(Main Office)

Houck Anderson provides experienced legal representation in all types of admiralty and maritime, aviation, construction, property and casualty, appellate, and commercial litigation matters. With emphasis on litigation, insurance and transactional practice, the Miami-based law firm represents individual and institutional clients throughout Florida, the Caribbean and Central and South America, acting on instruction from underwriters, protection and indemnity associations, product manufacturers and suppliers, corporate counsel and executives, business owners, in-house attorneys, insurance claims executives, criminal defense attorneys, banks, and commercial lending institutions.

Statement of Practice

Admiralty/Maritime Law, Appellate Practice, Arbitration and ADR, Aviation Law, Business Law, Business Tort, Civil Trial Practice, Commercial Litigation, Construction Law, Creditors Rights, Franchise Law, Hospitality and Inkeeper, Insurance Defense, Insurance Law, Personal Injury, Premises Liability, Product Liability, Toxic Torts, Workers Compensation, Wrongful Death, Insurance Bad Faith.

Representative Clients:

American International Group, Inc.
Carlson Companies
Caterpillar Financial Services Corporation
Charles Taylor Consulting Plc
Charter One Bank
Chubb Corporation
CNA
Disney Cruise Lines
El Paso Corporation
Electrolux Exxon Mobil Oil Corporation
JM Family Enterprises
Maersk Line, Limited
Markel Insurance Company, Inc.
Mediterranean Shipping Company
Marriott Midlands Claims Administrators, Inc.
Navigators, Inc.
North of England P&I Club
Norwegian Cruise Lines
Progressive Casualty Insurance Company
Provident Bank
RCI Ltd.
Royal Rent-a-Car
Seabulk International, Inc.
SLM Corporation
Smith Maritime
South Florida Water Management District
State of Florida
St. Paul Travelers Companies, Inc.
Stiles Corporation
Thomas R. Miller
Tokio Marine & Fire Insurance Company, Limited
United States of America
Underwriters at Lloyds
West of England P&I Club.

Address

200 South Biscayne Boulevard, Suite 300
Miami, FL 33131, (Miami-Dade Co.)

Phone

Phone: 305-372-9044
Facsimile: 305-372-5044

Website

http://www.houckanderson.com

Firm/Affiliate Offices

Fort Lauderdale, Florida Office: 101 North East Third Avenue, Suite 1500, 33301. Telephone: 954-332-3508. Fax: 954-332-3509.

SHAREHOLDERS

Mark R. Houck (President and Senior Shareholder) born Columbus, Ohio, October 23, 1954; admitted to bar, 1979, Florida, U.S. District Court, Southern and Middle Districts of Florida and U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit; U.S. Supreme Court. Education: Vanderbilt University (B.A., cum laude, 1976); University of Miami (J.D., 1979). International Lecturer and Author: Insurance, Product Liability and Business Litigation. Professor, Marine Insurance, University of Miami School of Law, 1999-2006. Listed: The Best Lawyers in America; Florida's Top Lawyers; South Florida Legal Guide Top Attorneys. Member: Dade County and American Bar Associations; The Florida Bar; The Maritime Law Association of the United States; Southeastern Admiralty Law Institute (Port Director); Defense Research Institute; American Institute of Marine Underwriters; Marine Industries Association; Fort Lauderdale Mariners Club. Practice Areas: Admiralty and Maritime Law; Commercial Litigation; Products Liability; Aviation; Construction; Property and Casualty Litigation; Wrongful Death; Marine Casualty Litigation; Litigation; Insurance Coverage.Email: Mark R. Houck

Andrew W. Anderson (Shareholder) born Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, July 9, 1947; admitted to bar, 1976, Florida 1981, U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida; 1989, U.S. District Court, Middle and Northern Districts of Florida and U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit and U.S. Court of Military Appeals. Education: U.S. Coast Guard Academy (B.S., 1969); University of Miami (J.D., magna cum laude, 1976; LL.M., 1987). International Lecturer and Author, Maritime Law, 1998. Professor, Admiralty Law, University of Miami School of Law, 1992-2006. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney, Southern District of Florida, 1982-1985. Special Assistant Attorney General, State of Florida, 1989-1995. President, Fort Lauderdale Mariners Club, 2002. Member: The Florida Bar (Admiralty Law Committee, Chair, 1995-1997; Chair, Admiralty and Maritime Law Certification Committee, 1998-1999); Maritime Law Association of the United States (Member: Coast Guard and Navigation Committee; Recreational Boating Committee); Southeastern Admiralty Law Institute; Fort Lauderdale Mariners Club Seminar Committee (Chair, 2000). [Commander, U.S. Coast Guard, Retired, 1965-1989]. (Board Certified Admiralty and Maritime Lawyer, Florida Bar Board of Legal Specialization and Education). Practice Areas: Admiralty and Maritime Law; Marine Law; Litigation; Products Liability; Personal Injury; Wrongful Death.Email: Andrew W. Anderson

