Orlando

Partner

Billie L. Bellamy

Ms. Bellamy is a partner practicing primarily on first party property and insurance coverage matters. She spent the first ten years of her career with a prominent Orlando insurance defense firm, representing insurance carriers and insureds in first and third-party claims in the areas of homeowners insurance law, with a focus on sinkhole and property damage litigation, as well as auto negligence, premises liability, rental car law, and appellate law. Ms. Bellamy spent the last two years with a prominent Orlando Plaintiff’s firm representing hospitals and physicians in the area of Personal Injury Protection law. She is licensed to practice in all state courts of Florida as well as the United States District Court for the Middle and Northern Districts of Florida.

Professional Background:

Groelle & Salmon, P.A.
-Orlando, Florida

Bradford, Cederberg, P.A.
-Orlando, Florida

Cameron, Hodges, Coleman, LaPointe & Wright, P.A.
-Orlando, Florida

Education:

Barry University School of Law, J.D., Valedictorian
-State University of New York at Fredonia, B.S., Cum Laude

Bar Admissions:

Florida Bar
-United States District Court Middle District of Florida
-United States District Court Northern District of Florida

Partner

Robert B. Dehne

Robert “Bobby” Dehne is a partner managing the firm’s Orlando office, and focuses his practice primarily on first party property and insurance coverage matters. He has extensive experience in handling all types of property damage claims, both pre-suit and litigation, and has actively participated in a large number of SIU/fraud investigations.

Mr. Dehne is a certified Florida instructor of insurance adjuster continuing education, and has presented insurance seminars to insurance claims staff and professionals around the Country. Over the years, Mr. Dehne has handled property losses caused by hurricane, windstorm, lightning, hail, fire, water intrusion, plumbing leaks, sinkhole, and theft.

Mr. Dehne is rated AV by the Martindale Hubbell professional rating organization upon review by his peers; the highest rating conferred on practicing attorneys by the Martindale Hubbell organization. Further, Mr. Dehne has been selected to the Florida Super Lawyer Rising Star list from 2017 through 2022, an honor reserved for those lawyers who exhibit excellence in practice.

Prior to his legal career, Mr. Dehne received his Bachelor’s degree from the University of Central Florida, and his Juris Doctor from the Florida Coastal School of Law located in Jacksonville, Florida. He is licensed to practice in all state courts of Florida, as well as the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida
In his free time, Mr. Dehne enjoys spending time with his family, watching football, playing golf, and coaching his son’s football team. Mr. Dehne is also an avid Green Bay Packers, Florida State Seminoles, and UCF Knights’ fan.

Partner

Bruce A. Epple

Bruce A. Epple is a partner in the firm’s Orlando office handling first party property and insurance coverage matters. He has a long history of civil litigation and trial experience handling third party and first party insurance claims, both pre-suit and litigation, in almost every venue in Florida and he has personally participated as first chair attorney in over 20 civil jury trials through verdict during his lengthy legal career.

Before joining the firm, Mr. Epple served 12 years as Senior In-House Staff Counsel for The Hartford Insurance Group. His prior insurance defense experience also includes representation of a wide variety of insurance carriers. He has served in the past as a Certified Circuit Court Mediator and for four years operated his own Mediation practice.

Mr. Epple grew up in Orlando, FL and received his Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Central Florida in 1977, where he graduated Summa Cum Laude. He then attended law school and obtained his Juris Doctor degree, Cum Laude, from Stetson College of Law in 1980. He is licensed to practice in all state courts of Florida and the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida.

Bruce is an avid supporter of the UCF Knights (“Charge On!”) and enjoys attending live sporting events throughout the state whenever his schedule permits.

