BOYD - Key Persons
Ashley N. Suarez is an associate in the firm's Miami office. Ashley's practice involves all aspects of civil litigation. Prior to joining the firm, Ashley was an associate at a regional law firm handling cases in civil and commercial litigation. Specifically, Ashley defended insurance companies in lawsuits involving first party property, premises liability, and bodily injury.
Ashley was born and raised in Miami, Florida. Ashley attended Florida State University where she obtained her Bachelor of Science degree in Criminology with a minor in Sociology. She then continued her education at St. Thomas University School of Law where she graduated with a Juris Doctor in 2020. Throughout her law school career, Ashley interned at the Miami-Dade State Attorney's office, clerked at a civil litigation firm, and clerked at an established Latin music label. Additionally, Ashley was involved in various organizations, holding leadership positions in multiple organizations while also being placed on Dean's List for three consecutive years. Upon graduation, Ashley was awarded the Pro Bono Service Award
Benjamin Jaffe is an associate in the Miami office of Boyd Richards Parker Colonnelli, P.L. Ben was born and raised in South Florida and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree from University of Florida. Thereafter, he attended University of Miami where he obtained his J.D.
Ben started his legal career as in house counsel for a statewide insurance company where he first began to develop his practice in first party and third party insurance defense. Ben continued to develop his skills as a civil litigation attorney at a regional law firm where he served as co-counsel for several first party trials representing various insurance carriers throughout the state of Florida.
Brett Gossett is an associate in the firm's New York Office. He specializes in litigating disputes related to cooperative and condominium boards and real estate disputes. Brett also has significant litigation experience based on his prior association with real estate firms, where he represented commercial landlords and real estate developers in complex commercial litigations. Brett received his undergraduate degree from Brandeis University in 2016 and his J.D. from Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law in 2020.
Brian J. Durham is a Senior Attorney in the Firm's Tampa office. Brian was born and raised in New Jersey, but has mainly resided in the Tampa Bay area since 2004. Over the past ten years, Brian has practiced law with national insurance defense firms. Brian provides his clients with a comprehensive overview of the litigation process and possible outcomes while advising on the most pragmatic and efficient path to a favorable resolution. He consistently presents clients with pre-suit representation that avoids costly and unnecessary litigation whenever possible. Brian is admitted in the New Jersey and Florida bar as well as the United States District Courts for the Middle District of Florida; Northern District of Florida; and the District of New Jersey.
Currently, Brian's practice includes litigation in all aspects of personal injury, premises liability, general liability, construction defect and products liability defense. His work includes employment law and defense of Fair Credit Reporting Act claims. Brian also has extensive defense experience with governmental entities for matters ranging from civil and commercial liability to whistleblower actions and employment discrimination claims. Brian has authored several appellate briefs spanning a range of issues from venue disputes to negligence issues regarding a lack of legal duty and causation. Additionally, He has successfully argued before Florida's Second District Court of Appeal and was granted a per curiam affirmance of a summary judgment in Juarez v. St. Hilaire, 257 So. 3d 436 (Fla. 2nd DCA 2018). Since 2019, Brian has been selected to the Tampa, Florida Rising Stars list annually in the practice area of Civil Litigation - Personal Injury, a designation received by fewer than 2.5 percent of attorneys in the state.
Brian attended law school at Rutgers Law School - Newark, where he was a student attorney of the Child Advocacy Clinic which worked to ensure that the child welfare system was sufficiently addressing the safety, permanency and well-being needs of the children it represented. After graduating law school, Brian served as the law clerk to the Honorable Ernest M. Caposela of the New Jersey Superior Court. His experience provided valuable insight to the inner workings of the court system and the dynamic between judges, attorneys and litigants.
Bryan J. Mazzola, Esq. is a litigator whose focus is in defending cooperative corporations, condominium associations, HOA's and their board members and managing agents. Bryan litigates a wide variety of matters in this regard: holder of unsold shares issues, construction disputes, neighbor on neighbor disputes, breaches of contract, warranty of habitability claims and nuisances, particularly noise disputes.
Carmela Jackson is a partner in the Miami office of Boyd Richards Parker and Colonelli, P.L. Carmela is a native of Lewisburg, West Virginia. Carmela graduated from North Carolina State University in Raleigh, North Carolina where she received a Bachelor of Arts degree. Carmela obtained her Juris Doctor from North Carolina Central University School of Law in Durham, North Carolina. While in law school, Carmela also studied international taxation at Duke University School of Law.
