Defense Digest 12/08: On The Pulse...Profile Of Our Tampa, Florida, Office

By Edward F. Gagain, III, Esq.*

Hard-working, dedicated, and experienced. These are a few of the words that describe the attorneys working in Marshall, Dennehey, Warner, Coleman & Goggin's Tampa, Florida, office.

Marshall, Dennehey decided to expand its practice to the Sunshine State in 2000 and opened the Tampa office in April of that year. Since that time, the attorneys located in Tampa have been providing legal representation to our casualty and professional liability clients. We routinely defend cases up and down the west coast of Florida, in both state and federal courts. The office is divided into two practice groups: the Casualty Practice Group and the Professional Liability Practice Group.

Our Casualty Practice Group is led by Ed Gagain and includes Michael Archibald, Pablo Morla, and Tara Zimmerman. Ed and Michael have both successfully defended numerous cases through trial and offer our clients expertise in the defense of premises liability, retail liability, product liability, and automobile/trucking negligence cases.

Ed has also given presentations to claims professionals and risk managers throughout the country regarding the defense of retail liability claims and heads the Tampa office's fastest growing sub-practice group, which focuses on the defense of retail liability claims.

Michael is a Gulf War veteran. He provides the office exceptional leadership and ensures that the Tampa attorneys and support staff function as an organized group.

Pablo and Tara both have experience defending cases through trial. Pablo, who is fluent in Spanish and proficient in French, focuses his practice on the defense of premises liability, automobile/trucking negligence, product liability, and SIU/fraud cases. Tara, who previously served as a law clerk for the Honorable F. P. Kimberly McFadden in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, focuses her practice on the defense of premises liability, product liability, and construction defect cases.

The Casualty Practice Group is dedicated to quickly providing its clients with accurate evaluations of their cases so that an early decision regarding litigation can be made; but in those cases were an early resolution is not possible, our clients can rest assured that the attorneys practicing in the Casualty Group are ready and willing to move toward an effective defense of their cases at trial.

The Professional Liability Practice Group is led by Marjorie Hensel and includes Sangeeta Spengler and Mark Tauzier. Margie is an experienced trial lawyer and has practiced in both Florida and Michigan. She focuses her practice on the defense of professionals and has represented attorneys, accountants, insurance agents, surveyors, architects, and engineers, among others. She has also defended broker/dealers in NASD litigation at the state and federal levels.

Sangeeta has conducted numerous bench and jury trials and focuses her practice on the defense of attorneys, engineers, and surveyors. She has also defended employment discrimination lawsuits. Mark's practice focuses on the defense of professionals, including attorneys, accountants, directors/officers, insurance agents, and construction professionals. He is also a member of the firm's Insurance Coverage Litigation Practice Group and is involved in the analysis of insurance coverage disputes.

The Professional Liability Practice Group is dedicated to providing its clients with effective representation. A considerable number of these significant exposure cases are disposed of through the filing of successful motions. In those instances where summary judgment or other methods of early resolution are not warranted, these professional liability attorneys stand ready to move their cases to trial.

As an office, Tampa's diverse and qualified attorneys try, mediate, and resolve cases through motion practice. We ensure that our clients are provided timely evaluations of their cases so that an educated decision regarding continued litigation can be made, and we pride ourselves on providing professional and dedicated representation in those instances when an early resolution is not possible.

Please visit our website to obtain more detailed information about the Tampa office and each of its attorneys: www.marshalldennehey.com.

*Ed is a shareholder and is the managing attorney of the Tampa, Florida, office. He can be reached at (813) 472-7804 or efgagain@mdwcg.com.