Noah Uhry was born in Annapolis, Maryland but was raised in Atlanta, Georgia nearly his entire life. Noah attended Kennesaw State University where he received his undergraduate degree in a combined major of Psychology and English. While at Kennesaw State University, Noah was the Co-President of the Club Baseball team.

From there, Noah attended Liberty University School of Law. While there, Noah focused on developing oral advocacy and litigation skills. Noah received his Juris Doctorate and decided to move to Florida to begin practicing law.

Since joining Vernis & Bowling, Noah has been handling general insurance defense matters with a specific focus on Bodily Injury Claims.

One of the main reasons Noah wanted to practice law stems from his passion of being a creative thinker. He has always loved thinking outside the box to solve complex issues. Noah has always been a competitive person because of his background in sports. So, Noah enjoys the everyday back and forth that accompanies litigation during the representation of his clients.

Noah is an avid sports fan. In his free time, he enjoys playing sports, watching sports, and training his 2-year-old dog named Buffalo.

Lina Soares is the Director of Litigation Support in the firm’s St. Petersburg office. She was born in Brazil and has lived in Florida for the past 13 years.

Lina received her Juris Doctorate from Pontifical Catholic University in Brazil. She also obtained a Lato Sensu Postgraduate degree in Civil Law from Centro de Atualizacao em Direito in Brazil. Additionally, Lina received a Master of Laws degree in Comparative Law from the University of Florida.

Lina is a member of the Brazilian Bar. She litigated for 15 years in Federal and State Courts handling mainly public employee litigation involving breaches of labor contracts and violations of federal labor laws by the Federal Government. She also specialized in divorce, alimony, child custody, and probate.

Lina joined Vernis & Bowling as a paralegal, eventually being promoted to Director of Litigation Support. Lina is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the St. Petersburg office and ensures that the staff maintains the exceptional quality our clients expect from Vernis & Bowling.

Outside the office, Lina enjoys family time with her husband and 2 kids, and traveling.

Ali Rahnavard is a civil litigator who joined Vernis & Bowling, seeking new challenges and professional growth.

Prior to joining the firm, Ali’s practice focused on general civil litigation, creditors’ rights, compliance, and pre and post-judgment collections. In four years, Ali distinguished himself with a litigation-focused approach, initiating several thousand civil suits, advocating for the interest of his clients before courts in all 67 Florida counties on more than 2,000 occasions, and obtaining countless judgments on behalf of his clients. Ali’s focus in the last two years of his collections practice was on litigious opposition from Consumer Attorneys and the defense of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and Florida Consumer Collection Practices Act counterclaims.

Ali was sworn into the Florida Bar on his 28th birthday after obtaining his law degree from Stetson University College of Law. While at Stetson, Ali took advantage of their #1 ranked Trial Advocacy program and focused on practical experiences, completing two judicial internships. From his experience with Judge Pamala A.M. Campbell of the 6th Judicial Circuit Court of Florida, he learned the importance of preparation and mastery of the rules of civil procedure and sharpened his research skills. His experience with Judge Catherine Peek McEwen of the United States Bankruptcy Court Middle District of Florida, allowed him to hone his legal writing and analysis and obtain valuable working knowledge of the Bankruptcy Code. Ali was also an active volunteer guardian ad litem advocating on behalf of the interest of children in dependency. In 2025, Ali was appointed by the incoming Florida Bar President to serve as a committee member on the Law Related Education Committee of the Florida Bar.

A lifelong student of history, Ali graduated from the University of Central Florida with his Bachelor of Arts in History with a minor in Political Science. His areas of study included European, Greek, and Roman history, but he particularly enjoyed his study of the classics.

Ali was born in Washington D.C. and has lived in the D.C. Metro, South Carolina, and Central and South Florida before settling in Tampa Bay after law school.

Outside the practice of law, Ali enjoys new adventures with his wife Scarlett and their children, connecting with his Persian heritage, staring at a mountain of unread books, and telling himself that one day he really will get around to learning guitar.

Richard Morrow was born in Keene, New Hampshire but was raised and has lived in Florida nearly his entire life. Rick attended the University of South Florida where he graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science. Rick received his Juris Doctorate, graduating cum laude from Stetson University College of Law. While at Stetson, he served as a Legislative Representative as well as Vice President of the Student Bar Association and served as a member of a faculty and student Advisory Council to improve the operations and policies at Stetson.

Rick spent his early career as an entrepreneur, owning various business entities including an independent auto dealership here in Florida. He has owned and managed apartment complexes as well as other varied real estate holdings. After finding success in these endeavors, Rick followed a lifelong dream and began his “second career” in the practice of law.

Rick is a member of the Florida Bar as well as being admitted to practice in the U.S. District Court in and for the Middle District of Florida. Rick utilizes his previous business experience when representing and advising clients on legal issues. His focus of practice includes all aspects of automotive negligence, business and commercial law, general civil litigation, premises liability, employment law, and litigation, as well as contract drafting.

Rick is a dedicated family man who married his high school sweetheart. Together, they have three sons and numerous grandchildren. He enjoys the “Florida” lifestyle as well as being an avid motorcyclist and Jeep enthusiast. You can find him in his spare time traveling, visiting beaches, theme parks, and Florida’s natural wonders.

Berkefield Hugh was born in St. Thomas Virgin Islands and raised in Tampa, Florida. Berkefield attended Johnson & Wales University in North Miami, FL where he majored in Criminal Justice and obtained his Bachelor’s Degree in Arts & Sciences. Following his undergraduate studies, he attended St. Thomas University College of Law, where he graduated Cum Laude and obtained his Juris Doctorate.

Prior to joining Vernis & Bowling, Berkefield provided Pro Bono volunteer services to the Legal Services of Greater Miami handling landlord/tenant disputes. Additionally, he interned with the Miami-Dade Public Defender’s Office Felony Division where he handled a variety of Criminal cases
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Since joining Vernis & Bowling, Berkefield manages and defends cases throughout all stages of the Pre-Suit and Litigation process. Berkefield’s goal as a defense attorney is to provide diligent, client-oriented representation by offering strategies and innovative solutions to reach the client’s objectives. In his representation of his clients, Berkefield always strives to prioritize client needs and guidelines, while maximizing the chances of the best outcome for his clients and minimizing the costs to his clients.

When Berkefield is not practicing law, he enjoys spending time with his friends and family. He likes to watch MMA and Boxing, go racing, fishing, swimming, and many other activities. Despite his appearance, he loves to eat food, especially pasta. He one day hopes to travel to many different places of the world to experience mother nature’s beauty.