Carmela concentrates her practice of law in complex, high-exposure litigation, including a wide array of professional liability and commercial cases. Carmela has spent her legal career zealously representing the interests of institutional clients in a variety of practice areas, including commercial litigation, insurance defense, financial institutions defense litigation, secured and unsecured loan defaults, real estate and title disputes, condominium associations, property damage and personal injury. Carmela has also fervently defended professionals, including attorneys, directors and officers, brokers, contractors and fiduciaries in tort and contract actions. Additionally, Carmela has provided counsel to athletes and entertainers in matters relating to contracts, business ventures and dispute resolution. Carmela's expansive legal experience is invaluable to her representation of individuals, private and public companies, and non-profit entities in a broad range of matters.
Job Titles:
- Partner
- Member of the Firm
Craig J. Shankman joined the firm in 2014 and practices out of the firm's Miami office. Craig regularly advises individuals and corporate clients on a wide range of complex litigation matters with a focus on commercial litigation, professional liability representing attorneys and accountants, condominium and homeowner association disputes, and employment disputes, among other matters.
Craig is also a member of the Firm's appellate practice having had success before the Third District Court of Appeal, the Fourth District Court of Appeal, and the United States Court of Appeal for the Eleventh Circuit. Craig also litigates matters within various local, state, and federal agencies, including the EEOC, Florida Commission on Human Rights, and Florida's Department of Business & Professional Regulation.
Craig is a graduate of the University of Miami School of Law earning his Juris Doctor with the honors of magna cum laude. While in law school, Craig was a U.S. Constitutional Law Dean's Fellow and earned book awards (highest grade) in Torts, Federal Income Taxation, and Florida Legal Research Techniques.
Dolly Hernandez represents high-net-worth individuals in complex marital and family law matters. She assists individuals in the dissolution of marriage, equitable distribution, alimony, child support, parenting and time-share issues, paternity, prenuptial agreements, and postnuptial agreements.
Dominique Brown is an associate attorney in the firm's Miami office. Dominique was born and raised in Columbus, Ohio and earned her undergraduate degree from South Carolina State University in 2015 where she played on the Women's NCAA Division I Soccer Program and graduated Summa Cum Laude. She then went on to earn her Juris Doctor from the University of Miami School of Law in 2018.
During law school, Dominique clerked for multiple law firms allowing her to gain experience in multiple area including personal injury, immigration, and family law. After graduation, Dominique's practice has been dedicated to the defense of lawyers in professional malpractice and other related claims in both state and federal courts, as well as in Florida Bar grievance matters. At Boyd Richards Parker Colonnelli, P.L.,'s, Dominique continues her work for attorneys and expands her liability defense practice to represent other professionals including title agents, doctors, architects, engineers, accountants, appraisers, inspectors, and brokers.
When not practicing law, Dominique enjoys coaching youth soccer, going to the beach, and enjoying time with her family and friends.
Job Titles:
- Partner & Appellate Practice Group Chair
Elaine D. Walter is Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Appellate Practice. Elaine was born in Detroit, Michigan, and grew up in Western Pennsylvania. Elaine moved to Miami attending the University of Miami School of Law, where she graduated Magna Cum Laude. Elaine leads the firm's appellate practice group and focuses on appeals and trial support. Before landing at Boyd Richards Parker & Colonnelli, Elaine was a staff attorney at the Florida Supreme Court. Elaine's prior experience also includes working at a small Miami firm focusing on appeals in land use, planning, and zoning cases, briefly working at an international law firm, and practicing all appeals at a mid-sized firm that did predominately insurance defense work.
Elaine is regularly recognized by Super Lawyers Magazine for appellate practice and rated AV Pre-Eminent by Martindale Hubbell. She is the secretary of The Florida Bar Appellate Practice Section. Elaine was also appointed by The Florida Bar's President to the Appellate Court Rules Committee, currently acting as the committee's Chair. As a Board Member of the Florida Defense Lawyers Association, Elaine helps to set policy for that defense-related organization and is a frequent brief writer for its Amicus Curiae Committee. She is currently the President-Elect of the FDLA.
