
Jacob Linhart is a partner in the firm’s West Palm Beach office. He brings to our firm over three decades of experience as a litigator. He has spent the great majority of his career representing insurance carriers and insureds in first and third-party claims and subrogation claims in the areas of homeowners’ insurance, property damage, auto negligence, premises liability and rental car law. For twelve years, he was the managing partner of a prominent multistate insurance subrogation litigation firm.
Jacob grew up in Brooklyn, New York and entered the University of Miami at age 15, obtaining his Bachelor’s degree, cum laude, at age 19 and his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Miami School of Law at age 22. He is licensed to practice in all the State Courts of Florida, New York, Texas and the District of Columbia and has lectured extensively nationwide to insurance adjusters and other insurance professionals on the subjects of automobile and property loss. He is certified by the Florida Department of Insurance as an Instructor for continuing education courses, qualified by the Florida Supreme Court as an Arbitrator, certified by the Better Business Bureau as an Auto Line Arbitrator and is a former Florida Circuit and County Court Mediator. He has served as both a Collections Court General Master and a Traffic Court Magistrate with the Palm Beach County Court and has been a member of the Florida Bar Civil Procedure Rules Committee, Traffic Court Rules Committee, Small Claims Rules Committee and Consumer Protection Law Committee.
Office Location::West Palm Beach, FL
Matthew Kerry is a partner attorney practicing from our West Palm Beach office focusing on first party insurance coverage and property claims investigation and litigation. He studied fundamental investigation procedures and techniques as part of his undergraduate education in Criminal Justice at the University of Central Florida and as an intern with law enforcement in the Orlando area. He obtained his Juris Doctorate from Stetson University College of Law and then gained courtroom and trial experience as an intern with the Office of the State Attorney in West Palm Beach, Florida and as a Certified Legal Intern with the Office of the State Attorney in Tampa, Florida. He received the William F. Blews Pro Bono Service Award on graduation from law school for his dedication to public service.
Mr. Kerry gained his insurance litigation experience with Groelle & Salmon P.A. and is licensed to practice law in all state courts of Florida. He has represented numerous insurers in coverage investigations and in property claim and bad faith litigation, defending insurers in hundreds of insurance claims. His experience with property insurance claims, damage and disputes includes representation of insurers in homeowners and other personal lines, automobile claims, and liability claims, and even under equine insurance policies. He has assisted insurers in the investigation of property damage claims arising from fire, water, mold, theft, vandalism, and fraud. Mr. Kerry has defended insurance companies against allegations of bad faith or tortious conduct in first party claims and has developed strategic defense plans and crafted responses designed to eliminate or mitigate insurers’ liability and financial exposure against such assertions. As a Florida native, Mr. Kerry worked in and assisted his family’s mechanical contracting business, getting exposure to practices and customs of contractors and tradesmen, and becoming familiar with construction or repair methods that he sees daily in his practice related to claims for property damage.
Groelle and Salmon, P.A.
-Wellington, Florida
Office of the State Attorney-Certified Legal Intern
-13th Judicial Circuit, Tampa, Florida
Office of the State Attorney-Legal Intern
-15th Judicial Circuit, West Palm Beach, Florida
Stetson University College of Law, J.D.
University of Central Florida, B.S.
Florida Bar
Office Location::West Palm Beach, FL
Ms. Russell is a Partner in the West Palm Beach office of Groelle & Salmon, P.A. She practices primarily first party insurance defense litigation, handling first party property loss claims and coverage matters, as well as third party liability defense. Prior to joining Groelle & Salmon, P.A., Ms. Russell’s areas of practice included litigation in civil rights litigation, employment discrimination/Title VII, housing/landlord tenant, and most recently, medical malpractice defense.
Ms. Russell received her J.D. from Hofstra University School of Law, and her B.S. from St. John’s University. She is licensed to practice law in the states of Florida and New York.
Groelle & Salmon, P.A.
