News Events

Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch for 2024
Congratulations to Partner, Brad Mitchell being voted one of the Best Lawyers: One to Watch for 2024!
https://www.bestlawyers.com/ones-to-watch


Partner Bobby Dehne will be attending the annual CLM Construction Conference in Austin, Texas, from September 27 through September 29, 2023. The Conference has been the largest gathering of insurance and litigation professionals serving the construction claims industry, and the firm looks forward to seeing old friends and meeting new friends at the Conference! Details for the conference can be found here: https://www.theclm.org/event/showeventdescription/21910


Yet another complete defense verdict in a property claim dispute litigation in Miami-Dade Circuit Court. Congratulations to trial attorneys Michael Hirschkowitz and Brad Mitchell!


Victory For Florida Farm Bureau

Congratulations to Partner Carlos Marante, ESQ!

33609 – Mitigation Information Technology v. Florida Farm Bureau

Successful MSJ – Appraisal award stands. Covered underlying claim. Consulting company claims to have assisted the mitigation company perform its services. Carrier requested appraisal. Umpire awarded $0.00. Plaintiff argues Umpire got into questions of fact, used deposition of the umpire to attempt to make his argument which is not permissible. Our positions that even if admissible, the Umpire could get into some analysis on coverage given the claim itself was not wholly denied and that regardless, his award, although touching on analysis of coverage did not itself award there was, or was not, coverage but rather awarded $0.00.

Ruling as follows – chose not to sign a detailed order as OC objected as duplicative.

The parties complied with the appraisal process, understood the appraisal process, and chose an Umpire who provided an award of $0.00 that was signed by two of the three parties making the appraisal award binding. Although the award itself discussed coverage it did not itself provide a determination of coverage, as such the Umpire did not exceed his authority and there is no genuine issue of material fact regarding same. Further, although, the deposition transcript of the Umpire, used as an exhibit in Plaintiff’s Response to Defendant’s Motion for Summary Judgment, suggests issues regarding the mitigation company’s reliance of Plaintiff’s services, it did not reach to the level of confirming same; and either way, the Court finds that such testimony cannot and shall not be considered in determining the validity of the award itself. Defendant’s Motion for Summary Judgement is hereby GRANTED.


FIFEC Updates

We are excited to have Partners Robert Dehne, Esq. and Nestor Marante, Esq., present with Tower Hill SIU Supervisor Gregory Gilkey CFEI, FCLS at this year’s annual FIFEC conference on Wednesday July 12th, at 1:20 p.m., on our course titled: “Florida Law and Effective Examinations Under Oath: A Practical Approach to Eliciting Relevant Claim Information”.

We look forward to catching up with old friends and meeting some new folks! Details on the event information and registration can be found as follows, and we hope you can make it: https://www.fifec.org/


Please join the Groelle & Salmon team in extending congratulations to Andrew Labbe on his Florida Bar Board Certification in Appellate Practice! The purpose of Board Certification is to identify those lawyers who engage in appellate practice and have the special knowledge, skills, and proficiency, as well as the character, ethics, and reputation for professionalism, to be properly identified to the public as board certified in appellate practice. Board certification in appellate practice requires these minimum standards:

  • Practice of law for at least five years;
  • Substantial involvement in the specialty of appellate practice — 30 percent or more during the three years immediately preceding application;
  • Handling of at least 25 appellate actions and five appellate oral arguments during the five years immediately preceding application;
  • 45 hours of approved appellate practice certification continuing legal education in the three years immediately preceding application;
  • Peer review; and,
  • A written examination.

Andrew can be reached directly at alabbe@gspalaw.com.


Happy Earth Day 2022!

April 22, 2022, is Earth Day, a time set aside to celebrate the Earth, learn about the environment, read more

 

Groelle & Salmon Presenting at 2022 FACAP Seminar

Partners Bobby Dehne and Nestor Marante will be presenting at the Annual FACAP seminar on their course titled: “Florida Law and Effective Examinations Under Oath: A Practical Approach to Eliciting Relevant Claim Information”.  The seminar takes place on Wednesday, March 2, 2022 through Friday, March 5, 2022, and the event information and registration can be found here: https://www.facap.org/copy-of-home-1

Groelle & Salmon will be sponsoring the 10th Annual Orlando Claims Association CEU Seminar and Cook-Off which takes place on Thursday, March 31, 2022, at the Sheraton Orlando North Hotel located at 600 N Lake Destiny Rd, Maitland, FL 32751. The event information and registration can be found here: http://orlandoclaimsassoc.com/cookoff_info.html