Emil A. Samman joined the firm as a partner in May 2023. Emil co-manages the firm's New York office which focuses on litigation. Emil specializes in resolving and/or litigating disputes related to cooperative and condominium boards, with a primary focus on D&O claims, real estate transactions, loan defaults, and construction defects. Emil is panel counsel for insurance companies with respect to cooperative and condominium claims and title claims.
In addition, Emil has experience representing cooperative and condominium boards in connection with general governance issues and day to day matters.
Eric Basterrechea is a partner who practices out of the firm's Miami office. Born In Secaucus, New Jersey, Eric was raised in Miami, Florida. He attended undergraduate school at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey where he earned a degree in Political Science. He earned his Juris Doctor from Pace University School of Law in 2004. After honing his trial litigation skills practicing in the New York City metropolitan area for over a decade, Eric returned to South Florida to continue his career as a trial litigator.
Eric is an experienced bodily injury trial attorney licensed in Florida, New York and New Jersey. He has dedicated most of his career litigating third-party insurance defense claims as in-house counsel for several insurance carriers with a focus on auto negligence, premises liability and related tort claims. Eric has litigated over thirty cases to jury trial verdict for both plaintiffs and defendants in New York City and Miami.
Evan B. Heckler is an associate at the New York office, where his practice is focused on Condo and Coop law, real estate disputes, and employment matters involving discrimination and wrongful termination claims. Prior to joining Boyd Richards Parker & Colonnelli, P.L., Evan worked at two law firms that concentrated on insurance defense litigation. Evan represented national and regional corporations in all stages of litigation in New York State and Federal venues in the areas of labor law, complex and toxic torts, commercial litigation and employment law, pharmacy malpractice, and insurance coverage. During his last two years of law school, Evan worked as a research assistant for Professor Vincent Dilorenzo and was tasked with researching developments in the law governing condominiums, cooperatives, and residential mortgage-backed securities. He received his undergraduate degree in Business Management from the State University of New York at New Paltz in 2012 and received his J.D. from St. John's University School of Law in 2015.
Frank has recovered millions of dollars for his clients through breach of contract actions, foreclosure proceedings and through repossession/liquidation of collateral in various states across the country. Primarily, he has enforced secured creditors' rights against dealers who have defaulted on floor plan financing arrangements covering inventory of boats, motorcycles, power sport vehicles, golf carts, mobile homes, appliances and outdoor power equipment.
Frederick C. Sung is an associate attorney in the New York office. His practice is focused on condominium and co-op law, real estate disputes, and employment matters involving discrimination and wrongful termination claims. Prior to joining Boyd Richards Parker & Colonnelli, P.L., Frederick worked at several law firms, including an AmLaw-200, concentrating on insurance defense litigation. Frederick represented regional and national corporations in various fields through all stages of litigation in New York state and federal venues in the areas of labor law, personal injury/torts, commercial litigation, medical litigation, and insurance coverage. Frederick obtained his undergraduate degree in Political Science from SUNY Binghamton in 2012 and received his J.D. from Brooklyn Law School in 2015.
Job Titles:
- Partner
- Member of the Florida Bar
Gissell is a member of the Florida Bar and is admitted to practice in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida. She is also a member of the American Bar Association, the Dade County Bar Association, and the Cuban American Bar Association.
Jacqueline L. Aiello is a litigator in the firm's New York office. Prior to joining Boyd Richards, Jacqueline was an associate at Cantor Epstein & Mazzola, a well-respected boutique law firm that specialized in defending cooperative corporations, condominium associations and their board members and managing agents regarding a wide variety of issues including breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, warranty of habitability, housing and employment discrimination, wage/hour disputes and other similar disputes. Jacqueline continues to practice Coop/Condo law, and has since focused her practice in employment discrimination and wage/hour disputes. Jacqueline fiercely advocates for all types of employers faced with discrimination and wage/hour lawsuits, both in individual and class action matters, including claims for unpaid minimum wages and overtime, tip credit disputes, failure to provide wage/pay rate notices and untimely wage payments.
Jacqueline practices in the State and Federal Courts, as well as various federal, state and local agencies, including HUD, the EEOC, the New York State Division of Human Rights, the New York City Commission on Human Rights, the Westchester County of Human Rights and the New York State and U.S. Departments of Labor. She has extensive experience mediating disputes and considerable Appellate experience, handling appeals and oral arguments before the First and Second Appellate Departments.
