PARTNERS
Gary S. Lesser (Partner) born West Palm Beach, Florida; admitted to bar, 1992, Florida and U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida. Education: George Washington University (B.A., International Affairs, 1989); University of Miami (J.D., 1992). Phi Alpha Delta; Omicron Delta Kappa. Member, Bar and Gavel. Associate Editor, Yearbook of International Law. Editor-in-Chief, Res Ipsa Loquitur, 1991-1992. Chair, Business and Professions Division, Jewish Federation. Former President, Young Leadership Division, Jewish Federation. Legal Vice President, Jewish Community Day School. Board of Trustees, Stuart/Martin County Chamber of Commerce. Vice President for Student Recruitment and Placement and Executive Board Member, University of Miami School of Law Alumni Association. Member: Palm Beach County (Chair, Professionalism Committee and Former Member, Judicial Relations and Medical/Legal Committees) and Martin County (Member, Professionalism Committee) Bar Associations; The Florida Bar (Vice Chair, Advertising Committee. Former Chair, Professional Ethics Committee); Million Dollar Advocates Forum; Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers (Eagle Member, Continuing Legal Education Committee); Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County (Outreach Chair/Executive Board Member). Languages: English and Spanish. Practice Areas: Personal Injury; Automobile Accidents; Wrongful Death; Negligent Security; Federal Tort Claims; Premises Liability; Products Liability; Truck Accidents; Motorcycle Accidents.Email: Gary S. Lesser
Joseph B. Landy (Partner) born Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; admitted to bar, 1994, Florida, New York, Pennsylvania (inactive), U.S. District Court, Southern and Middle Districts of Florida and U.S. District Court, Western District of Pennsylvania. Education: University of Pittsburgh (B.A., 1990); Yeshiva University-Benjamin N. Cardoza School of Law (J.D., 1993). Lawdragon, selected as one of the top 500 leading Plaintiff Lawyers in America. Elite Lawyers of America, Membership limited to civil trial lawyers who have obtained a verdict or settlement of at least two million dollars. Florida's Top Lawyers and Florida Super Lawyers, Independent listings of Florida's best lawyers. Florida Legal Elite, Florida's Top Lawyers as chosen by other Florida lawyers. Author: "Act 33 and Act 36: A Landlord's Prayer is Answered," 121 P.L.J. 177, September 1995; "ADA - Disabling Bars and Restaurants," 121 P.L.J. 231, December 1995. Member: Palm Beach County (Member, Personal Injury and Wrongful Death CLE Committee), Pennsylvania and New York State Bar Associations; The Florida Bar (Member, Trial Lawyers Section); American Association for Justice (Member, Sections on: Business Torts; Motor Vehicles; Professional Negligence); Florida Justice Association (Eagle Member); Million Dollar Advocates Forum; Outstanding Lawyers of America; Palm Beach County Justice Association (Member, Board of Directors, 2004-2006); American Board of Trial Advocates. (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) (Also at Boca Raton Office). Practice Areas: Personal Injury; Wrongful Death; Nursing Home Negligence; Medical Malpractice; Products Liability; Complex Commercial Litigation; Catastrophic Injury; Motor Vehicle Accidents and Injuries.Email: Joseph B. Landy
Michael S. Smith (Partner) born Williamson, West Virginia; admitted to bar, 1985, Florida and U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida; 1986, U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit; 1990, U.S. District Court, Northern and Southern Districts of Florida, including Trial Bar and U.S. Supreme Court. Education: Virginia Polytechnic Institute (B.S., magna cum laude, 1982); Duke University School of Law (J.D., with high honors, 1985). Recipient: The Best Lawyers In America (Insurance Law and Personal Injury Litigation); Florida's Top Lawyers; Florida Super Lawyers; The Best of the U.S (Personal Injury Law); The Million Dollar Advocates Forum; The Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiffs Lawyers in America; Florida Legal Elite. Member: Palm Beach County Bar Association; The Florida Bar (Member, Trial Lawyers Section); Palm Beach County Trial Lawyers Association (Board of Directors, 2003-2006); Florida Justice Association (Eagle Member); American Association for Justice; American Board of Trial Advocates (Palm Beach Chapter Executive Committee). (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: Personal Injury; Wrongful Death; Insurance Coverage and Bad Faith.Email: Michael S. Smith
ASSOCIATES
Shepard P. Lesser (Associate) born West Palm Beach, Florida; admitted to bar, 1960, Florida. Education: University of Florida (B.A., Political Science, 1957; J.D., 1960). Phi Beta Kappa. Vice President, Gulfstream Council of Boyscouts of America. President, Family Services Agency. President, B'nai Birth Chapter. Member, Temple Israel. Member, Jewish Federation. Member: Palm Beach County (Chairman, Speaker's Bureau) Bar Association; Florida State Bar. Practice Areas: Real Estate; Probate Law; Wills; Trust Law; Contracts; Condominium Law.
