Complex Trial Team
Jones Foster’s Complex Trial Team is a part of the firm’s Complex Litigation & Dispute Resolution practice group, comprised of skilled attorneys who represent individuals, businesses, municipalities, and other entities in high-stakes jury trials. As a full-service firm of approximately 50 attorneys, we combine the depth and resources of a larger firm with the agility and responsiveness of a smaller practice. Our lawyers frequently assist with or handle complex jury trials or multidistrict litigation and class actions, and are referred matters requiring an experienced trial team.
All of Jones Foster’s Complex Litigation & Dispute Resolution practice group attorneys represent clients through every stage of litigation or arbitration. The Complex Trial Team is an additional resource within the practice group to assist in the most complex matters, whether jury, non-jury, or arbitration. In these cases, our attorneys develop strategy and themes, prepare witnesses, and utilize advanced trial technologies for the presentation of evidence, ensuring cases are efficiently and persuasively communicated for the best possible outcome. The highly skilled team keeps pace with the evolving legal requirements and complexities associated with jury selection, a critical phase of every jury trial, and expert testimony requirements.
Our team represents plaintiffs and defendants in a broad range of civil litigation, including commercial matters, professional liability, personal injury, product liability, wrongful death, contract disputes, business torts, securities cases, cybersecurity and data privacy, employment litigation, real estate, and land use cases, in state and federal courts. Jones Foster’s attorneys have a deep understanding of local, state, and federal judicial systems, and over the decades have built a reputation for candor and professionalism with the courts.
Our Complex Trial Team brings insight and experience from prior roles as federal law clerks, prosecutors, and counsel to governmental agencies. Members of our Complex Trial Team have achieved Florida Bar board certification in Business Litigation and Civil Trial, the highest level of recognition of professionalism and expertise.
Trial Team Attorneys
Steven J. Rothman, Chair
Shareholder & Board Member
Florida Bar Board Certified Specialist, Civil Trial
American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA)
Steve Rothman has been a Florida Bar Board Certified Civil Trial attorney for over 25 years. He has been lead counsel in dozens of high-stakes jury trials involving complex technical issues and multimillion-dollar claims across a wide range of industries, with an emphasis on product liability, death, personal injury, defamation, real estate, financial disputes, and all manner of commercial litigation.
Steve’s extensive experience of course includes jury selection, opening statements, examining and cross-examining fact and expert witnesses, and presenting compelling arguments to juries and judges.
His depth of skill and record of success have earned membership in the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) Palm Beach Chapter, an invitation-only national association of experienced trial lawyers and judges. He is a past president and a current board member of ABOTA, which is considered one of the most prestigious affiliations for trial attorneys. Steve is admitted in state and federal district courts, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, and U.S. Supreme Court.
Robert W. Wilkins
Shareholder & Co-Chair, Complex Litigation & Dispute Resolution
Florida Bar Board Certified Specialist, Business Litigation
Rob Wilkins has more than 35 years of experience representing clients in complex, high-stakes jury trials. He has served as lead or co-counsel in the prosecution and defense of matters spanning construction litigation, shareholder and partnership disputes, employment and noncompete agreements, securities, intellectual property, commercial real estate, and landlord/tenant issues, including putative and multidistrict class actions. His trial record also includes the successful prosecution and defense of franchise disputes, defamation claims, insurance fraud, and civil RICO actions.
Rob possesses extensive knowledge of technology-related disputes, including eDiscovery, cybersecurity, and data privacy matters. He is admitted in state and federal district courts in Florida and New York, as well as the U.S. Supreme Court.
Peter A. Sachs
Shareholder and Co-Chair, Trust & Estate Litigation Practice Group
Florida Bar Board Certified Specialist, Civil Trial and Business Litigation
Fellow, American College of Trial Lawyers
Peter Sachs represents clients in complex trust and estate, guardianship, and commercial litigation. He is one of only 56 attorneys to hold dual Board Certification in Civil Trial and Business Litigation by The Florida Bar, a distinction he has maintained for nearly 30 years.