Valerie A. Dondero (Shareholder) born Pennsylvania, July 5, 1961; admitted to bar, 1990, Florida; 2000, U.S District Court, Southern District of Florida. Education: Immaculata College (B.A., History and Political Science, 1983); St. Thomas University (J.D., 1988). Listed: Who's Who in American Universities & Colleges, St. Thomas University School of Law, 1988. Member: Dade County Bar Association; The Florida Bar; American Trial Lawyers Association (Associate Member); Florida Association for Women Lawyers. Practice Areas: Insurance Coverage; Hospitality Law; Innkeeper Law; Insurance Defense; Personal Injury Defense; Insurance Bad Faith; Commercial Litigation.Email: Valerie A. Dondero

Raúl J. Chacón, Jr. (Shareholder) born Atlanta, Georgia, November 21, 1967; admitted to bar, 1994, Florida; U.S. District Court, Southern and Middle Districts of Florida; U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit. Education: University of Miami (B.S.E.E., 1990; J.D., 1993). Member: Dade County (Member, Judicial Campaign Practices Commission, 2006—) and Cuban American (Director, 2005—; Member, Mentor Program Events, 2005—) Bar Associations; League of Prosecutors (Vice President, 2005—). Practice Areas: Admiralty and Maritime Law; Commercial Litigation; Insurance Defense; Products Liability.Email: Raúl J. Chacón, Jr.

MEMBERS

Richard McCormack (Member) born 1952; admitted to bar, 1973, Florida, U.S. District Court, Southern and Middle Districts of Florida, U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth, Ninth and Eleventh Circuits and U.S. Supreme Court. Education: Rutgers University (B.S., 1970); University of Miami (J.D., 1973); St. Thomas University (M.A., Pastoral Ministries, 2003). Member: Certified Circuit Court Mediator, Southeastern Admiralty Law Institute; Dade County Bar Association.

Michelle Otero Valdes (Member) born Rockledge, Florida, February 11, 1967; admitted to bar, 1994, Florida; U.S. District Court, Southern and Middle Districts of Florida; U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit. Education: Florida International University (B.B.A., 1989); St. Thomas University (J.D., 1994). Account Executive, Thomas Miller (Miami) Inc. Manager: United Kingdom Mutual Steam Ship Assurance Association (Bermuda) Ltd.; United Kingdom Freight Demurrage and Defense Association Limited, 1997-2005. Member: The Florida Bar (Member, Admiralty Law Committee); Maritime Law Association of the United States (Proctor; Member, Recreational Boating Committee, Marine Insurance and General Average Committee); Southeastern Admiralty Law Institute; Women's International Shipping and Trading Association. (Board Certified Admiralty and Maritime Law Lawyer, Florida Bar Board of Legal Specialization and Education). Languages: Spanish. Practice Areas: Admiralty and Maritime Law.Email: Michelle Otero Valdes

Ralph W. Beha (Marketing Partner) born Racine, Wisconsin, October 10, 1950; admitted to bar, 1975, Virginia; 1991, Minnesota; 2009, Florida. Education: Princeton University (A.B., magna cum laude, 1972); Georgetown University (J.D., 1975; LL.M., 1977). Fellow: International Law Institute, 1975-1977. Associate, Alexander & Green, New York, N.Y., 1977-1982. Member: Minnesota State and American Bar Associations. Languages: German and Chinese. Practice Areas: Corporate Law; Resorts and Leisure; Contracts; Admiralty and Maritime Law.Email: Ralph W. Beha

