Tavernier, FL

Brett A. Rivkind

Brett Rivkind is a leading nationally renowned maritime personal injury and wrongful death attorney. He has been handling Maritime/Admiralty cases for over 40 years. After graduating from the University of Florida College of Law with honors, and being selected to the Florida Chapter of the Order of the Coif based on being in the top five percent of his graduating class, Brett Rivkind started his career at a large maritime firm, where he handled cases on the defense side. Within the first five years of handling hundreds of maritime and personal injury cases involving the cruise ship industry, Brett Rivkind decided he wanted to help the victims of accidents and crimes. Mr. Rivkind has handled all types of cases: personal injuries, wrongful deaths, sexual assaults, rapes, catastrophic injuries, involving both passengers and crewmembers. His cases have included all types of injuries including brain damage, stroke, heart attacks, herniated discs, Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy, factures, cancer, kidney failure, carpal tunnel syndrome, rotator-cuff tears, broken hips, knee replacements, and psychological and psychiatric injuries. He has also been active in handling cases on appeal involving complex issues of Admiralty and Maritime Law. He is well respected by his peers, and other Admiralty and Maritime attorneys have retained his services to argue Maritime issues on appeal. Brett Rivkind has been a frequent lecturer on maritime topics, including an invited lecturer to the State of Florida Judges at their Annual Judicial College on the topic of Maritime Law. He testified before the United States Congress as a maritime expert, and authored a paper addressing questions posed to him by the United States Congress involving passenger safety and security aboard passenger cruise ships. He has handled many high profile cases, including representation of more than a two hundred families who lost loved ones in a fire aboard a cruise ship, a case where families lost their loved ones due to the disappearance of a passenger cruise ship during a hurricane, as well as representation of the parents of George Smith in the high profile case that received national and international attention when George Smith was lost overboard during his honeymoon while a passenger aboard a Royal Caribbean cruise ship. He has been referred internationally as a “World’s Leading Maritime Lawyer.” He has appeared on the Larry King Live show on three different occasions. He has also appeared on numerous television shows, including, MSNBC, Good Morning America, The Today Show, 20/20, Court T.V., Nancy Grace, Scarborough, Rita Cosby Show, Montel Williams, The Early Show, Abrams Report, Geraldo at Large, Fox News, local news channels, and Prime Time. He is past President of the Florida Bar Admiralty Committee and a member of the Admiralty Committee of the Association of America for Justice.

Bruce M. Margulies

Bruce Margulies is originally from New York and moved to South Florida at a very young age with his family. He attended the University of Florida College of Law and graduated in 1982. After graduating he began his career working in personal injury law in addition to commercial litigation. He has been practicing maritime/admiralty law for over 20 years. Mr. Margulies has been helping victims of maritime injuries, both passengers and crew members. He is a member of the Florida bar and is admitted in the federal courts of the southern district of Florida. He is also a member of the American Bar Association, the Association of trial lawyers of America, and is an AV rated attorney. Mr. Margulies has handled all types of personal injury cases, including claims for injuries suffered by crew members and passengers aboard cruise ships and other vessels. He has been practicing law for over 40 years and is dedicated to helping others seek justice for the injuries that they suffered as a result of the negligence of others.

Marlin Muller

Mr. Muller earned his B.S. from Florida State University and his Juris Doctorate from St. Thomas University School of Law. Mr. Muller is a civil trial attorney specializing in business disputes and personal injury. Mr. Muller is also a decorated U.S. Army combat veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom and the youngest veteran inducted into the Florida Veterans Hall of Fame.

James S. Lupino

James S. Lupino received his Bachelor’s Degree from Augustana College in 1974 and his Juris Doctorate from Hamline University in St. Paul, Minnesota in 1977. Mr. Lupino represents clients in the areas of Civil Litigation, Real Estate, Contract and Construction Law, Wills, Probate and Business Matters. Mr. Lupino is admitted to the Bar in the states of Florida, Minnesota and Colorado, as well as, the Federal Courts in the Southern District of Florida and for the District of Minnesota. He is a Supreme Court certified civil dispute mediator. He is listed in Who’s Who of Florida Lawyers and has been selected as a “Super Lawyer”. Mr. Lupino was the representative of the 16th Judicial Circuit to the Florida Bar Board of Governors. He was the chairman of the Florida Bar Member Benefits Committee for 2000-2002 and is on the Budget and Investment Committees. He has served on the Judicial Nominating Committee for the 16th Judicial Circuit and has acted as a member and chairperson of the Florida Bar’s 16th Circuit Attorney Regulation Committee. Mr. Lupino served on the Upper Keys Rotary Club Board and is also a past Chairman of the Key Largo Chamber of Commerce. He was the Monroe County campaign coordinator for the Jeb Bush gubernatorial election campaign in 1994 and 1998 as well as for George W. Bush’s presidential campaign in 2000.

Robert Stober

Robert Stober has a B.A. from Hartwick College and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Miami Law School. His Practice areas include Personal Injury, Civil Litigation, Insurance, Landlord and Tenant Law and Admiralty and Maritime Law.

Russell Yagel

Russell Yagel is licensed as both an Attorney and Certified Public Accountant in the State of Florida. He received his Bachelors of Business Administration in Accounting from Stetson University in Deland, Florida and his Juris Doctorate degree from Capital University in Columbus, Ohio. Mr. Yagel is admitted to practice in all Florida State Courts, the United States Tax Court, the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida, and the United States Court of Appeals, 11th Circuit. He has over 25 year of experience advocating in State and Federal Courts and representing clients before local governments and administrative agencies. He frequently lectures on land use regulations impacting development and growth in the Florida Keys and Key West. His experience includes representing international companies such as AIG Insurance Company, Underwriters at Lloyds, London (Lloyds of London), Chemical Bank, Nissan Motors Acceptance Corporation, Associated Aviation Underwriters, United Airlines, US Airways, Delta Airlines, the Resolution Trust Corporation (RTC), and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC).

Willard Shepard

Willard Shepard is an attorney, Gulf War Air Force fighter pilot, and a 6-time Emmy award-winning investigative reporter and news anchor at NBC in Miami. He is on the board of the greater Miami aviation Association. Shepard uses his unique skill set and proven record of care to help clients with legal matters. His 3+ decades as a highly trained aviator and FAA ground instructor gives him technical insight into transportation-related injuries. Shepard is an expert in media operations and community outreach, developing media strategies for companies. He also serves on the Board of Florida’s Wounded Veterans Relief Fund. His wide-ranging experiences make him an intriguing motivational speaker.