Peter handles high-stakes cases in state and federal district courts. He has extensive experience representing individuals, individual and institutional fiduciaries, estate and trust beneficiaries, financial institutions, and publicly traded companies in trial and appellate proceedings involving breaches of fiduciary duty, undue influence, will contests, guardianship disputes, real property disputes, homestead litigation, and professional negligence defense.
Joanne M. O'Connor
Shareholder & Board Member
Florida Bar Board Certified Specialist, Business Litigation
With 25 years of experience as a business litigator, Joanne O’Connor is a powerful advocate in trials and appeals before state and federal courts. She has successfully defended complex shareholder, partnership, breach of fiduciary duty, fraud, and RICO disputes, as well as actions seeking certification of nationwide and statewide classes. Joanne’s trial experience includes jury trials involving significant financial exposure in federal and Florida state courts and before private arbitrators.
As Town Attorney for the Town of Palm Beach, Joanne has defended the Town at trial in precedent-setting constitutional challenges and land use disputes. She has successfully litigated before the Florida District Courts of Appeal and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit.
Joanne has earned numerous court appointments, including Defendants’ Liaison Counsel in the federal multidistrict litigation alleging personal injuries relating to Zantac medication and participating on professionalism panels evaluating magistrate judges. She clerked for U.S. District Judge Sarah Vance, is a past president of the Palm Beach Chapter of the Federal Bar Association, and is admitted in all Florida state and federal district courts, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, and the U.S. Supreme Court.
Michael J. Gore
Shareholder
LL.M., Securities and Financial Regulation
Michael Gore represents clients in complex commercial disputes involving securities, employment, construction, and business matters. He has tried complex cases in state and federal courts, including securities cases and construction cases.
Mike brings a rare combination of courtroom experience and securities knowledge, having represented issuers of securities, brokerage firms, and investors. He served in the Investor Protection Bureau at the New York State Attorney General's Office, involving securities law violations by some of the largest Wall Street firms during the 2008 financial crisis.
As a member of the firm's Corporate & Tax practice group, Mike holds an LL.M. (a legal master’s degree) in Securities & Financial Regulation from Georgetown University and advises on the laws governing traditional securities and cryptocurrencies. He has also co-authored chapters on trial preparation and expert witnesses in The Florida Bar's Florida Construction Law & Practice publications.
Travis J. Foels
Shareholder
Travis Foels, who is also a member of the firm’s Land Use & Governmental practice group, is a trial and appellate litigator. He represents individuals, businesses, and municipalities in complex civil disputes, with a focus on commercial, real estate, governmental, and personal injury litigation.
Travis has served as counsel in high-stakes cases, obtaining favorable verdicts for his clients in both bench and jury trials. He is admitted in state and federal courts, including the U.S. District Courts for the Southern and Middle Districts of Florida. He has also litigated matters before both Florida and federal appellate courts, and argued before the Florida Supreme Court.
Lucia E. DeFilippo
Associate
Lucia DeFilippo, who is also a member of Jones Foster’s Trust & Estate Litigation practice group, is a former Assistant State Attorney for the 20th Judicial Circuit, where she tried over 30 jury trials.
Lucia interned for the Honorable Darrin P. Gayles of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida, and the Office of the State Attorney, 20th Judicial Circuit, as a Certified Legal Intern. She is a member of The Florida Bar Trial Lawyers Section.
Danielle L. Jakeman
Associate
Danielle Jakeman represents businesses and individuals in commercial disputes. She has served as supporting counsel in jury and bench trials in all stages of trial preparation and presentation, including pretrial motions, jury selection (voir dire), witness examinations, and directed verdict and post-trial motions. Danielle’s trials include a partnership dispute concerning a multimillion-dollar commercial real estate portfolio, a catastrophic personal injury case, and a high-profile abuse of process and defamation case involving conversion of genetic material.
Danielle is admitted in state and federal district courts, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. She has valuable insight into the federal court system through judicial clerkships with district and magistrate judges in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, including the Honorable Jacqueline Becerra and Honorable Bruce E. Reinhart. She also served as a judicial intern for the Honorable Ursula Ungaro, former judge of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida.
