PARTNERS
David P. Dittmar (Partner) born Rhinebeck, New York, October 15, 1946; admitted to bar, 1975, Florida, U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida and U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit; 1982, U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit; 1984, U.S. District Court, Middle and Northern Districts of Florida. Education: Florida Atlantic University (B.A., with honors, 1972); University of Miami (J.D., 1974). Member: South Miami Kendall, Dade County and American Bar Associations; The Association of Trial Lawyers of America. Reported Cases: Hartnett Inc. v. Fla Dept of Insurance, 432 So 2d 155 (3rd DCA 1983); TIE Communications Inc. v. Toyota Motors Center, Inc 391 So 2d 697 (3rd DCA 1980). Practice Areas: Insurance Insolvency; Negligence Defense; Medical Malpractice Defense; General Civil Trial; Insurance Defense.Email: David P. Dittmar
Helen Ann Hauser (Partner) born Miami, Florida, July 23, 1948; admitted to bar, 1982, Florida; 1986, U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida, U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit and U.S. Supreme Court; 1994, U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida. Education: Duke University (B.A., summa cum laude, 1970); University of Florida (M.A., 1972; Ph.D., 1975); University of Miami (J.D., cum laude, 1982). Author: "Comparative Fault in Florida" Florida Bar Journal, 1993. Member, Steering Committee, "Comparative Negligence and Contribution in Florida," 8th Edition (Florida Bar CLE Publications, 2008). Member: South Miami Kendall (Past President), Dade County and American Bar Associations; The Florida Bar; Florida Association of Women Lawyers. (Board Certified Appellate Practice Lawyer, Florida Bar Board of Legal Specialization and Education). Reported Cases: Coopersmith v Arnold, 988 So. 2d 49 (Fla. 4th DCA 2008); Steelcase, Inc. v. Office Interiors, 955 So.2d 24 (Fla. 3d DCA 2007); Escoto v Drehobl, 924 So. 2d 68 (Fla. 3d DCA 2006); Grobman v. Posey, 863 So. 2nd 1230 (Fla. 4th DCA 2003); Diaz v. Diaz, 760 So. 2d 946 (Fla. 2002); Chapman v. Laitner, 809 So. 2d 51 (Fla. 3d DCA 2002); Rosen v. Fla. Ins. Guaranty Assn., 802 So. 2d 291 (Fla. 2001); Iglesia Cristiana v. L.M., 783 So. 2d 353 (Fla. 3d DCA 2001); AmSouth Bank v. Florida Department of Insurance, 774 So. 2d 727 (Fla. 1st DCA, 2000); U.S. v. Calderon, 127 F 3d. 1314 (11th Cir. 1997); Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services v. BJM, 656 So. 2d 906 (Fla. 1995); In re: Receivership of Southeastern Reinsurance Co., Inc., 639 So. 2d 646 (Fla. 1st DCA 1994). Languages: French. Practice Areas: Appellate Practice; Insurance; Civil Trial Practice; Medical Malpractice Defense; Negligence Defense.Email: Helen Ann Hauser
Peter R. Restani (Partner) born Medford, Massachusetts, November 11, 1956; admitted to bar, 1983, Florida; 1989, U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida including Trial Bar. Education: Boston College (B.A., 1979); University of Miami (J.D., 1982). Asst. State Attorney 11th Judicial Circuit, Dade Co., 1982-1986. Member: American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA); Defense Research Institute (DRI); Florida Medical Malpractice Claims Council, Inc. (FMMCCI); Dade County, Federal and American Bar Associations; The Florida Bar (Grievance Committee 11-D, Chairman, 1989-1992). (Board Certified Civil Trial Lawyer, Florida Bar Board of Legal Specialization and Education) (Board Certified Civil Trial Advocacy Specialist by the National Board of Trial Advocacy). Practice Areas: Insurance Defense; General Liability; Medical Malpractice; Products Liability; First Party Insurance; Construction Litigation.Email: Peter R. Restani
Lars O. Bodnieks (Partner) born New York, N.Y., July 21, 1959; admitted to bar, 1991, Florida, U.S. Tax Court, U.S. Claims Court, U.S. Court of Veterans Appeals, U.S. Court of Military Appeals and U.S. District Court, Southern District Florida including Trial Bar; 1993, U.S. District Court Middle and Northern Districts of Florida, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit and U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth and Eleventh Circuits; 1994, U.S. Supreme Court. Education: Florida International University (B.A., Economics and Mathematics, 1987); St. Thomas University (J.D., 1990). Recipient, Fellowship Scholarship, Dean's List. Contributing Editor and Columnist, Opinion Juris, St. Thomas University, 1988-1990. Law Clerk, Hon. R. Fred Lewis, 1986-1991, prior to his being appointed to the Florida Supreme Court. Approved Special Assistant Public Defender, Appeals, Office of Public Defender, 11th Judicial Circuit, Florida, 1998. Member, American Inns of Court. Chairman, St. Thomas Law School Honor Council, 1990. Member: The Florida Bar. Languages: Latvian and German. Practice Areas: Insurance Defense; Medical Malpractice; Admiralty and Maritime Law; Aviation Law; Trial Practice; Appellate Practice; Commercial Law; Business Law; Products Liability; Construction Litigation.Email: Lars O. Bodnieks