Education:

Stetson College of Law , J.D., Cum Laude

University of Central Florida, B.A., Summa Cum Laude

Bar Admissions:

Florida Bar
-United States District Court Middle District of Florida

Partner

Christina E. Hedley

Christina E. Hedley is an associate practicing primarily on first party property and insurance coverage matters. Prior to coming to Groelle and Salmon, she practiced criminal law as an Assistant Public Defender in the Ninth Judicial Circuit for six years. As an Assistant Public Defender, she litigated a variety of complex criminal law matters and completed more than forty jury trials and eleven bench trials relating to juvenile offenses. Through her work as an Assistant Public Defender, she regularly engaged in the discovery process, legal research, motion practice, depositions, negotiations, and trials. Moreover, her practice required her to consult with, and take depositions of, various witnesses, including expert witnesses specializing in such fields as firearms, pharmacology, toxicology, fingerprints, eye witness identification, and psychology.
Ms. Hedley graduated from Barry University School of Law where she was awarded a certificate in Trial Advocacy with honors. Ms. Hedley earned two Bachelors of Science from the University of New Haven for Legal Studies and Criminal Justice. She is licensed to practice law in all state courts in Florida.

Associate

Andrew B. Jaffe

Associate

Clonjey “CJ” Labbe

Mr. Labbe joined Groelle & Salmon, P.A., as an associate in 2021. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from the Florida Atlantic University, and received his Juris Doctor from Barry University School of Law. He carries with him valuable experience in the areas of personal injury litigation, property and contract disputes. Mr. Labbe now practices in the area of first-party insurance defense, with a focus on residential property claims investigation and litigation. Mr. Labbe is also fluent in Creole.

Partner

Eric J. Knuth

Eric J. Knuth was born in Detroit, Michigan in 1964. In 1987, he graduated from Northern Michigan University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Speech Communications and a minor in Pre-law. He attended Thomas M. Cooley Law School in Lansing, Michigan, where he was conferred his Juris Doctor in 1990. His academic memberships and honors include graduating Cum Laude in the top 11% of his class, Dean’s List-Michealmas Term, 1988, 1989; Hillary Terms 1989, 1990; Trinity Term 1990. He was awarded the American JurisPrudence Book Award in Advocacy, 1988; Sales, 1989; and achieved a Certificate of Merit in Gun Control Seminar, 1990. He was a recipient of the Cooley Student Bar Association Distinguished Student Award in 1990 and a member of the ABA National Trial Competition team as well. After graduating from Thomas Cooley Law School, Eric served as a pre-hearing attorney with the Michigan Court of Appeals and private practice firms handling insurance defense, commercial litigation and all areas of personal injury matters. He has also obtained the Florida Bar “AV” Peer Review rating.

He has litigation experience in the fields of premises liability, negligent security, sexual assault, products liability, wrongful death, chemical inhalation, catastrophic injury, municipal law, coverage analysis and disputes, construction and construction defect litigation, §558 Construction Claim Notices and responses. Eric has extensive trial experience in personal injury, construction defect and general insurance defense litigation. He has tried numerous matters to jury verdict in both State and Federal Courts. During his years of practice, Eric has defended claims on behalf of various insurance carriers and self-insured’s including Allstate, Auto-Owners, State Farm, Farm Bureau, QBE, Southern General Insurance, ACE, St. Johns, York, Madison, Liberty, Burlington, Lexington, Citizens, Tower Hill, Homeowners Choice, TypTap and Southern Fidelity, Praetorian and Redland Insurance. He has obtained significant experience in Appraisal matters and opposing fees related to appraisal matters.

He has argued before the Michigan, Florida and 6th Circuit Court of Appeals. In Horace Thomas v. Bob Beaman, (Unpublished #210414 Michigan Court of Appeals, 2000), he successfully obtained reversal of a Circuit Court Order that improperly remanded a matter to the District Court by misapplication of a procedural court rule and failing to follow the applicable Administrative Order regarding jurisdiction of the courts. In Patricia Chaparro v Big Fish (3rd DCA FL), he obtained affirmation by the 3rd DCA of a defense trial verdict. While at Groelle & Salmon, he has obtained a Per Curiam affirmance from the 3rd DCA of a Miami Dade order that GRANTED his motion to stay and compel appraisal. See National Water a/a/o Zena Williamson vs. Citizens and a 3rd DCA reversal of a Miami Dade Order where the Trial judge granted plaintiff a new trial after Eric obtained a defense verdict of No Cause of Action. See Zaldivar vs. CEC Entertainment. Eric is admitted to practice before all Michigan State Courts, the Florida State Courts, all U.S. District Courts for the Eastern and Western Districts in Michigan, the Southern and Middle Districts of Florida, the Eastern District of Wisconsin, and the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals.

