Experience Joel is an AV-rated civil trial lawyer and Shareholder with the firm. He focuses his practice on commercial litigation, construction litigation, eminent domain, condemnation and public law. For more than ten years, Joel has represented design and construction firms in various professional liability, construction and business matters. Joel also represents several large defense contractors, City governments and banking institutions in various litigation and administrative matters. Joel continues to devote a significant amount of his practice to property rights, representing property owners in eminent domain, inverse condemnation and Bert Harris claims, as well as condemning authorities. His commercial and construction litigation experience greatly enhances his ability to represent property owners through the condemnation process as well as in various forms of property rights litigation. Joel is admitted to practice in Federal Court in the Northern, Southern and Middle Districts of Florida. Background Joel is a third generation native Floridian, born in Gainesville, Florida and raised in Keystone Heights, Florida. Joel is a 1990 graduate of the United States Military Academy. During his time at the Academy, he rowed on the Varsity Crew Team, completed Airborne training and interned for the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Joel graduated with a Bachelor of Science and Engineering Degree, with a Major in International Relations. Upon graduation from West Point, Joel accepted a commission in the United States Army. He held numerous leadership positions in Korea, the 101st Airborne at Ft. Campbell, Kentucky, the Pentagon, Germany, and Ft. Hood, Texas. He left active duty as a Captain to attend the University of Florida Law School in 1997. He is a graduate of the Army's Command and General Staff College. Joel graduated with honors from the University of Florida Law School in 1999. During law school, Joel served as the Editor-in-Chief of the Florida Journal of International Law. He was a member of the Jessup Moot Court Team and he participated in the State Attorney's Internship Program, where he tried several jury cases. After working with a boutique litigation firm in Orlando, Joel joined the GrayRobinson firm in 2001. In 2004, Joel was recognized as a Million Dollar Advocate, having successfully represented a client in a patent and trade secret dispute resulting in an award in excess of $4.5 million. In 2005, Joel was awarded an "AV Peer Review Rating" by Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory (AV) which defines the AV rating as showing that a lawyer has reached the height of professional excellence. He or she has usually practiced for many years, and is recognized for the "highest level of skill and integrity." Following these accomplishments, Joel was nominated as a Shareholder in 2005, only five years after graduation from law school. Joel and his wife, Kari, live in Winter Park and have two sons and one daughter. Joel is a graduate of Leadership Orlando, Leadership Florida, Class XXVI and Leadership Winter Park, Class XX. He is on the Board of Florida Citrus Sports, a Winter Park Public Library Trustee, as well as a member of the Winter Park Parks and Recreation Board, Dommerich Foundation Board, and Winter Park Chamber of Commerce. He is an avid cyclist and triathlete, as well as active in coaching YMCA soccer and basketball. Civic · Florida Citrus Sports, Board Member · Service Academy Selection Board, Former U.S. Congressman Ric Keller, Former Chairman · West Point Society of Central Florida · Dommerich Foundation Fund, Inc. (supporting Dommerich Elementary), Co-founder and Treasurer, October 2009 · Winter Park Public Library, Board of Trustees, February 2010 · Winter Park Parks & Recreation Commission, May 2010 · YMCA Youth Soccer Coach · YMCA Youth Basketball Coach · Leadership Orlando, Class 60 · Leadership Florida, Class XXVI · Leadership Winter Park, Class XX Professional · The Florida Bar
- Eminent Domain Standing Committee, Member · Orange County Bar Association · American Bar Association · U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida · U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida · U.S. District Court, Northern District of Florida · Million Dollar Advocates Forum · "AV" Rated by Martindale-Hubbell · Eminent Domain SuperConference, Co-Chair, 2007-2008 · Florida Trend "Legal Elite," 2010, 2011 · Florida Super Lawyers, 2011 Publications: · Co-Author, "FDOT's Attack on Business Damage," in PetroGram Magazine, Summer 2009 |