Len Hackett was born in Fall River, Massachusetts. He majored in Criminal Justice at Stonehill College in Easton, Massachusetts where he graduated with a B.A. in 1986. Thereafter, he enlisted in the United States Army where he earned his commission as a Lieutenant. While in the Army, he participated in and was decorated for his performance during Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm. Following his tour in the Army, he attended Cleveland-Marshall College of Law. During law school, he served on the Cleveland State Law Review and Law Review Editorial Board. He graduated cum laude in May of 1996.

Len’s practice areas include employment law, labor law, condominium/homeowner association law, and personal injury litigation that involves catastrophic injury and/or wrongful death. He has extensive experience in defending both public and private employers in all aspects of employment litigation that involve claims of discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wrongful discharge, family and medical leave, equal pay violations, wage-hour, and civil rights. Len also provides guidance and legal advice to employers with regard to problem prevention and employment-related issues. He has represented and defended numerous business owners, commercial and residential property management companies, and homeowners in lawsuits involving serious personal injury and wrongful death arising from liability associated with the ownership and/or control of premises. Len also represents and defends condominium and homeowners’ associations in such areas as covenant enforcement litigation, fair housing discrimination claims, service and/or emotional support animal issues, director and officer liability, breach of fiduciary duty claims, and ADA matters.

Mr. Hackett is a Florida Bar Board Certified Labor and Employment Attorney and is currently a member of the Florida and Jacksonville Bar Associations.

Ian Neil Matthes was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia. He graduated magna cum laude from Georgia State University with a Bachelor of Arts degree Political Science in 1994 and earned his J.D. from The University of Georgia School of Law in 1997. Ian serves as the Regional Managing Attorney and General Counsel for Vernis & Bowling. Ian provides operation management, support and services to all of the firm’s offices throughout the Southeast.

Ian was admitted to the Georgia Bar in 1997, and is licensed to practice law before all state courts in Georgia. He is also licensed to practice before the U.S. District Courts for the Middle and Northern Districts of Georgia. For over 20 years, Ian has represented defendants in general liability, premises liability, automobile liability, bad faith/extra-contractual liability, commercial vehicle liability, insurance coverage, SIU/fraud (including first party arson/property claims and medical provider fraud), and UM/UIM liability matters. He also provides claims/litigation file audit services, and litigation management operations and process improvement consulting.

Ian previously served in-house with P&C insurance companies as a National Litigation Manager and Director of Litigation Management (AIG), managing litigation staff and procedures, as well as class actions and “Bad Faith” claims nationwide. With over 10,000 litigation matters under management, he was also responsible for final trial approval decisions in hundreds of cases per year. He regularly and proudly wears his “litigation management” and “home office insurance guy” hats while encouraging efficiency, communication, and delivery of timely results at the firm. This experience has also led to Ian serving as a speaker at numerous seminars throughout the nation, including at national insurance, litigation management and SIU conventions on topics including Premises Liability, Good Faith Claims Handling, Ethical Adjusting Practices, Personal Lines Litigation, SIU/Fraud Best Practices, Negotiation and Settlement Strategies, and Legislative and Case Law Updates.

Ian is a Founding Board Member and Past-President of the National Retail & Restaurant Defense Association (NRRDA), was the Charter Board President of the Georgia Chapter of the National Society of Professional Insurance Investigators (NSPII), and is a member of GDLA, DRI, CLM, ACA and numerous other litigation, claims, insurance and bar related organizations.

Ian and his wife, Stephanie, have two wonderful children, Charlotte (Charlie) and Harrison. Ian is an advocate for special needs children, raises money for Autism-related causes, and is a proud #AutismDad. His other interests include gardening, baking the best sourdough bread in the Southeast, cooking, and watching the UGA Bulldogs. He is always ready to share photos of his kids, plants, his 110+ varieties of fig trees, or why his hydroponic lettuce is better than anything you can buy.

Jeffrey Paul Raasch was born in Charlotte, North Carolina, and was raised in the Chesapeake Bay area of Virginia. He graduated from the University of Virginia with Bachelor of Arts degrees in History and Government in 1979, where he played Varsity Football. After college, Jeff taught high school social studies near Richmond, Virginia, where he coached football, soccer and tennis.

Jeff earned his J.D. from Cumberland School of Law at Samford University in 1983. He was admitted to the Virginia Bar in 1983. He served the Air Force Judge Advocate General Corps as a Captain, and tried over 20 Court-Martials. While stationed at Hahn Air Force Base, in West Germany, he was a college instructor for the University of Maryland European Division.