AREAS OF PRACTICE: Bad Faith/Extra Contractual Litigation Civil Litigation Civil Trial Practice Commercial Vehicle Liability Construction Defect Construction and Construction Defect Litigation Coverage & Declaratory Judgment Actions First and Third Party Property and Casualty Claims General Civil Litigation General Insurance Defense Litigation Hurricane Claims Liability Defense Negligent Security Premises Liability Product Liability Wrongful Death

Associate

Carlos M. Marante

Mr. Marante joined Groelle & Salmon, P.A., as an associate in the firm’s Miami office in 2017. Prior to becoming an attorney, Mr. Marante obtained valuable experience in the areas of personal injury litigation and property and contract disputes. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Florida, and received his Juris Doctor from Barry University School of Law. Mr. Marante now practices in the area of first-party insurance defense, with a focus on residential property claims investigation and litigation. Mr. Marante is fluent in Spanish.

Bar Admissions:

Florida Bar
-Middle District of Florida

Education:

Barry university School of Law

University of Florida, B.A.

Partner

Robert D. Rightmyer

Robert D. Rightmyer (“Bob”) is an experienced litigator and insurance and business lawyer, having honed his skills and practice over the past eighteen-plus years. He is Peer Review Rated as AV–Preeminent® by Martindale- Hubbell’s peer review rating system. His practice and experience includes insurance related litigation, civil and complex commercial litigation, business dispute litigation, professional malpractice litigation (lawyers, accountants, real estate professionals), contractual dispute litigation, non-compete (and other restrictive covenant) litigation, business torts, and outside general counsel services for companies, among other areas. Bob litigates disputes in both state and federal courts, including the United States District Courts for the Middle District of Florida and the Southern District of Florida.
For nine years of Bob’s career he was associated with a prominent, large statewide insurance defense firm where he became Partner, representing insurance carriers and insureds in many and varied types of insurance claims. Thereafter, he joined another highly-respected international law firm as Senior Counsel. Following those rewarding and invaluable experiences, Bob opened his own law practice for close to four years, and joined a local, high-profile law firm.
Bob was born in Ohio, grew up in his early years in Louisiana, attended high school in Maryland, then went off to college in Illinois, and finally to law school in Miami, Florida, all before settling down in the Orlando, Florida area (where he lives with his wife and two daughters). With such a diverse set of exposures and experiences gained through his many and varied domiciles, Bob has the ability to understand many different types of people, customs and attitudes which allows him to more closely identify with, and understand, the equally varied types of clients and what is important to them. It is this unique background, combined with Bob’s legal experience that allows him to provide formidable counsel and representation to his clients. Having such experiences has also developed a greater sense of open-mindedness to new and changing needs of clients, issues they face, and the contexts in which such clients face those issues.
Bob earned his Juris Doctor degree, cum laude, from the University of Miami, School of Law in 1999. While in law school, he was a member of the University of Miami Business Law Review. He also holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Accountancy from the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, obtained in 1996, where he was also a member of the Phi Kappa Tau social fraternity.
Some past representative matters that Bob has handled include the following:

• Legal counsel to the federal court- appointed Special Master relating to the administration of a $1.075 billion Settlement Fund arising out of contentious class action litigation in the Southern District of Florida, involving a multitude of legal issues and concerns with respect to the Claims Administration process;
• Legal counsel to the federal court appointed Special Master and Monitor in another contentious federal lawsuit originating in the Southern District of Florida relative to legal concerns involving a Ponzi scheme located in the Dominican Republic;
• Resolved a multimillion dollar copyright infringement case related to house plan designs and blueprints, resulting in nominal payment by the insurance carrier and elimination of larger liability and personal exposure to the client;
• Arbitrated a potential $5 million-plus exemplary damages and attorneys’ fees claim in connection with the purchase and sale of a high -end residential property in Miami;  Obtained a dismissal with prejudice in an alleged $46 million malpractice claim against a forensic accountant;
• Advised a large international client in an FCPA investigation throughout four Caribbean islands regarding alleged improper payments to government officials for business advantages. The matter involved negotiating an agreement with the Department of Justice;
• Revised the significant forum selection and choice of law provisions for a large international resort client’s customer/guest contracts; and  Provision of ongoing outside general counsel services to large, multi-state private investigative service firm specializing in insurance-related matters and concerns.

