MEMBERS OF FIRM
Steven R. Browning (Member) born Starkville, Mississippi, December 16, 1959; admitted to bar, 1986, Florida; 1987, U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida; 1994, U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit; 2002, U.S. District Court, Southern and Northern Districts of Florida. Education: University of Florida (B.S.B.A., with honors, 1982; M.B.A., 1986; J.D., 1986). Member: Jacksonville and American Bar Associations; The Florida Bar; The Association of Trial Lawyers of America; Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers. Practice Areas: Personal Injury; Wrongful Death; Products Liability; Nursing Home Litigation; Civil Litigation.Email: Steven R. Browning
Roger J. Dodd (Member) born Sewickley, Pennsylvania, September 15, 1951; admitted to bar, 1976, Georgia; 1977, Florida. Education: Bucknell University (B.A., 1973); University of Pittsburgh (J.D., 1976). Author: "Cross Examination: Science and Techniques," 2003 Cumulative Supplement; "Trial: From Theory to Verdict," Book Published by Lexus Law Publishing; "Parlor Tricks for the Court Room," "Demonstrative and Real Evidence," and "Cross Examination: Controlling the Runaway Witness;" "Bait," Trial Magazine, The Association of Trial Lawyers of America, April 1990. Videos: "The Art and Science of Cross Examination," 2 parts, Sept. 1990; "How to Dominate a Courtroom on Cross Examination," 4 parts, Sept. 1994. Special Assistant Attorney General, State of Georgia. Member of Faculty: Georgia Institute of Trial Advocacy; National Criminal Defense College, 1986. Member, State Disciplinary Board Investigative Panel, 1991, 1992, 1993. Member, Board of Directors and Chairman, Board of Directors, Georgia Institute of Trial Advocacy, 1988-1990. Listed in "The Best Lawyers of America," Georgia Super Lawyers, 2004, "Who's Who in America," "Who's Who in the World," "Who's Who in American Law" and "Leading Lawyers of America," Markam's "Negligence Lawyers." Expert Witness; Consultant. Lectured in over 50 states and foreign countries. Member: Valdosta (Secretary, 1977) and American (Executive Member, Trial Techniques Committee, Family Law Section, 1992; Criminal Law Section) Bar Associations; State Bar of Georgia (Member: Family Law Section; Executive Committee, 1985-1988; Criminal Law Section; Chairman, 1990); The Florida Bar; Valdosta Lawyers Club; Georgia Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (Member, Board of Directors, 1982; Vice-President, 1982-1984; Executive Vice President, 1984; President Elect, 1985; President, 1986); Georgia Trial Lawyers Association; National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (Member, Board of Directors, 1990-1992); International Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. Fellow: The Georgia Bar Foundation; American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. (Also Partner, Roger J. Dodd, Lawyers, P.C., Valdosta, Georgia). Practice Areas: Wrongful Death Law; Personal Injury Law; Criminal Defense Law; Domestic Relations Law; Medical Malpractice; Product Liability.Email: Roger J. Dodd
Barry E. Newman (Member) born Jacksonville, Florida, September 29, 1961; admitted to bar, 2000, Florida and U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida. Education: University of South Carolina (B.A., Journalism, 1984); Florida Coastal School of Law (J.D., with honors, 1999). Associate, Chester Bedell Chapter, Inns of Court. Editor, Florida Coastal Law Review. F.A.A. Certified Pilot, Commercial, Single-Engine, Multi-Engine, Instrument, Helicopter. Member: Jacksonville Bar Association; The Florida Bar; The Association of Trial Lawyers of America; Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers; Lawyer-Pilots Bar Association; Florida Trial Bar (Member, Young Lawyers Section). Practice Areas: Aviation; Products Liability; Premises Liability; Medical Negligence.Email: Barry E. Newman
