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.
While our broader litigation group focuses on bench trials, arbitration, mediation, and alternative dispute resolution, the Complex Trial Team is dedicated to matters where a jury trial is expected. 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.
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.
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 is a member of Jones Foster’s Trust & Estate Litigation practice group. She 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.