We are proud to announce that Jacqueline has also been awarded the distinct honor of being named a Super Lawyer Rising Star in the New York Metro Area (from 2017 through the present), amidst just 2.5% of the attorneys in all of New York state.
She graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Wilkes University. After receiving her Bachelor's Degree, Jacqueline obtained her Juris Doctorate from Duquesne University School of Law where she also received special recognition for her pro bono work as a child advocate with KidsVoice, a non-profit child advocacy agency in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
James Cannon is an experienced litigation attorney who has been representing insurance carriers, their insureds, and self-insured clients for more than a decade. During that time, he has represented clients in a variety of general liability matters, including construction defect litigation, real estate litigation, premises liability, auto negligence, and related matters.
His construction defect practice focuses on the representation of developers, design professionals, contractors, and subcontractors in claims relating to commercial, residential, and mixed use projects, ranging from single family homes to large mixed use condominium projects. James has successfully defended cases involving claims of deficiencies in structural components, building envelope systems, electrical and mechanical systems, site grading and planning, roofing, and interior finish systems.
In his real estate practice, James has successfully represented condominium and homeowner's associations, commercial landlords and tenants, and sellers and purchasers of real estate in cases relating to deed restriction interpretation and enforcement, land use matters, public and private nuisance claims, and related matters.
James' premises liability practice includes the representation of restaurants, convenience stores, retail stores, commercial shopping malls, auto dealerships and repair centers, hospitals, and apartment complexes in slip/trip and fall matters, negligent security, and dram shop claims, among others. His auto negligence practice includes the representation of auto dealership and repair centers, commercial trucking companies, towing and hauling companies, taxicab services, and public transportation carriers, among others.
James K. Parker was born and raised in Orlando, Florida. Jim graduated from the University of Miami School of Law in 1973. He is an AV-rated trial attorney that has been in litigation practice in southern Florida for 45 years. Jim is a named partner with the Firm and is also certified by the Supreme Court of Florida as a Circuit Court Mediator and is a member of the Florida Academy of Professional Mediators.
Jason A. Goodman is an associate in the firm's New York Office, and specializes in litigating disputes related to cooperative and condominium boards, with a primary focus on D&O claims. Jason has expertise in defending claims stemming from the business judgment of corporate boards including housing cooperatives and condominiums, litigating disputes involving the rights and powers of boards to control policy, to enforce by-laws and lease provisions, real estate disputes, as well as disputes with sponsors and holders of unsold shares.
Jason also has litigation experience in defending cooperative and condominium boards and employers in discrimination and employment practices before the NYS Division of Human Rights and the NYC Commission On Human Rights.
Jason also has significant litigation experience based on his prior association with a real estate boutique firm, where he represented commercial landlords and real estate developers in complex commercial litigations. He also gained valuable in-house experience assisting the general counsel at a Long Island based real estate company. Finally, Jason had the honor of clerking at various levels for Justices of the New York State Supreme Court.
We are proud to announce that Jason has also been awarded the distinct honor of being named a Super Lawyer Rising Star in the New York Metro Area for 2023, amidst just 2.5% of the attorneys in all of New York state.
Jason Hepperly is a Partner in the firm's Miami Office who has been representing insurance carriers and their insureds for several years. During that time, he has represented clients in a variety of liability claims, including both first-party and third-party insurance defense.
Jason completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Tampa in 2012. Jason then earned his Juris Doctorate from the University of Miami School of Law in 2016. In 2020, he earned his LLM in Environmental Law from Vermont Law School.
Jason's practice involves all aspects of first party property and general liability claims. Jason is currently eligible to practice law in all Florida state courts and the Southern District of Florida.
John Hinz is an associate in the Miami office of Boyd Richards Parker Colonnelli, P.L. John was born and raised in South Florida and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science from Florida International University. Both during and after his undergraduate education, he worked in a variety of industries including retail and healthcare, eventually working as a NREMT Certified Paramedic. After several years of treating patients at a local pediatric nursing facility, he returned to Florida International University, where he obtained his J.D.
John started his legal career in a mid-sized, Florida-based insurance defense firm, where he first began to develop his practice in first party insurance defense. He continued to develop his skills as a civil litigation attorney at an AmLaw 100 firm where he handled a large case load of files in a wide range of defense matters, including first- and third-party property, general liability, and construction defect cases. Thereafter, he joined a local defense firm where he served as second chair in two first-party property trials in South Florida.