C. Reid Bierer (Associate) born Washington, Pennsylvania; admitted to bar, 1992, Florida; 1999, U.S. District Court, Southern and Middle Districts of Florida. Education: Furman University (B.A., Philosophy, 1987); Bowling Green State University (M.A., Philosophy, 1989); Dickinson School of Law of the Pennsylvania State University (J.D., 1992). Staff Editor, Dickinson Journal of Environmental Law & Policy, 1991-1992. Advisory Board Member, The Salvation Army. Member: Palm Beach County Bar Association (Former Member, Executive Committee, Young Lawyers Division, 1999-2000; Former Member, Criminal Procedure Committee, 2000-2001); The Florida Bar; Florida Justice Association; American Association for Justice; Palm Beach County Trial Lawyers Association; Salvation Army Advisory Board; Palm Beach Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (Former Director, 1999-2000); Palm Beach County Justice Association. (Also at Stuart Office). Practice Areas: Personal Injury; Automobile Accidents and Injuries; Wrongful Death; Premises Liability; Motorcycle Accidents; Negligent Security; Social Security Disability.Email: C. Reid Bierer
Heidi S. Reiff (Associate) born Newark, New Jersey; admitted to bar, 1988, Florida; U.S. District Court, Southern and Middle Districts of Florida. Education: University of Florida (B.S., 1985); Nova Southeastern University (J.D., 1988). Former Broward County Assistant State Attorney, 1988-1993. Former Staff Counsel, Trial Attorney, Allstate Insurance Company, 1993-2004. Florida Academy of Trial Lawyers Competitor, 1987 and 1988. Secretary, 1987 and Vice President, 1988, Academy Trial Lawyers Nova Chapter. Member: Business and Professional Division, Jewish Federation; MorseLife Geriatric Center Board of Directors, 2008; Palm Beach Business Associates. Member: Palm Beach County Bar Association; The Florida Bar (Member: Professionalism Committee, 1995-1998; Trial Lawyers Section); Florida Justice Association (Eagle Member); American Association for Justice; Palm Beach County Justice Association (Board of Directors, 2007; Secretary, 2009); Florida Association of Women Lawyers. Languages: English. Practice Areas: Personal Injury; Wrongful Death; Premises Liability; Insurance.Email: Heidi S. Reiff
Glenn E. Siegel (Associate) born Long Island, New York; admitted to bar, 1996, Florida; U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida. Education: Indiana University (B.A., 1993); Nova Southeastern University (J.D., 1996). Board of Directors, Boy and Girls Club. Member: Rotary Club of West Palm Beach; American Cancer Society, Relay for Life; Kids in Distress. Member: Palm Beach County Bar Association; The Florida Bar; Florida Justice Association; Million Dollar Advocates Forum; Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers (Eagle Member). (Also at Boca Raton Office). Practice Areas: Civil Litigation; Personal Injury; Automobile Negligence; Premises Liability.Email: Glenn E. Siegel
Chad C. Hastings (Associate) born Teaneck, New Jersey; admitted to bar, 2001, Georgia; 2002, Florida; 2009, U.S. District Court, Southern and Middle Districts of Florida. Education: University of Central Florida (B.S., Finance, 1997); Mercer University (J.D., 2001). Honor: Described as "the most prestigious group of trial lawyers in the United States," The Million Dollar Advocates Forum. Fundraising Cabinet Member, United Way of Martin County, 2007. Speaker: "Building Your Civil Trial Skills." Presenter: "How to Avoid Common Ethical Pitfalls," National Business Institute. Board Member: Whole Child Connection of Martin County, 2008. Member: Martin County Bar Association (Chairman, Trial Lawyers Committee, 2009); The Florida Bar; State Bar of Georgia; Justice Major B. Harding, Inn of Court, Martin County; Palm Beach County Justice Association; Florida Justice Association; American Association for Justice. (Also at Stuart Office). Practice Areas: Personal Injury; Commercial Litigation.Email: Chad C. Hastings
Daniel Lustig (Associate) born San José, Costa Rica; admitted to bar, 2008, Florida; 2009, U.S. District Court, Southern and Middle Districts of Florida. Education: Florida Atlantic University (B.A., 2003); Florida State University (M.S., 2004); Franklin Pierce Law Center (J.D., 2008; LL.M., 2008). Dean's List. Alumni, Williem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot; National Political Science Honor Society. Member: Puerto Rican/Hispanic Chamber of Commerce; Farmworker Coordinating Council's Friends of the Council/Business Advisory Committee. Member: Palm Beach County, Palm Beach County Hispanic, Hispanic National and American Bar Associations; Palm Beach County Justice Association; Franklin Pierce Law Hispanic Bar Association; Palm Beach County Bar Association Lawyers for Literacy. Languages: English, Spanish, Italian and Hebrew. Practice Areas: Personal Injury; Wrongful Death; Products Liability; Medical Malpractice; Complex Commercial Litigation.Email: Daniel Lustig