Associate

Sydjia T. Robinson

Sydjia T. Robinson is an associate attorney at Groelle Salmon P.A. Her practice areas include property and casualty claims as well as general and commercial litigation. Sydjia also has experience in foreclosure defense, probate, and appellate practice.

Sydjia earned her law degree from the Barry University Dwayne O. Andreas School of Law in Orlando, Florida. During law school, Sydjia was a member of Trial Team and won an ABA-sponsored national trial competition. Sydjia also served as the treasurer for the Black Law Student Association and as a research assistant to Professor F.E. Guerra-Pujol.

Prior to attending law school, Sydjia earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Exercise and Sports Science/Sports Management from the University of Florida.
As an avid advocate for community service, Sydjia served as a volunteer at the Legal Aid Society for the Orange County Bar Association.

Outside the office, Sydjia enjoys traveling, cross-stitching, reading, and spending time with her family. Born in Jamaica and raised in Tarpon Springs, Sydjia is happy to consider Florida her home.

Partner

Jason J. Sexton

Jason Sexton is a partner in the firm’s Orlando office, with his practice focused primarily on first party property disputes and litigation. In addition to his extensive experience representing insurers in all types of property damage claims, including both pre-suit and in litigation, he has also defended a wide array of third-party premises liability and property damage claims against insureds, giving him significant experience and perspective in identifying and analyzing potential subrogation, and other exposure shifting, issues for his clients.
As a part of his practice, Mr. Sexton has handled both residential and commercial property damage claims, including those caused by hurricane and windstorm, lightning, hail, fire, water intrusion, plumbing/”slab” leaks, sinkhole, and vandalism/theft.

Prior to joining Groelle and Salmon, Mr. Sexton worked for many years in insurance defense, and prior to that developed significant trial and courtroom experience as an Assistant Public Defender. Mr. Sexton received his Bachelor’s degree from the University of Central Florida and his Juris Doctor from Vanderbilt University Law School. He is licensed to practice in all state courts of Florida, as well as the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, and maintains an inactive license in Tennessee.

Mr. Sexton is a native Floridian, and was born and raised in the suburbs of Orlando. Outside of the office, Mr. Sexton enjoys spending time with his family, visiting the theme parks, and is an avid fan of horror movies.

Associate

Diva N. Totten

Diva Totten is an associate attorney in our Maitland office practicing in the area of first-party insurance defense, with an emphasis on residential property claims, investigation, and litigation. Prior to joining Groelle & Salmon, Ms. Totten worked for an insurance defense firm also concentrating in the area of first-party insurance defense for residential property claims. Aside from Ms. Totten’s defense background, she also has ample experience practicing in the areas of law involving real estate, business litigation, creditor’s rights, landlord/tenant disputes, plaintiff’s foreclosure litigation, HOA/Condo litigation, title and lien clearing, and probate. Additionally, Ms. Totten gained invaluable experience clerking for the current Chief Judge of the Ninth Judicial Circuit, the Honorable Donald A. Myers, Jr.

Ms. Totten earned her law degree from Barry University School of Law, where she served as the Research & Technical Editor for the Barry Law Review, a Dean’s Writing Fellow, and a Legal Research & Writing Teaching Assistant.

Ms. Totten is a member of the Florida Bar, the Orange County Bar Association, and the Young Lawyers Section of the Orange County Bar Association. Ms. Totten is licensed to practice law in all Florida Courts and the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida.

Associate

Jennifer M. Manyen

Associate

Lauren P. Owens

Associate

Sergio Muniz