At Boyd Richards Parker & Colonnelli, P.L., John's practice focuses general liability litigation.
John H. Richards was born in Suffern, New York and raised in Trumbull, Connecticut. He moved to Fort Lauderdale, Florida as a teenager and has been in Fort Lauderdale ever since. John is a partner with the Firm and has extensive trial experience with over 200 trials in all types of civil litigation involving bodily injury, professional liability, wrongful death, property damage, insurance coverage disputes, homeowners and condominium associations, contract and others.
John handles on average ten (10) trials per year, throughout the State of Florida. John began his legal career clerking at two of the pre-eminent civil defense firms during law school and his first employment as an attorney was at the law firm of Conrad Scherer & James in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Thereafter, he became a founding member and shareholder in the law firm of Cooney, Haliczer, Mattson, Lance Blackburn, Pettis & Richards, commencing in 1992. He remained at the law firm until its dissolution in December of 2009, joining Boyd Richards Parker & Colonnelli in January of 2010.
John's practice areas involve all types of civil litigation, including premises liability, professional liability, negligent security, product liability, motor vehicle litigation of all types, representation of homeowners and condominium associations, insurance coverage disputes, first-party litigation, bad faith matters and general commercial litigation. He has participated and continues to regularly participate in alternate dispute resolution, including mediation and arbitration; handling on average thirty-plus mediations a year over the past five (5) years.
While maintaining an active practice and trial schedule, he has continued to serve in legal and bar organizations, including previously serving as a board member and president of the Florida Defense Lawyers Association. John is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates and has served as an officer of the Fort Lauderdale Chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates. He previously served as a member of the Florida Supreme Court Civil Jury Instruction Committee. John received his bachelor's degree from the University of Florida and received his Juris Doctorate from Stetson College of Law. John was recently named as a 2017 Florida Legal Elite winner in the area of Civil Trials.
Jorge G. Castillo Cuevas is an associate in the firm's Miami office and focuses his practice on all aspects of civil litigation, including business disputes, insurance matters, and personal injury. Jorge completed his undergraduate studies in 2012 at the University of Miami, graduating with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Chemistry. Jorge then earned his Juris Doctor from the Florida International University - College of Law, where he attended as a Full Dean's Scholar. As a law student, Jorge gained invaluable experience working first as an intern for the Healthcare Practice Team at Florida International University's Office of the General Counsel, and later as a law clerk for a commercial litigation firm.
Prior to joining the BRPC team, Jorge worked as an associate at a boutique law firm focusing on the representation of healthcare providers and facilities in reimbursement matters and related litigation. Jorge also served as the Director of Clinical Denials Division for a full-service revenue cycle management company. Utilizing his extensive healthcare experience from his post-graduate studies at the Ponce Health Sciences University School of Medicine, Jorge worked closely with clients in addressing their clinical and complex claims denials. Additionally, he provided counsel in commercial litigation issues, including post-judgment collections and remedies, commercial transactions, and contractual disputes.
Joseph G. Riopelle is a partner in the Tampa Office who joined the firm in 2009. Joe is a Florida native with a few childhood stints in Michigan. Joe's undergraduate degree from Albion College, coupled with a JD/MBA from the University Of Detroit Mercy School of Law, has allowed Joe to excel in all forms of defense oriented civil litigation throughout Florida.
He enjoys connecting with his clients and discussing the real issues in a common sense and experienced based approach. Joe understands that not all issues in the law and life can be reduced to black and white. By quickly recognizing the gray areas and maneuvering through the nuances of each matter, he provides his clients with an efficient and proactive defense.
Joe has represented his clients at mediation, arbitration, administrative proceedings and at trial as well as in actions involving the EEOC, HUD, DOL, OSHA, Florida Bar, Florida Commission on Human Rights and the Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation in both State and Federal claims related to Homeowner and Condominium Associations, Professional Liability claims including Medical and Legal Malpractice, A&E, Property Managers, Insurance Agents & Brokers, Labor and Employment practices, Real Property, Premises Liability, Insurance Coverage, Personal Injury, Civil Rights Discrimination, Errors and Omissions, Non-Profit and For Profit Director and Officer Liability claims, Alternative Dispute Resolution, Construction Defect and general insurance defense matters.
Job Titles:
- Partner & Appellate Practice Group Vice - Chair