Maria E. Dalmanieras (Partner) born Worcester, Massachusetts, June 28, 1974; admitted to bar, 1999, Florida; 2000, U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida; U.S. Supreme Court. Education: College of the Holy Cross (B.A., 1996); University of Miami (J.D., cum laude, 1999). Member: The Florida Bar (Member, Young Lawyers Division); Hellenic Bar Association; American Association for Justice; DRI. Reported Cases: Steelcase, Inc. v Office Interiors of Florida, Inc., 955 So. 2d 24 (Fla. 3d DCA 2007). Practice Areas: Insurance Defense; General Liability; Medical Malpractice; Professional Malpractice; Construction Law; Products Liability; Federal Civil Litigation; Legal Malpractice; First Party Insurance; Premises Liability; Negligence Defense; Police Misconduct.Email: Maria E. Dalmanieras
Jeffrey H. Fink (Partner) born New York, N.Y., February 3, 1954; admitted to bar, 1980, Florida; U.S. District Court, Southern and Middle Districts of Florida including Trial Bar; U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit. Education: Oberlin College (B.A., 1976); University of Miami School of Law (J.D., cum laude, 1979). Wig and Robe; Bar and Gavel. Student Rewrite Editor, University of Miami Law Review, 1977-1979. Editor, Southern District Digest, 1981-1983. Recognized in 1996 as a Leading Attorney by Law & Leading American Attorneys. Formerly Division Chief with office of the Miami Dade County State Attorney (Janet Reno) and Law Firm of Paul and Thomson. Member: The Florida Bar; Dade County Bar Association (Member, Criminal Courts Committee, 1977-2002). (Board Certified Criminal Trial Lawyer, Florida Bar Board of Legal Specialization and Education). Practice Areas: Criminal Defense; Commercial Litigation; General Civil Litigation; Insurance Defense; Negligence Defense; Professional Liability Defense; Professional Malpractice; Construction Law; Construction Defects; Construction Litigation; Products Liability; Federal Practice.Email: Jeffrey H. Fink
Patricia I. Murray (Partner) born New York, N.Y., September 25, 1955; admitted to bar, 1989, Florida, U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida and U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit. Education: State University of New York at Oswego (B.A., cum laude, 1977); University of Florida College of Law (J.D., with honors, 1988). Member, Board of Governors and Former President, Florida Medical Malpractice Claims Council. Formerly with: Fowler, White, Burnett, Miami; Law Offices of Robert I. Rubin in Fort Lauderdale. Member: The Florida Bar (Member, Litigation Section); The Florida Association of Women Lawyers. Reported Cases: Childers v. Schachner 612 So.2d 699; Baker v. Fitzgerald 573 So.2d 873; Evanston v. City of Homestead 563 So.2d 755. Practice Areas: Medical Malpractice; Insurance Defense.Email: Patricia I. Murray
ASSOCIATES
Brian S. Keif (Senior Attorney) born Boston, Massachusetts, December 26, 1950; admitted to bar, 1983, Florida; 1984, U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida; 1987, U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit. Education: United States Military Academy at West Point (B.S., in Engineering, 1972); Monmouth College (M.B.A., 1977); University of Miami (J.D., 1983). Member: The Florida Bar. [U.S. Army, 1972-1977 active duty ; Florida Army National Guard, 1977-1987]. Practice Areas: Construction Defects; Insurance Defense; Commercial Insurance Defense; General Liability Defense.Email: Brian S. Keif
Scott Charles Sankey (Associate) born Stevens Point, Wisconsin, April 1, 1973; admitted to bar, 2001, Florida and U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida; 2007, Wisconsin. Education: University of Wisconsin-Madison (B.S., 1995); University of Miami (J.D., 2001). Recipient, Dean's Certificate of Achievement. Member: The Florida Bar. Practice Areas: Insurance Defense.Email: Scott Charles Sankey
Anna Volkova (Associate) born Bryansk, Russia, January 27, 1975; admitted to bar, 2000, Florida; U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida; 2007, U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit. Education: University of Miami (B.S.C., cum laude, 1997; J.D., cum laude, 2000). Member: The Florida Bar. Reported Cases: Glosser v. Vasquez, 898 So.2d 1179 (Fla. 3d. DCA 2005). Languages: Russian, French. Practice Areas: Insurance Defense; Medical Malpractice Defense; Negligence Defense; Governmental Liability.Email: Anna Volkova
LEGAL SUPPORT PERSONNEL
Joanna Hoffman Email: Joanna Hoffman
Diane B. Stead born Miami, Florida, May 31, 1952; Email: Diane B. Stead