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Stuart J. Freeman
St. Petersburg, Florida
Partner
| Phone: | (727) 327-2258 (813) 224-0430 (Tampa) |
| Fax: | (727) 328-1340 |
| Email: | sjfreeman@brasfieldlaw.net |
Stuart is Board Certified as a Civil Trial Lawyer by the Florida Bar. Certification is the highest level of recognition by the Florida Bar of the competency and experience of attorneys in the areas of law approved for Certification by the Supreme Court of Florida. Approximately 4,000 of Florida's 76,000 lawyers are board certified. He is also certified as a Civil Trial Advocate by the National Board of Trial Advocacy (NBTA). NBTA certification is a credential above and beyond a license to practice law. Lawyers certified by the NBTA posses an enhanced level of skill and expertise in trial advocacy and have demonstrated integrity and dedication to the interests of their clients. Stuart has also been awarded an AV rating, the highest rating for both legal ability and ethical standards, by Martindale-Hubbell, a nationally recognized authoritative source on the legal profession.
Stuart is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA). His member status is that of an "advocate" which status is based on the number of jury trials he has tried. Membership in ABOTA is extended by invitation only in recognition of an individual's high personal character, honorable reputation and proficiency as a trial lawyer. Members generally are considered the nation's elite litigation practitioners, and must meet standards for number of years of practice and number of cases tried to conclusion.
In 2009, Stuart was selected to be a Florida Super Lawyer by his peers in the legal community. Stuart was selected in two separate categories, Personal Injury Defense: General, and Construction Litigation. Super Lawyers are nominated annually in each participating state or region by all active lawyers who have been in practice for five years or more . These lawyers were invited to select the best lawyers they've personally observed in action. Only five percent of the state's attorneys were selected as Florida Super Lawyers this year. Stuart was previously awarded this distinction in 2007 and 2008.
Stuart is a member of the adjunct faculty of Stetson University College of Law where he teaches Trial Advocacy. Stetson has been consistently ranked by U.S. News & World Reports among the top law schools in the nation for trial advocacy.
Stuart is a member of the Defense Research Institute, Inc., with an additional membership in the Trial Tactics Committee. He is also a member of the Florida and American Bar Associations, with additional memberships in the Trial Lawyer and Tort/Insurance Sections, respectively. He is admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of Florida, the United States District Court for Middle District of Florida, the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, and the United States Court of Federal Claims, Washington, D.C.
Before joining this firm, Stuart was an Assistant Public Defender in St. Petersburg, Florida, from November 1977 until August 1981, during which time he tried in excess of 50 felony jury trials. Stuart then joined Nationwide Insurance Company in 1981 as Staff Counsel serving the Tampa Bay Area and was directly involved in the litigation and trial of its cases.
In July 1983, he came to this firm and has been actively representing our clients through trial in both State and Federal Courts. Stuart has handled a wide variety of cases including serious personal injury and wrongful death, premises liability, construction defects involving multi-million dollar projects, condominium liability, insurance coverage, toxic torts including silica and asbestos, and products liability cases. During that time, Stuart has also personally represented the interests of our clients by handling their cases in the Florida appellate courts.
Stuart is well respected in the legal profession by both his colleagues as well as by his adversaries. If you retain him to handle your case, you can be assured that it will be handled in a most professional manner.
Representative Cases
Allstate Indemnity Company v. Wise , 818 So.2d 524 (Fla. 2d DCA 2001), rev. denied, 817 So.2d 844 (Fla. 2002) (Automobile insurance coverage case involving the "intentional acts" exclusion)
Furman's Inc. v. Cameron , 816 So.2d 1265 (Fla. 2d DCA 2002) (discovery case based on "work product privilege")
Essex Builders Group, Inc v. Amerisure Ins. Co., 485 F. Supp. 2d 1302 (M.D.Fla 2006) (Construction coverage case involving issues of "trigger of coverage" and "consequential damages" under a Comprehensive General Liability policy. This firm represented PGIC)
Bar Admissions
Florida, 1977
Pennsylvania, 1978
U.S. District Court Middle District of Florida, 1977
U.S. Court of Appeals 11th Circuit, 1981
U.S. Court of Federal Claims, 1990
Education
Stetson University College of Law, Gulfport, Florida, 1977, J.D.
The Pennsylvania State University, State College, Pennsylvania, 1973, B.A. Political Science
Personal Information
Born on July 25, 1952 - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Married in 1979 with two adult children