He was admitted to the Georgia Bar in 1985, and is licensed to practice law before all state courts in Georgia. Prior to joining Vernis & Bowling in 2005, Jeff was a Partner in the Atlanta firm of Seacrest, Karesh, Tate & Bicknese, litigating and trying cases in automobile liability, general liability, civil litigation, commercial vehicle liability, condominium and homeowners association litigation, garage liability, liquor liability, negligent security, product liability, property litigation, wrongful death, premises liability, common carrier liability, construction litigation, construction defect litigation, professional liability/E&O, environmental and toxic tort litigation, uninsured/underinsured motorist liability, declaratory judgment actions and insurance coverage issues. Jeff was admitted to the Tennessee Bar in 2004, and currently represents clients in liability and workers’ compensation matters across Eastern Tennessee.

His wife, Christel, has been the Assistant Clerk of the Georgia House of Representatives for over 30 years. They have two sons, Chris and Will, who Jeff has coached in baseball, soccer and basketball.

Jeff has been awarded an AV® Preeminent™ Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell, indicating the highest level of skill and professionalism. He has tried over 25 civil jury trials, has won over 100 summary judgment motions, and has successfully defended and pursued numerous appeals on behalf of his clients.

An Asheville, N.C. native, Greg obtained his undergraduate degree from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and his law degree from North Carolina Central University. He is a trial and appellate attorney, and his practice includes tort litigation, insurance law and coverage issues, first party claims, construction defect, professional liability, premises liability, employment and employment related practices, products liability, SIU/fraud, trucking liability and appellate practice. Greg also has extensive experience utilizing methods of alternative dispute resolution, and has been approved by the NC Dispute Resolution Commission as a certified Superior Court Mediator.

Greg has substantial experience in representing individuals, domestic and international corporations, and governmental entities. He has counseled clients, including pre-litigation consultation and claim evaluation, in focused areas including dramshop/alcohol liability, veterinary malpractice, “bad faith” and unfair/deceptive trade practices. Licensed to practice law in 1990, Greg has tried over 200 cases to verdict in the District and Superior Courts of North Carolina, and has appeared multiple times at the appellate level as lead counsel before the Supreme Court of North Carolina, as well as the North Carolina Court of Appeals, where following law school he served as Research Assistant to former Chief Judge R. A. “Fred” Hedrick.

Mr. Lewis is a member in good standing of the North Carolina State Bar and the Mecklenburg County Bar, as well as the North Carolina Bar Association and North Carolina Association of Defense Attorneys.  Greg is also approved as an instructor by the State of North Carolina Department of Insurance.   Greg is frequently a speaker for continuing education courses for attorneys and clients.

Ashley N. Landrum is originally from Boca Raton, Florida. In 2011, she graduated from Florida State University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Literature. She attended law school at Michigan State University College of Law in East Lansing, Michigan, where she received her Juris Doctorate degree in 2014. While at Michigan State, Ashley was on the Dean’s list Spring 2013, received the Sales and Leases Book Award Fall 2012, and received the Geoffrey Fieger Trial Practice Institute Certificate. Upon graduation from Michigan State University College of Law, Ashley moved back to the warm, sunny South and joined Vernis & Bowling of Palm Beach in 2014.

Ashley’s areas of practice include: community based care, director and officer liability, employment law, condominium and homeowner association disputes, liability defense, premises liability claims, automobile liability claims, and general insurance defense claims, and appeals. Specifically, she has experience in handling cases from defending clients involved in Federal and State Agency charges of discrimination, handling pre-suit demands, responding to preparing and arguing motions, conducting hearings, depositions, engaging in settlement negotiations and mediations, non-jury trials and appeals. Ashley has appellate experience at the state level in multiple District Court of Appeals and was responsible for all aspects of the appeals including writing briefs, reply briefs and preparing for oral argument.

Ashley strives to ensure she is thoroughly familiar with all aspects of her claims to provide her clients with specific strategies to navigate quick and efficient resolutions of the claim(s) while vigorously advocating for her client in a polite and professional manner. She is a member of the Craig S. Barnard American Inn of Court (2019-2020; 2020-2021; 2021-2022), and the Young Lawyer Division. She is licensed to practice in the State of Florida and the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida and the Middle District of Florida.

When not in the office, Ashley enjoys reading, going to the spa, spending time with family, and traveling.