Kimberly B. Sheridan was born in Frankfurt, Germany where her father was serving in the Army. She grew up in Greenville, South Carolina, but left South Carolina to attend college in Georgia. She fell in love with the State of Georgia and stayed to pursue her life long goal of being an attorney. While attending law school at the University of Georgia, Kimberly worked in the Prosecution Clinic, a program that allowed her to try cases before graduating. Kimberly also participated in the Public Interest Practicum representing women and children who were abused and neglected. Both experiences created a passion for litigation and for being in the courtroom advocating vigorously for her clients.

Kimberly believes in the legal system and works hard to defend her clients’ rights with integrity, diligence and hard work. Kimberly has been a trial lawyer in Atlanta since receiving her Juris Doctorate degree in 1996. She began her legal career as criminal defense attorney and Plaintiff’s lawyer before becoming a prosecutor with the District Attorney’s Offices in Fulton and Gwinnett counties providing her with tremendous experience litigating and trying cases. In 2001, Ms. Sheridan shifted from criminal law and applied her substantial experience in the courtroom to civil defense litigation. Kimberly has handled many jury and bench trials. She has defended and deposed numerous parties, witnesses, and experts and drafted and argued countless motions. Kimberly has also written and won many appellate arguments.

Kimberly Sheridan is the Managing Attorney for Vernis and Bowling of Atlanta, LLC. With two (2) decades of trial experience, she has developed a diverse litigation practice that includes automobile liability, premises liability (including slip & fall and negligent security), trucking litigation, products liability, employment defense and wrongful death. With an extensive knowledge of both the law and its practical application, Kimberly works with clients to resolve complex disputes per mediation, negotiated settlement, or trial resolution.  She is admitted to practice in Georgia and the U.S. District Courts in Georgia, the Georgia Court of Appeals and Supreme Court of Georgia.

Outside of work, Kimberly enjoys spending time with her husband and five children. Kimberly is an avid painter and has sold her paintings throughout Georgia.

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.

Nationally Board Certified Trial Advocate
Florida Bar Board Certified Civil Trial Lawyer
Florida Supreme Court Certified Circuit Court Mediator

Christopher Blain is the managing attorney of the Tampa, Florida office.  He has worked all aspects of the insurance industry.  He is an expert in Civil Trial and is Board Certified by the Florida Bar and Nationally Board Certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy.  He was born in Addison, Illinois which is a suburb outside of Chicago.  He attended college at Lake Forest College where he graduated in 1996.  He continued his education at Barry University, School of Law where he received his Juris Doctor in 2002.  While in law school, Chris worked under the Honorable Judge Walter Komanski at the Ninth Judicial Circuit, where he researched complex civil litigation issues.

Chris has tried numerous matters to jury verdicts in both State and Federal Courts.  He has litigated general liability defense work ranging from handling lawsuits involving claims of wrongful death, premises liability, insurance coverage, auto negligence, negligent security and property claims. Chris has also represented Homeowner/Condominium Associations and their Board Members before HUD, State and Federal Courts regarding disputes arising over deed restrictions, enforcement of those restrictions and alleged discrimination. In addition, Chris has also lectured extensively in these fields where he has been a featured speaker at continuing education seminars around the United States on a variety of insurance defense and litigation topics.

Chris is admitted to practice law in all State Courts in Florida as well as all Federal Courts which include the Northern, Southern and Middle Districts of Florida.  He is admitted to practice in the Eleventh Circuit of the United States Court of Appeals. Further, he is admitted to practice in all courts in the State of Illinois.

In his free time, Chris enjoys being active in the Tampa area.  He is an assistant soccer coach for his son’s team and can also be found cheering on his daughter at her drama class performances.

Carlton Bober was born in Miami, Florida. He graduated from Emory University in 1986 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in both Economics and Political Science. While at Emory, Carl’s honors included being selected for the Dean’s List and ranking in the top 20% of his class. He subsequently obtained his Juris Doctor from the George Washington University National Law Center in 1989, which he attended after receiving a full academic tuition scholarship for all three years of law school. At George Washington, Carl was elected by his fellow students to serve as a representative to the Student Bar Association.

Carl is recognized as an AV® Preeminent™ Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell, its highest possible rating awarded based upon excellence in legal ability and ethical standards, and is listed in the Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers as well as A.M Best’s Recommended Insurance Attorneys. He was also named in “South Florida’s Top Rated Lawyers” by Legal Leaders, a publication assembled from peer review ratings. He maintains an extensive trial practice in both federal and state court as lead counsel for major corporate, insurance defense and governmental clients. His experience includes the handling of lawsuits involving claims of wrongful death, serious personal injury, premises liability, insurance coverage, first and third party property claims, auto negligence, construction defects and construction law issues, negligent supervision/security, professional malpractice, product liability and employment discrimination. Carl also defends major insurance companies in significant property coverage claims including issues of breach of contract, declaratory relief, bad faith, arson, fraud and hurricane claims. His representation of employers in federal discrimination suits includes matters arising under Title VII, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Florida Civil Rights Act. He has personally defended his clients as first-chair attorney in over fifty jury trials.

Carl, who is fluent in Spanish, is a former Assistant Public Defender for Miami-Dade County in the Felony Trial Division. He is also a Past President of Broward County Hispanic Bar Association and served for many years on its Board of Directors. Carl has been awarded the Hispanic Community Awareness Award by the Nova Southeastern University Law School Hispanic Law Students Association. He was also appointed by the President of the Florida Bar to the Juvenile Court Rules Committee as well as to Florida Bar Grievance Committee 17F, and is a member of the Broward and Miami-Dade County Bar Associations, the Cuban American Bar Association, and the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. Carl joined VERNIS & BOWLING of Broward in October 2002 as managing attorney of its Liability Department. He is admitted to practice in all State Courts in Florida, the United States District Court for the Southern District and Middle District of Florida, the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, and the District of Columbia.

Florida Bar Certified in City, County and Local Government Law

Dirk M. Smits was born in Boca Raton, Florida. He attended and graduated from Tulane University with a bachelor’s degree in accounting. During his years at Tulane, he was a member of Beta Alpha Psi Accounting Honor Society and on the Dean’s List three (3) semesters. Mr. Smits attended law school at the University of Miami and graduated Cum Laude. While in law school, he received honors including Dean’s List and an honors scholarship.

Mr. Smits’ practice is concentrated primarily in City, County and Local Government Law and he has been certified as an expert by the Florida Bar for those areas. He serves as a Monroe County School Board Attorney, City Attorney for the City of Layton, Board Attorney for the Florida Keys Mosquito Control District, and Board Attorney for Key Largo Fire & EMS District. Mr. Smits formerly served as City Attorney for the City of Marathon and as a special counsel for Monroe County.

In service of the numerous government clients, Mr. Smits has handled every aspect of the practice. Matters include a range of routine meeting issues to complicated land use, acquisition and even eminent domain questions. Mr. Smits regularly drafts legal documents, resolutions, ordinances, contracts and legal opinions for his government clients.

Additionally, Mr. Smits has extensive jury trial experience at both the Federal and State level. In addition, Mr. Smits has appellate experience in the Third, Fourth and Fifth State District Courts of Appeal, as well as the Supreme Court of Florida.

Mr. Smits serves on the board of Habitat for Humanity of the Upper Keys as Vice President. Dirk is also a lector, Eucharistic minister and member of his parish’s finance counsel. He founded Friends of San Pedro Catholic Church which is an endowment to provide for the capital needs of the church.