Peggy is a shareholder in the Casualty Department and an accomplished litigator, advocate, and counselor with more than 23 years of experience. She focuses her practice on defending corporations, large self-insureds, and public entities in cases involving negligence, transportation and trucking liability, and premises liability. Born and raised in North Alabama, Peggy is known for pairing strategic, results-oriented litigation with professionalism, civility, and a practical approach to problem-solving.
Peggy routinely defends claims arising from motor vehicle accidents, premises liability, product liability, negligent security, and general liability. Her broad experience also extends to commercial matters-such as breach of contract and indemnification-as well as code compliance, environmental toxic torts, crisis management, false imprisonment, malicious prosecution, negligent hiring and retention, and ADA accessibility claims, including complex website accessibility disputes. She also brings more than a decade of experience in public entity defense, with extensive knowledge of Florida’s Public Records Act, Sunshine Law, sovereign immunity, statutory limitations, fee-shifting provisions, and compliance and enforcement issues. She regularly works alongside risk management professionals on investigations, litigation, and risk avoidance strategies.
Peggy began her career at a respected Orlando defense firm, gaining valuable trial experience before becoming a founding shareholder of Southern Trial Counsel PLC in 2010, where she also served as managing partner. Her legal career is rooted in a broader 40-year career working with and for businesses, which began in television and radio before moving into the financial industry, where she held Series 7, Series 6, and Series 63 licenses as a stockbroker. While working her way through law school, Peggy clerked for the in-house general counsel of an international restaurant company headquartered in Orlando. Today, she is recognized with Martindale-Hubbell’s highest rating (5.0/5.0 Preeminent ), and is also a Florida Supreme Court Certified Mediator and a Certified Claims and Litigation Management Professional.
Outside of the courtroom, Peggy has been married to her husband, Stephen, since 1985. They live in Orlando with their twin boys, Jack Hunter and Finn, and their calico cat, Harlie. Peggy treasures family time, enjoys music, cooking, and reading, and is dedicated to mentoring the next generation of attorneys.
Honors & awards
AV Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell
The Best Lawyers in America, Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants
2023-2026
Florida Trend Legal Elite NOTABLE Women Leaders in Law
2024
Barry University School of Law Outstanding Achievement Alumni Award, 2017
Florida Elite-Civil Trial by Florida Trend Magazine
2013
Florida Super Lawyers Rising Star
2010-2012
Florida Supreme Court Certified Circuit Court Mediator
Litigation Management Institute, Graduate 2013 (CLMP)
University of North Alabama 2023 Alumni Award for Public Service
WTS International Executive Signature Leadership Program
Year joined
2020
Thought Leadership
98 Marshall Dennehey Attorneys Recognized in the 2026 Editions of The Best Lawyers in America and the Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America
August 20, 2025
Marshall Dennehey is proud to highlight the firm’s 98 attorneys who have been recognized in the 2026 editions of The Best Lawyers in America and the Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America. Less than 6% of all practicing lawyers in the U.S.
Marshall Dennehey Shareholders Recognized as Florida Trend Legal Elite NOTABLE Women Leaders in Law
Premises & Retail Liability
Product Liability
Workers' Compensation
December 2, 2024
Marshall Dennehey is pleased to announce that two of its Florida shareholders, Peggy Smith Bush and Heathe
Marshall Dennehey Announces 2024 Shareholder Class And Special Counsel Promotions
December 19, 2023
Marshall Dennehey is pleased to announce that 10 attorneys have been elected shareholders of the firm effective January 1, 2024. Additionally, three attorneys have been promoted from associate to special counsel.
How to Get Your Business Relationships - and Yourself - Back on Track After a Year of Isolation
Orlando
General Liability
February 23, 2021
Classes/ Seminar Taught
Mock Trial, Trial Run, Tabletop Role Playing - Guilty or Not Guilty?, Bus Industry Safety Council (BISC) Annual Summer Meeting, Orlando, FL, July 22, 2024
'Current Employment Law Issues in Trucking & Transportation Litigation,' AM Best Insurance Law Podcast, June 4, 2024
Rules of the Trucking Industry: Staying on Track!, Transportation Lawyers Association (TLA) Annual Conference - Virtual, June 24th, 2021
