BRADENTON
521 9th Street West
Bradenton, FL 34205
941-749-1901
SARASOTA
2000 S. Tamiami Trail.
Sarasota, FL 34239
941-355-6328
941-35JODAT
TAMPA
1005 N. Marion Street
Tampa, FL 33602
813-225-7200
VENICE
1680A Tamiami Trail S.
Venice, FL 34293
941-492-6000
ABOUT US
Gary R. Jodat • Shannan C. Neri • Melanie A. Newby
Richard (Tracy) Lee • Kallan C. Eslich • Eric J. Forte, Esq.
Jodat Law Group, P.A. is an established law firm serving Bradenton, Brandon, Ellenton, Englewood, North Port, Palmetto, Port Charlotte, Sarasota, Sun City, Tampa and Venice since 1994. We represent the rights of people with PERSONAL INJURIES caused in AUTO ACCIDENTS and other Negligence. We help and represent people who wish to file BANKRUPTCY or are suffering from CREDITOR HARASSMENT.
Our CRIMINAL LAW Division diligently represents people accused of crimes and our FAMILY LAW division represents parties with DIVORCE, CHILD CUSTODY and ALIMONY ISSUES.
Gary R. Jodat
Gary R. Jodat is the founding and managing attorney of Jodat Law Group, P.A. He received his Juris Doctorate Degree from Stetson University College of Law in St. Petersburg, Florida. He received his undergraduate degree from Roger Williams University. He got his feet wet while fresh out of law school by taking a job with the Public Defender’s Office trying criminal, Juvenile and Dependency cases prior to transferring into civil litigation. He now handles primarily personal injury cases. He has been a member of The American Bar Association, The Manatee County Bar Association, The Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers, Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity, The Longboat Key Chamber of Commerce, The Manatee County Chamber of Commerce, American Inns of Court and Association of Trial Lawyers of America.
Shannan C. Neri
Shannan C. Neri received her Juris Doctorate Degree from The Capital University Law School in Columbus, Ohio where she was president of the Delta Theta Phi law fraternity. At the Jodat Law Group, P.A., Ms. Neri is the senior bodily injury attorney, managing a diverse caseload, including premises liability, dog bite and automobile accident cases. Ms. Neri is a member of the American Bar Association, Tampa Bay Trial Lawyer's Association, the Bar in Florida, the District of Columbia and New York State.
Melanie A. Newby
Melanie A. Newby received her Juris Doctorate Degree from the University Of North Carolina School Of Law at Chapel Hill, North Carolina. She received her undergraduate degree from New College in Sarasota, Florida. She is the Litigation Department Head litigating Bankruptcy, Creditor Harassment and Personal Injury cases at Jodat Law Group, P.A. In 2005, Ms. Newby represents Bankruptcy clients in the Middle District of Florida. She has practiced criminal law in both Florida and North Carolina and was chief of the Juvenile Division for the Public Defender's Office in Sarasota, Florida and head of the Drug Court Division for the Public Defender's Office in Charlotte, North Carolina. Ms. Newby is a member of The Florida Bar and the North Carolina State Bar. Ms. Newby has been a member of the Florida Bar and practicing law since 1990.
Richard (Tracy) Lee
Tracy Lee was born and raised in Sarasota, FL and is a graduate of Sarasota High School. He received a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Florida in 1991 and a Juris Doctorate (J.D.) from Widener University School of Law in 1994. Mr. Lee was awarded an LL.M. in Trial Advocacy (a degree awarded to law school graduates who complete an additional program of study) from Temple University School of Law in 2008. Mr. Lee has also completed the Intensive Trial Advocacy Program at Widener University School of Law and the National Public Defender Trial Advocacy Training Program at the University of Minnesota School of Law.
Mr. Lee is Board Certified in Criminal Trial Law by the National Board of Trial Advocacy (NBTA). The NBTA is the only nationally recognized certification program accredited by the American Bar Association and recognized by the Florida Bar. Mr. Lee is also an examination writer for the NBTA.
Mr. Lee leads the firm’s Criminal and Traffic Division. Previously, Mr. Lee was a Senior Assistant Attorney General and served under Attorney Generals Charlie Crist and Bill McCollum. Prior to his service with the Office of the Attorney General, he was the Head of the Litigation Department for the Jodat Law Group and was a Managing Partner in the Firm of Lee and Avila, P.A. He has also been a Division Head for the Office of the Public Defender. Mr. Lee began.practicing Law in 1994 working with his father, Dick Lee. Mr. Lee also served as a Summer Clerk for the Honorable I. Leo Glasser, Federal District Judge, Southern District of New York.
Mr. Lee has extensive trial experience and has tried more than 1,000 non-jury trials and several dozen jury trials, including eight death cases. Mr. Lee is trained in alternative dispute resolution to settle cases without the need for trial and hears cases as an arbitrator for the Better Business Bureau. Mr. Lee became certified as an arbitrator in 2006.
Mr. Lee has been active in many charitable organizations and has been on fund raising committees for the American Red Cross and the Salvation Army. He currently serves as a Teen Court Judge, a Judge for Stetson College of Law Mock Trail competitions and a Mentor in the Florida Bar S.C.O.P.E. program that offers guidance to attorneys that request assistance from more experienced attorneys, in the criminal law division.
Mr. Lee is admitted to practice in all Florida Courts, The United States District Court, Middle District of Florida and The United States Court Of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit.
Mr. Lee is a nationally published author and is a regular contributor to ParentLife, a Division of LifeWay Publications. He has also been published in the lawyer's periodical, The Florida Bar News.
Kallan C. Eslich
Kallan C. Eslich received his Juris Doctorate from Stetson University College of Law in St. Petersburg, FL where he focused on trial advocacy. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of South Florida in Tampa, FL. Mr. Eslich began practicing family law right out of law school and exclusively practices family law with our firm. Mr. Eslich primarily handles family law issues regarding divorce, paternity, child support, and alimony. Mr. Eslich is a member of the Manatee and Sarasota Bar Associations.
Eric J. Forte, Esq.
Eric J. Forte, Esq. serves as Of Counsel to the Jodat Law Group, P.A. handling bankruptcy court appearances in Tampa. Mr. Forte received his undergraduate degree from the University of Florida and is a graduate of Stetson University College of Law. A Florida Bar member since 2004, he is an aggressive litigator who gained trial experience as an Assistant State Attorney for the 20th Judicial Circuit. He also has experience in Workers’ Compensation and Commercial Litigation.
In addition to serving as Of Counsel to Jodat Law Group, P.A. in the Bankruptcy area, Mr. Forte in his own private practice handles Labor & Employment, and Criminal Defense matters. Although based out of Tampa, Mr. Forte represents clients throughout the State of Florida.
Click here to read:
"A Matter of Time: Selfless acts lead to a rescue on New Pass."
Courtesy of Longboat Key Observer
Thursday, April 13, 2006