-West Palm Beach, Florida
Sonneborn Rutter Cooney & Klingensmith
-West Palm Beach, Florida
Allison M. Heilbraun, P.C.
-Westchester, New York
Hofstra University School of Law, J.D.
St. John’s University, B.S.
Florida Bar
New York Bar
-Southern District of Florida
-Southern District of New York
Office Location::West Palm Beach, FL
Patricia Sierra concentrates her practice at Groelle & Salmon in the defense of first party insurance litigation. Ms. Sierra began her career as a trial court staff attorney for the Fifth Judicial Circuit in and for Marion County, Florida, wherein she assisted the Honorable Judge Francis King and the Honorable Judge Steven G. Rogers on their circuit civil dockets. Following that practice experience, Ms. Sierra entered the private sector as a defense litigator with a large state-wide insurance
Ms. Sierra has a depth of experience in property damage claims and litigation ranging from catastrophe losses to routine property damage claims dealt with on a daily basis. She is a member in good standing of the Florida Bar and is licensed to practice in all state courts of Florida.
Education:
Robert Groelle has been actively practicing in the area of insurance defense and insurance coverage law since law school. Mr. Groelle left a prominent insurance defense firm after twelve years with that firm, as an associate and then partner, to form Groelle and Salmon P.A. with another experienced litigator, David Salmon. Mr. Groelle’s active areas of practice and experience encompass both first and third party litigation, including bad faith and evaluation of insurance coverage issues. Mr. Groelle has well over twenty years of trial experience from the defense perspective, and has previously been retained as an expert witness on insurance coverage. Mr. Groelle 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.
Mr. Groelle is also a Florida Supreme Court certified Circuit Court Mediator, has extensively served as a property claims appraiser for several insurers in disputed property loss claims.
Mr. Groelle is certified by the Department of Insurance as an instructor for continuing education courses. Mr. Groelle has authored and presented at numerous insurance claims industry conferences and forums, and independent professional educational presentations for the legal profession, presenting on insurance coverage issues, claims investigation, ethics, trial preparation and presentation, fraud investigation, and case law analysis – both oral and published, to forums within the insurance industry and other public arenas. He has presented continuing education courses and instructional workshops for the Florida Insurance Fraud Education Committee, National Society of Professional Insurance Investigators, Florida Advisory Committee on Arson Prevention, Windstorm Insurance Network, Groelle and Salmon, P.A. Annual Property Claims Seminar, Broward Chapter of the CPA Law Forum, Fort Lauderdale Claims Association, South Florida Claims Association, Association of Fire Marshals of Palm Beach County, Property and Casualty Claims Professionals and Palm Beach Mariner’s Club. He has also presented numerous educational and training sessions for insurance claims groups in numerous insurance companies, including Allstate Insurance, Prudential Property and Casualty, American Bankers Insurance, Florida Select Insurance Company, Companion Property and Casualty, United Property and Casualty, Homeowners Choice, Insurance Network Services, Tower Hill Insurance Group and for numerous independent adjusting service companies.
Mr. Groelle has authored numerous articles on insurance coverage issues that have been published in the Florida Defense Lawyer Association’s periodical Trial Advocate Quarterly and in the Defense Research Institute’s periodical For the Defense, as well as serving as a contributing author for several legal compendiums on controversial topics and issues relating to insurance coverage and indemnity obligations.
Mr. Groelle regularly volunteers his time and resources to local youth recreational and charitable programs. He was a Junior Achievement business consultant for many years, teaching weekly classes in the eighth grade and senior high school levels of the Palm Beach School District.
Nova Southeastern University, JD
-Florida Atlantic University, B.B.A.
Florida Bar
-Middle District of Florida
-Southern District of Florida
-Eleventh District Court of Appeals
Texas Bar
Office Location::West Palm Beach, FL
Ms. Feibusch is a partner focusing her practice primarily on first party property and insurance coverage matters. Prior to joining Groelle & Salmon, Ms. Feibusch gained considerable experience investigating claims arising from windstorm, fire, sinkhole, theft and water losses, and defending personal lines and commercial insurers in state and federal court actions.
