• Florida Bar Board Certified Civil Trial Lawyer
• AV^® Preeminent^™ Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell
• Martindale-Hubbell’s Bar Registry of Preeminent Lawyers in America
• Florida’s Legal Elite, by Florida Trend Magazine
• Florida’s Super Lawyers by Super Lawyers Magazine published by Law & Politics
• Florida’s Leading Lawyers by South Florida Business Journal
• Florida’s Power Leaders in Law by South Florida Business Journal
• Florida’s Top Lawyers by South Florida Legal Guide

G. Jeffrey Vernis was born in Coral Gables, Florida. In 1984, he graduated from the University of South Florida with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminal Justice and a minor in International Political Science. While at U.S.F., Jeff was a founding member of a social fraternity requiring higher academic standards which later became a national fraternity. He then attended St. Thomas University School of Law, in Miami, Florida. St. Thomas University conferred a Juris Doctorate upon him in 1987. Some of his academic memberships and honors include Dean’s list, 1986, 1987; Moot Court Board, 1984, 1985; member of Delta Theta Phi law fraternity.

Since graduating from St. Thomas University in 1987, Jeff began working for Vernis & Bowling, in the Fort Lauderdale, Florida office, handling general insurance defense matters. In 1988, he began working in the Palm Beach County office, located in North Palm Beach, Florida, and became managing attorney in 1990.

Jeff specializes in civil trial and appellate practice and is Board Certified in Civil Trial Law by the Florida Bar Board of Specialization. Certification is the highest level of recognition by the Florida Bar of the competency and experience of attorneys. Jeff is AV® Preeminent™ Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell, which identifies attorneys with preeminent legal ability and is a reflection of expertise, experience, integrity and overall professional excellence. He is recognized in Martindale-Hubbell’s Bar Registry of Preeminent Lawyers in America. Jeff has also been selected as one of Florida’s Legal Elite by Florida Trend Magazine and one of Florida’s Super Lawyers by Super Lawyer Magazine. He has also been named one of Florida’s Leading Lawyers by the South Florida Business Journal. Jeff has been listed as one of Florida’s Top Lawyers by the South Florida Legal Guide and named one of Florida’s Power Leaders in Law by South Florida Business Journal.

Jeff’s areas of practice are insurance defense, commercial litigation and employment related practices (including trial and appellate practice). His experience includes the handling of lawsuits involving assault and battery, automobile liability, negligent hiring, supervision and retention, premises liability, negligent security, sexual assault, garage liability, construction and construction defect litigation, automobile dealership liability, consumer law, public law, including State, County and municipality, malicious prosecution/false arrest, product liability, coverage disputes, wrongful death, environmental law, employment related practices including sexual harassment, wrongful discharge and Americans with Disabilities Act, homeowner’s association law, professional malpractice liability, constitutional law, and subrogation.

Jeff’s experience in handling matters in these areas of practice includes the handling of catastrophic injury cases, complex litigation matters, multiple party actions and high profile cases. He has handled extremely high profile matters including Morelock v. William Lane (wrongful death), Kraus v. Smith & Co. (wrongful death), Saccone v. State of Florida Department of Children and Families, (wrongful death of a child), Garcia-Bengochea v. State of Florida Department of Children and Families (wrongful adoption), John Daly v. PGA (personal injury/negligent security) and national class action litigation and multi-federal district class action litigation before the Multi-District Litigation Panel in Washington D.C. Further, this experience has led to Jeff being a speaker at numerous seminars and insurance industry conventions throughout the country including the National Risk and Insurance Management Society annual convention, National Restaurant Association Conference, the Florida Retail Federation annual conference, the Council on Litigation Management’s Annual Conference, the Florida RIMS convention, the National Society of Professional Insurance Investigators’ (NSPII) annual conference and many other national conferences. Jeff has also been a speaker at numerous in-house seminars for insurance companies and self- insureds throughout the United States. He is a regular speaker for the Florida Bar, the CEU Institute and the Council for Litigation Management.

Jeff is admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court, the Florida Supreme Court (includes all Florida State courts) and the U.S. District Courts for the Southern and Middle Districts of Florida (trial bar). In addition, Jeff is a member of the Defense Research Institute (DRI), the National Restaurant Association, and the Council for Litigation Management (CLM). Jeff also is a charter/founding member of the National Retail and Restaurant Defense Association (NRRDA) and currently serves as its General Counsel.