ASSOCIATES

Andrew D. Craven (Senior Associate) born Heidelberg, Germany; admitted to bar, 1999, Florida; U.S. District Court, Northern, Southern and Middle Districts of Florida; U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit. Education: Florida State University (B.A., 1996); Stetson University College of Law (J.D., 1999). Member: Dade County and American Bar Associations; The Florida Bar. Practice Areas: Admiralty Law; Premises Liability; Insurance Defense.Email: Andrew D. Craven

Charles S. Davant (Senior Associate) admitted to bar, 2005, Florida; 2006, U.S. District Court, Southern and Middle Districts of Florida; 2008, U.S. Court of Appeals Eleventh Circuit. Education: University of Florida (B.S., 2002); Nova Southeastern University (J.D., 2005). Member: Broward County Bar Association. Practice Areas: Admiralty and Maritime Law(100%).Email: Charles S. Davant

Ambar Diaz (Associate) born Havana, Cuba, October 11, 1970; admitted to bar, 2003, Florida. Education: University of Havana; University of Miami School of Law (J.D., 2003). Languages: Spanish. Practice Areas: Admiralty Law; US - Cuba Trade Regulations; Commercial Litigation.Email: Ambar Diaz

Krista A. Fowler (Senior Associate) born Indianapolis, Indiana, September 14, 1977; admitted to bar, 2003, Florida. Education: Indiana University (B.A., 1999); University of Miami (J.D., 2003). Phi Alpha Delta. Practice Areas: Civil Litigation; Insurance Defense.

Maria Garcia (Attorney) born Miami, Florida, 1982; (Admission pending). Education: Florida International University (B.A., Political Science, magna cum laude, 2005; J.D., 2008). President, Florida International University, College of Law Moot Court, 2007-2008. Member, Women's International Shipping and Trading Association. Member: Cuban American Bar Association.

Marlin K. Green (Senior Associate) born Inverness, Florida, September 7, 1973; admitted to bar, 2000, Florida. Education: Florida State University (B.A., B.S., 1996; J.D., 2000). Member: Broward County Bar Association. Practice Areas: Commercial Litigation; Employment Law; Employment Litigation; Labor Law Litigation; Admiralty and Maritime Law.

Lawrence Jacobson (Associate) born Brooklyn, New York, May 17, 1953; admitted to bar, 1979, New York; 2004, Florida. Education: State University of New York at Oswego (B.A., 1974); University of San Diego (J.D., 1977). Member: Maritime Lawyers Association (1980). Practice Areas: Admiralty and Maritime Law; Contracts; Arbitration; Mediation.Email: Lawrence Jacobson

Jocelyn Kern (Associate) born 1977; admitted to bar, 2008, Florida. Education: Colorado State University (B.S., Business Administration, 1999); University of Miami (J.D., cum laude, 2007). Fellow, Florida Bar Foundation. Practice Areas: Admiralty and Maritime Law; Marine Insurance Defense; Insurance Defense; Maritime Products Liability.

Alena A. Kleshik (Associate) born Baku, Russia, May 31, 1976; admitted to bar, 2004, Florida; U.S. District Court, Southern and Middle Districts of Florida. Education: University of Michigan (B.B.A., 2001); University of Florida, Levin College of Law (J.D., cum laude, 2004). Beta Gamma Sigma. Member, The Honor Business Society. Recipient, Book Award for Outstanding Achievement in International Intellectual Property, University of Florida. Member: The Florida Bar. Languages: Russian. Practice Areas: Commercial Litigation; Admiralty and Maritime Law.

Michele A. Lo Presti (Associate) born 1975; admitted to bar, 2005, Florida; 2007, U.S. District Court Southern, Northern and Middle Districts of Florida, U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit. Education: St. John's University (B.S., Criminal Justice, 1997); Nova Southeastern University (J.D., 2003); The George Washington University (2005, L.L.M.). Member: Dade County and American Bar Associations; Cuban American Bar Association.

Marcus Mahfood (Associate) born 1982; admitted to bar, 2007, Florida. Education: Boston University (B.A.); St. Thomas University (J.D.).

Robert Squire (Senior Associate) born 1977; admitted to bar, 2002, Florida; 2004, U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida. Education: University of Miami (B.S., Finance, 1999; J.D., 2002). Member: Dade County Bar Association.