Brannock Berman & Seider

Managing Shareholders: Steve Brannock, Ceci Berman, Tom Seider, and Joe Eagleton.

11 lawyers focusing exclusively on appellate practice

5 lawyers board certified by The Florida Bar in appellate practice

4 lawyers ranked in Chambers for appellate litigation

2 former appellate judges

FIRM OVERVIEW:

Brannock Berman & Seider is a Florida-based litigation boutique focusing exclusively on appellate law and trial support. With a team of eleven experienced lawyers, including two former appellate judges, Brannock Berman & Seider is the largest firm in the state of Florida specializing in appellate law. The firm handles all types of state and federal appeals, ranging from complex commercial disputes to high-stakes family law and personal injury litigation. Complementing the firm’s appellate work, its lawyers often provide trial support—handling the big-ticket legal arguments presented by important cases and framing the key issues appropriately for appeal.

MAIN AREAS OF PRACTICE:

Appellate Practice:

The firm has handled hundreds of appeals, and its lawyers have appeared in the United States Supreme Court; the Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, Eighth, Ninth, Tenth, Eleventh, and Federal United States Circuit Courts of Appeals; the Florida Supreme Court; and every Florida District Court of Appeal.

The firm’s experience includes appeals in virtually every subject area of the law, both civil and criminal. Its lawyers regularly handle complex commercial appeals, constitutional litigation, land use disputes, family law appeals, and high-stakes personal injury appeals. Its clients include individuals, businesses (small and large), municipalities, bankruptcy trustees, governmental agencies, and public utilities.

Trial Support:

A successful appeal starts with building a great trial record. Brannock Berman & Seider specializes in partnering with trial lawyers to prepare for a win at the appellate level. The firm's eleven lawyers, all of whom are effective trial court advocates, help prepare for a successful appeal by researching and analyzing the key legal issues in the case, and then writing and arguing the dispositive or significant motions. Brannock Berman & Seider helps ensure that arguments are preserved for appeal by drafting jury instructions and by handling directed verdict motions. Once the verdict arrives, the firm’s lawyers routinely appear with trial counsel to address post-trial motions.

The firm’s trial support work ensures that the case has been properly postured to present to the ultimate decision-maker: the appellate court. Equally important, the firm’s focus on the legal issues in the case frees up the trial lawyers to focus on what they do best: the presentation of the story of the case to the jury.

THE BRANNOCK BERMAN & SEIDER LEGAL TEAM:

Brannock Berman & Seider’s highly credentialed legal team has the experience to handle any matter of any complexity in any substantive area of the law. The firm’s eleven appellate lawyers have over 300 years of combined experience on both sides of the bench. Five of the firm’s lawyers are board certified in appellate practice by the Florida Bar. Many of the firm’s lawyers have held positions of high distinction within the Florida Bar, including two lawyers who have served as Chair of the Florida Bar’s Appellate Practice Section, the incoming Chair of the Appellate Practice Section and others who have served as Chair of the Appellate Court Rules Committee and Vice Chair of the Civil Rules Committee.

The firm’s lawyers are frequent writers and lecturers on appellate topics. Two have joined the firm after distinguished careers as Florida appellate jurists. One of these former jurists has written the leading treatise on appellate practice in Florida, a reference work that is used by virtually every appellate lawyer and judge in the state and is routinely cited by judges in their decisions.

Brannock Berman & Seider is also committed to community service and pro bono work. One of the firm’s lawyers has won the Tobias Simon pro bono award, the highest statewide award for pro bono service in Florida. Another has won the John Hamilton award, the highest pro bono recognition from The Florida Bar’s Appellate Practice Section, after launching an award-winning pro bono initiative repeatedly featured in The Florida Bar News. Many of the firm’s lawyers have donated hundreds of hours to pro bono causes. Others are mentors for students and have spearheaded community initiatives.

The firm’s bench is deep. Four of its lawyers are ranked by Chambers in appellate practice, more than any other appellate firm in Florida. Virtually every lawyer in the firm is recognized by and appears on other top lists of Florida appellate lawyers. The firm’s younger partners already have vast experience gained by arguing frequently in trial and appellate courts throughout the state, including the Florida Supreme Court. And showing its commitment to the future, the firm works to ensure that even its newest lawyers have the opportunity to appear before Florida’s trial and appellate courts.

From top to bottom, Brannock Berman & Seider serves its clients’ interests with skill, knowledge, and passion.

REPRESENTATIVE CLIENTS:

• AVR Realty Company, LLC
• BayCare Medical Group, Inc.
• Benderson Development Co., LLC
• Berkley Insurance Company
• Black & Veatch LLP
• Bromley Companies
• City of Gainesville
• City of Ocala
• City of Palm Bay
• City of St. Petersburg
• City of Tallahassee
• Florida Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church
• Florida Blue
• Florida Power Corporation
• Foley & Lardner LLP
• IMG
• Lee County Electric Cooperative
• Maronda Homes of Florida
• Properties of the Villages
• SHM Cape Harbour, LLC
• U.S. Center for SafeSport, Inc.
• Venn Therapeutics, LLC
• Verizon Wireless
• West Shore LLC