Jeff has an outstanding trial and appellate record and will provide details upon request. He has successfully handled numerous appeals in Florida. Among others, Jeff was lead counsel of record for the appellate matters of Kimmins Recycling, Inc. v. Rogers, 704 So2d 600 (4th DCA 1997) (tort threshold requirements); Stuart Lincoln Mercury v. Wisk, 25 F.L.W. D 578 (Fla. 4th DCA 2000)(attorney’s fees); Janashpa, Inc. v. Seitter, (Fla. 4th DCA 1999) (new trial); Brownell v. Florida Department of Corrections, (Fla. 1st DCA 1998)(compensable injury); Armstrong v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., (Fla. 4th DCA)(new trial, UM), Richards v. Luxury Imports, Inc., (Fla. 4th DCA 2005) (Fraud/Deceptive Trade Practices), Samuels v. Luxury Imports, Inc., (Fla. 4th DCA 2005) (Deceptive Trade Practices/new trial) and Verdino v. Pete’s Café, (Fla. 4th DCA 2005) (Liquor Liability), Green v. Luxury Imports, Inc., (Fla. 4th DCA 2006) (Deceptive Trade Practices/fraud/class-action), Rosenfeld v. Seltzer, (Fla. 4th DCA 2008) (trial evidence and jury instructions), Petit-Dos v. School Board of Broward County, (Fla. 4th DCA 2009) (Fabre defense/intentional tort/comparative negligence) and Cardany v. Lowes, Fla. (4th DCA 2009) (trial evidence/new trial).

Jeff is also actively involved in community organizations. He serves as President of the Board of Directors of Jeff Industries, Inc., which offers unique and innovative programs, education and training for troubled children and the mentally ill in Palm Beach County.

Jeff’s outside interests include tennis, boating, scuba diving, traveling and martial arts (aikido and iaido). Mr. Vernis holds the rank of sixth degree black belt and a teaching certification (Shidoin) in the Japanese martial art of Aikido, awarded by the Aikido Foundation (Aikido World Headquarters in Japan) and the United States Aikido Federation.

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.

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.

Thomas W. Paradise was born in Houghton, Michigan and raised in Boca Raton, Florida. He graduated in 1988 from Tulane University, A.B. Freeman School of Business with a B.A. Degree in Management, Accounting Major. While at Tulane, Tom was awarded for academic achievement and was the Vice-President of the Beta Alpha Psi Honorary Fraternity. He then attended Stetson University College of Law and received his Juris Doctorate in 1991.

Tom Paradise is an AV® Preeminent™ Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell, which is an award that identifies attorneys with the highest legal ability and signifies expertise, experience, integrity and overall professional excellence. He is also listed in the Bar Registry of Preeminent Lawyers, A.M. Best’s Recommended Insurance Attorneys and named in “South Florida’s Top Rated Lawyers”. Tom specializes in civil litigation with an emphasis in the areas of personal injury, premises liability, automobile accidents, negligent security and supervision, commercial trucking accidents, governmental tort liability, product liability and insurance subrogation. His practice includes formulating polices/procedures and managing risk concerns for major corporations and governmental entities. He also defends insurance companies in first party property claims which covers a wide array of issues such as breach of contract, appraisals, declaratory actions, fraud, arson and bad faith. Tom has been a speaker at numerous conferences and has presented legal/educational seminars for insurance companies, third party administrators and self-insureds throughout the United States.

He was admitted to the Florida Bar in 1991, and practices before all Florida State Courts, including the Third and Fourth District Court of Appeals. Tom also has an active Federal Court practice and is admitted in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida, the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit.

Tom began his practice with a prominent Miami civil defense firm where he worked in the areas of insurance defense, personal injury, commercial litigation, and in complex litigation involving shoddy home construction and Hurricane Andrew. His practice at that time included several class actions involving catastrophic property damage and significant insurance subrogation. Tom joined Vernis & Bowling as a Managing Attorney in October 2002.

Tom has participated in the Broward Community Development Corporation and the Dade County Bar Association Put Something Back Program. He is a current or past member of the Broward County Bar Association, Miami-Dade County Bar Association, American Bar Association, Defense Research Institute, Counsel for Litigation Management and the South Florida Claims Association where he served as President in 2012.

Kimble McKay began working at Vernis & Bowling in the summer of 2012. He was born and raised in Tampa, Florida. In 2010, he graduated from the University of Florida with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminology. While at the University of Florida, he was a member of the Phi Alpha Delta Pre-Law Society.

Kimble then attended the Florida Coastal School of Law in Jacksonville, Florida. Florida Coastal School of Law conferred a Juris Doctorate upon him in 2013. Some of his academic memberships and activities while at Florida Coastal include Business Law Society, Sports Law Society, and volunteering at the Family Nurturing Center.

Since graduating from Florida Coastal School of Law in 2013, Kimble has been working at Vernis & Bowling of the Gulf Coast as an attorney handling general insurance defense matters with a specific focus on construction defect litigation and bodily injury claims. Kimble is an avid Florida Gators fan. In his spare time he enjoys playing sports, boating, fishing, and other outdoor activities.