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.

William Kratochvil was born in South Bend, Indiana, but grew up splitting time in Spartanburg, South Carolina and Laconia, New Hampshire. He enlisted in the United States Marine Corps from 1990-1994, serving on the Presidential Guard Detail for President George Herbert Walker Bush, then in the infantry before receiving his Honorable Discharge. In 1997, he completed his undergraduate degree from the University of Florida, with honors, then attended the Levin College of Law at the University of Florida. He received his Juris Doctor degree in 2000, with honors.

After graduating from the University of Florida, William moved to Fort Myers, Florida, where he began his career working as an insurance defense lawyer. He eventually became the managing partner at the firm of George, Hartz, and Lundeen in Fort Myers, working on all aspects of insurance defense cases and taking many to successful trial results. William has also specialized in S.I.U/Fraud as well as civil rights defense cases.

William joins Vernis & Bowling of Southwest Florida, P.A. to focus his civil trial practice in all areas of automobile negligence, premises liability, products liability, negligent security, employment law, civil rights litigation, construction litigation, first/third party claims and liability defense.

William is a member of the Florida Bar and is also admitted in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida.

When not working, William enjoys all aspects of outdoor life with his two children to include camping, hiking, boating, and fishing.

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.

“Karen is a wonderful problem solver. We just concluded a case that never would have settled if not for her patience and ability to work well with others.”

Karen M. Nissen was born in 1956 in Newton, Massachusetts. She graduated from Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida with a degree in Behavioral Science in 1978 and received a Masters Degree in Student Personnel in Higher Education from the University of Georgia in 1981. After graduating from the University of Georgia, Karen worked at the University of Florida as the Assistant Director of Housing for Staff and Student Development. Karen received her Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Florida in 1990. She served as President of the Federal Bar Association, Palm Beach County Chapter from 2002-2003 and previously served the group as vice president, secretary and treasurer. Karen is a member of the Palm Beach County Bar Association, the Florida Bar, and the American Bar Association.

Karen’s areas of practice include: community based care including, but not limited to, representation of the Florida Department of Children & Families, director and officer liability, employment law, condominium and homeowner association disputes, liability defense, 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, preparing and responding to discovery, conducting hearings, depositions, settlement negotiations, mediations, trials and appeals. Karen has appellate experience on both the state and federal level and was responsible for all aspects of the appeals including writing briefs, reply briefs and preparing for oral argument.

Karen’s approach to litigation is based on her background in education and counseling which often leads to early and unique resolutions to her cases. Her ability to connect to both clients and the opposing party assist her in obtaining resolution of cases that are complex and personal to all people involved. She has been called the “condo whisperer” by some clients and has been selected to represent clients in emotionally charged employment and child welfare cases due in part to her approach to litigation which is not found in many firms.

Karen enjoys spending time in the Bahamas as well as the mountains of North Carolina.

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.