Ms. Feibusch began her legal career as an Assistant State Attorney in Palm Beach County, and litigated all types of criminal cases to verdict before being assigned to the Economic Crime Division, where she specialized in complex financial and fraud crimes. Through a grant from the Florida Division of Insurance, Ms. Feibusch was designated as Palm Beach County’s first Insurance Fraud Prosecutor where she worked closely with the Division of Insurance Fraud, and handled all insurance fraud cases from investigation and filing of criminal charges through successful prosecution.
Ms. Feibusch is licensed to practice in all state courts in Florida. She is also admitted to practice in the Supreme Court of the United States, and the U.S. District Courts in the Southern and Middle Districts of Florida.
Nova University Shepard Broad Law Center, J.D.
Barry University, M.S.W.
Florida State University, B.S.W.
Florida Bar
Florida Property and Casualty Insurance Fraud Task Force
Palm Beach County Bar Association
Florida Advisory Committee on Arson Prevention
Office Location::West Palm Beach, FL
Ms. Wurster is an associate attorney primarily focusing in the areas of first party property and insurance coverage matters. She graduated cum laude from Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad College of Law where she was the recipient of the Book Award in Securities Regulations. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of Florida. Prior to joining Groelle and Salmon, she worked as an attorney for a healthcare company and gained experience in insurance contracts and disputes. Ms. Wurster also has extensive experience negotiating contracts for pharmaceuticals, consulting and technology solutions with hospitals and health systems. She is a member in good standing of the Florida Bar and is licensed to practice in all state courts in Florida.
Tyler R. Groelle joined Groelle & Salmon, P.A., as an associate in the firm’s West Palm Beach office in 2018. Prior to becoming an attorney, Mr. Groelle obtained valuable experience in the areas of property litigation and contract disputes. He graduated summa cum laude from the University of Central Florida, and received his Juris Doctor from LSU Paul M. Herbert School of Law. Mr. Groelle now practices in the area of first-party insurance defense, with a focus on residential property claims investigation and litigation.
Wayne Pratt joined the firm as an associate in the firm’s West Palm Beach office after a successful career as a building contractor. His practices focuses on first party property and insurance coverage and building damage disputes.
Prior to joining Groelle and Salmon, Mr. Pratt operated a residential building contracting firm, and for several years served as a commercial property manager. His broad business experience includes ownership and management of a construction contracting company that focused on renovations in both residential and commercial properties, contract negotiation on projects in terms and scope for projects to $750,000.00; leadership of employees on-site; asset management; purchases and inventory control; permit procurement, inspection oversight; and establishing the procedures and process controls to ensure consistent performance to high standards. His experience includes hiring, developing, and training key employees in construction project management and property management.
IN addition to practicing law, he is a Florida State Certified Building Contractor and has gained extensive experience in arbitration presentation on building damage disputes as well as advocating coverage defenses in arbitration proceedings and dispute litigation. He gained initial court room experience as an extern with the State Attorney for the 15th Judicial District, West Palm Beach, Florida.
Wayne has participated in basketball coaching in the Upward, Boca Hoops program, and as a baseball pitching and hitting instructor for many years. He has also volunteered for the Foundation for Self Help in the past; as well as performed volunteer work in building schools, churches and homes in economically oppressed communities in Haiti, Dominican Republic, Africa, Western Europe, and the Navajo Nation in Arizona and New Mexico.
Mr. Pratt is licensed to practice in all state courts of Florida.
Mr. Pratt attended Lynn University where he followed a Criminal Justice major; and then attended Regent University School of Law in Virginia Beach, Virginia, where he received his Jurios Doctorate in December 2017.
Groelle and Salmon, P.A. – West Palm Beach, Florida
Regent University School of Law, J.D.
Lynn University, Boca Raton, Florida, B.A., Criminal Justice
Bar Admissions: Florida Bar
Office Location::West Palm Beach, FL