DICUS BURKE & LEWIS - Key Persons
Adam Lewis is a partner at Dicus Burke & Lewis, PLLC where he focuses his practice on assisting commercial and residential property owners with insurance claims against their insurance company. Based in Tampa, he represents clients throughout the state of Florida. Mr. Lewis has been admitted to practice in Florida since 2009, and he is additionally admitted to practice before the U.S. District Courts for the Middle and Southern Districts of Florida. Mr. Lewis is also a certified appraiser and umpire by the Windstorm Insurance Network and handles appraisals throughout the state of Florida.
Mr. Lewis has extensive experience in handling first-party insurance claim litigation, both as defense counsel for insurance companies, as well as on behalf of homeowners and other aggrieved parties. The types of cases that he has worked on have included damages and other losses stemming from wind, hail, hurricanes, flood and other water damage, sinkholes, lightning, and fire.
Mr. Lewis's background has additionally encompassed personal injury and wrongful death litigation, and he has assisted plaintiffs who were seriously harmed as the result of the negligence of other parties as well as insurance companies and their policyholders who were named as defendants in these types of actions. The types of cases that Mr. Lewis has worked on in this regard have arisen from incidents involving premises liability, truck, motorcycle, and other motor vehicle crashes, auto-pedestrian accidents, and animal bites. His work on behalf of plaintiffs has resulted in his clients receiving substantial compensation through both jury awards and negotiated settlements, and it has resulted in him being named to the invitation-only Million Dollar Advocates Forum. A graduate of Stetson University College of Law, Mr. Lewis's other honors include an AV Preeminent* peer review rating through Martindale-Hubbell.
Adam Lewis has extensive experience in handling first-party insurance claim litigation, both as defense counsel for insurance companies, as well as on behalf of homeowners and other aggrieved parties. The types of cases that he has worked on have included damages and other losses stemming from wind, hail, hurricanes, flood and other water damage, sinkholes, lightning, and fire.
Job Titles:
- Co - Owners of Dicus & Burke
Wesley C. Dicus, Sr. was born and raised in Saint Petersburg, Florida. He attended Florida State University earning a Bachelor of Science in Social Sciences with a minor in American History. After graduating Florida State University, Mr. Dicus attended and is a graduate of Stetson University College of Law in Gulfport, Florida.
While in law school Mr. Dicus received Book Awards including the Book Award in International Sales Law and Arbitration. Other awards include the Victor O. Wehle Award for Excellence in Trial Advocacy, as well as earning first place in Stetson University College of Law's first ever Advanced Trial Competition.
Mr. Dicus began his career at the State Attorney's Office for Pinellas and Pasco County under State Attorney Bernie McCabe. As an assistant State Attorney, Mr. Dicus prosecuted all matter of criminal cases from misdemeanor traffic offenses to first degree murder. As a misdemeanor prosecutor Mr. Dicus was promoted to Anti-Gang Prosecutor and Lead Trial Attorney. As a felony prosecutor, Mr. Dicus was promoted to handle sensitive and critical cases of felony domestic violence and crimes against children. Mr. Dicus also tried several high exposure cases and was featured on Investigation Discovery's 20/20 Deadly Women, Snapped, and CNN's Vengeance: Killer Lovers.
After leaving the State Attorney's Office, Mr. Dicus began his civil career at a prominent St. Petersburg law firm litigating commercial and residential insurance claim disputes. In 2013, Mr. Dicus accepted a partnership at the largest woman and minority owned law firm in the country. While there, Mr. Dicus represented Florida's largest insurance companies in all manner of insurance claims litigation covering a wide variety of daily and catastrophic claims throughout the entire state of Florida.
Today, Mr. Dicus, and Mr. Burke are co-owners of Dicus & Burke, PLLC, where their primary focus is representing individuals and business owners in claims against their insurance companies, as well as claims against at-fault, negligent parties and the criminally accused. Together they handle a variety of cases including but not limited to commercial and residential property insurance claim dispute litigation, personal injury and premises liability (slip and fall), insurance agency negligence litigation, products liability and criminal defense. Dicus & Burk, PLLC is also regularly engaged by other law firms as co-counsel in disputed insurance claim trial cases.
During his career, Mr. Dicus brought over 70 cases to jury trial, with outstanding results for his clients. Dicus & Burke, PLLC has recovered millions of dollars in settlement proceeds and jury verdicts for its clientele.
In 2020 and 2021 Thomson Reuters and Superlawyers.com awarded Mr. Dicus the prestigious title of Super Lawyer in Civil Litigation in Florida. Super Lawyers are selected using a multiphase evaluation process on twelve indicators in peer recognition and professional achievement. The lawyers who rank and the top 5% of lawyers in the state are selected as Super Lawyers.
Education
Stetson University College of Law, Gulfport, Florida
J.D. - 2006
Ryan S. Burke grew up in Jensen Beach, Martin County, Florida. He attended Florida State University earning a Bachelor's degree in History and Social Sciences. After graduating Florida State University, Mr. Burke attended and is a graduate of Stetson University College of Law in Gulfport, Florida.
While attending law school, Mr. Burke was an active member of the Moot Court Board. Mr. Burke competed in Moot Court competitions in Florida, Delaware and Vienna, Austria. He was also chosen for internship with a prominent Hillsborough County Circuit Court Judge and a U.S. District Court Magistrate.
Upon being admitted to the Florida Bar in 2005, Mr. Burke was a litigator with a prominent St. Petersburg, Florida law firm focusing his practice on property insurance coverage disputes, sinkholes claims, hurricanes claims, and other catastrophic weather events, including water damage claims, mold claims, theft claims, and fire loss claims.
In 2013, Mr. Burke took a position with a national firm and represented large insurance companies in cases involving complex insurance coverage disputes, including surplus lines and excess lines coverage disputes. In addition, Mr. Burke represented insureds in cases involving insurance agency negligence, premises liability, construction defects, personal injury, negligence, products liability, motor vehicle accidents, and other claims.
In 2017, Mr. Burke and Mr. Dicus co-founded Dicus & Burke, PLLC, where their primary focus is representing individuals and business owners in claims against their insurance companies, as well as claims against at-fault, negligent parties and the criminally accused. Together they handle a variety of cases including but not limited to commercial and residential property insurance claim dispute litigation, personal injury and premises liability (slip and fall), insurance agency negligence, products liability, motor vehicle accidents and criminal defense. Mr. Burke also handles complex personal injury litigation. Dicus & Burke, PLLC is regularly engaged by other law firms as co-counsel in disputed insurance claim trial cases. Dicus & Burke, PLLC has recovered millions of dollars in settlement proceeds and jury verdicts for its clientele.
Education
Stetson University College of Law, Gulfport, Florida
J.D. - 2005
Ryan S. Burke, Esq. also did his undergraduate work at Florida State University and earned his law degree from Stetson, where he competed in Moot Court Board and served in two important court internships: one for a Hillsborough County circuit court judge and the other for a U.S. District Court magistrate. After law school, Ryan spent the next 12 years between a local St. Petersburg law firm and a prominent national law firm litigating complex insurance disputes.
Wesley C. Dicus Sr., Esq. is an experienced, award-winning attorney who grew up in St. Petersburg. After graduating from Florida State University and earning a law degree from Stetson University College of Law in Gulfport, Florida, Wesley worked in the Office of the State Attorney for Pinellas and Pasco counties. In this role, he prosecuted important misdemeanor and felony crime charges, including several high-profile cases. After working in the Office of the State Attorney, Wesley began his civil work representing insurance companies in their defense against claims from policyholders. This role included significant important litigation experience.