Chad S. Roberts (Member) born Miami, Florida, March 16, 1958; admitted to bar, 1991, Florida; 1992, Georgia; U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit; U.S. District Court, Southern, Middle and Northern Districts of Florida. Education: Georgia Institute of Technology (B.S.M.E., 1981); Florida State University (J.D., magna cum laude, 1991). Associate Editor, Florida State University Law Review. FAA Instrument Airplane. Member: American Trial Lawyers Association; Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers; Chester Bedell Chapter, American Inns of Court (Barrister, 1989-2002). Practice Areas: Medical Malpractice; Mass Torts; Aviation Law; Products Liability; Admiralty and Maritime Law.Email: Chad S. Roberts
Helen W. Spohrer (Member) born New Orleans, Louisiana, November 19, 1956; admitted to bar, 2001, Florida. Education: University of North Florida (B.A., 1978); Florida Coastal School of Law (J.D., 2000).Email: Helen W. Spohrer
Robert F. Spohrer (Member) born New York, N.Y., February 21, 1949; admitted to bar, 1974, Florida, U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida and U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit; 1979, U.S. Supreme Court; 1981, U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit; 1992, District of Columbia. Education: St. Louis University (B.A., 1971; J.D., 1974). Barrister, Chester-Bedell Inns of Court. Diplomate, Civil Trial Advocacy. Author: "The Government Contractor Defense in Military Accidents," NTSB Bar Association, Nov. 1993; "From Boyle to Immunity-Pushing the Envelope of the Government Contractor Defense," 14th Annual Aviation Law/Insurance Symposium, Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, January 2001; "Anatomy of a Military/Civilian Mid-Air Collision," Blue Angels Seminar, Pensacola, Florida, November 2001; "Aviation Accident Litigation- A Primer," AFTL Winter CLE Ski Seminar, Snowmass Village, Colorado, December 2001; "Liability of the Aviation Overhaul Facility," Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, Jan. 1994; "Winning Mediation Strategies," The Florida Bar, 1993; "Preparation for the Examination and Civil Trial Certification," AFTL, 1989. Speaker: Florida Bar Advanced Trial Advocacy Annual Course; A1 J. Cone Advanced Trial Advocacy Course; Embry Riddle Aviation Law Symposium. Adjunct Professor, Florida Coastal School of Law. General Counsel, Boy Scouts of Northern Florida. Board of Directors, Jacksonville Legal Aid. Member: The Florida Bar (Chairman, Grievance Committee, Fourth District, 1983; Chairman, U.S.D.C. Middle District Grievance Committee; Chair, Executive Committee of Trial Section, 1999-2000); Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers; The Association of Trial Lawyers of America (Eagle Member); The National Board of Trial Advocacy; American Board of Trial Advocates; Jacksonville Bar Professionalism Committee. Practice Areas: Complex Litigation; Civil Litigation; Aviation; Product Liability; Medical Negligence; Helicopter Crash Litigation.Email: Robert F. Spohrer
Gretchen Van Liere (Member) born New London, Connecticut, August 27, 1959; admitted to bar, 2000, Florida. Education: University of Florida (B.A., 1980; J.D., 2000). Order of the Coif. Member: Jacksonville and American Bar Associations; The Florida Bar; Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers. Practice Areas: Medical Malpractice; Personal Injury; Products Liability.Email: Gretchen Van Liere
ASSOCIATES
Galen Bauer (Associate) admitted to bar, 2005, Florida and U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida. Education: Indiana University (B.S., 2000); Florida Coastal School of Law (J.D., with honors, 2005). Member: The Florida Bar; Jacksonville Bar Association; The Association of Trial Lawyers of America; Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers. Practice Areas: Personal Injury; Aviation Accidents; Class Actions; Negligence.Email: Galen Bauer
Jay Howanitz (Associate) born Montrose, Pennsylvania; admitted to bar, 2006, Florida and U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida. Education: Dickinson College (B.A., 2001); McDaniel College (M.A., 2003); Florida Coastal School of Law (J.D.). Practice Areas: Aviation Law; Wrongful Death.Email: Jay Howanitz