mistreatment of a brain injured, fully dependent man who passed away at the facility in which he was being treated was the largest jury award ever in Hardee County. Ms. Bowen has battled the largest corporate defendants in cases involving traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, and wrongful death. And she has taken on trucking companies when they have caused serious injuries and failed to maintain records, train employees, and destroyed records in an attempt to cover up their actions. Ms. Bowen has received numerous distinctions for her legal skills and ethical standards, including an AV Preeminent rating - the highest rating given to lawyers - from Martindale-Hubbell, recognition as a Florida Super Lawyer, and recognition in Best Lawyers in America. Born in Tampa, Florida, Lisha received her undergraduate degree from Pennsylvania State University. She is admitted to Florida’s state courts, as well as the U.S. District Courts for the Northern, Middle and Southern Districts of Florida. In her first years of her practice, she served as Staff Attorney to the Honorable Peggy A. Quince at the Florida Supreme Court, followed by private practice focusing on the areas of commercial litigation and bankruptcy. Ms. Bowen then spent 12 years as a member of Swope, Rodante P.A. in Tampa, Florida where her practice focused on litigation of cases involving catastrophic personal injury, wrongful death, insurance coverage and insurance bad faith.

Craig A. Epifanio

Craig A. Epifanio is an attorney who began his legal career in 1997. He initially served as a public defender, gaining extensive trial experience, and later worked in personal injury before establishing his own practice. He specializes in criminal defense, traffic violations, federal criminal defense, personal injury, and estate planning. Mr. Epifanio is a former President of the Pinellas Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (PACDL) and is known for his aggressive advocacy and compassionate client service. He has over 20 years of experience and is admitted to practice in Florida, the U.S. District Court Middle District of Florida, and the U.S. Court of Appeals 11th Circuit.