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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 |
Since 1992, Stuart has been 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 4,300 of Florida's 87,000 lawyers are board certified and only approximately 1,000 of those are certified as Civil Trial Lawyers. In 1994, he was 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® Preeminent TM 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 also 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 2010, Stuart was again selected to be a Florida Super Lawyer by his peers in the legal community. 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, 2008 and 2009.
In 2010, Stuart was honored to be named to the list of the top lawyers in the Tampa Bay area by Tampa Bay Magazine.
Stuart is a member of the adjunct faculty of Stetson University College of Law where he teaches Trial Advocacy, a course wherein the techniques involved in the trial of cases are taught, and then practiced, by the students. Stetson has been consistently ranked by U.S. News & World Report 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.
Stuart and his firm are members of the Council on Litigation Management (CLM), a nonpartisan alliance of law firms, insurance companies, and corporations whose goals include the promoting and furthering of the highest standards of litigation management in pursuit of client defense. Attorneys and law firms are nominated to the CLM based upon reputation and may become members by invitation only.
Before joining this firm, Stuart was an Assistant Public Defender in St. Petersburg, Florida, from 1977 until 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.
In 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, you can be assured that your case will be handled aggressively and 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 and its application to a driver fleeing from the police)
Furman's Inc. v. Cameron , 816 So.2d1265 (Fla. 2d DCA 2002) (Pre-trial discovery case based on the "work product privilege" and its application to statements obtained by an insurance company)
Essex Builders Group, Inc v. Amerisure Ins. Co., 485 F. Supp. 2d 1302 (M.D.Fla 2006) (Stuart represented PGIC in a construction defect coverage case which involved issues of "trigger of coverage" and "consequential damages" under a Comprehensive General Liability policy.)
Graziano v. Bollea, Pinellas County Circuit Court. Stuart and his partner Scott Brasfield represented Nicholas Bollea, also known as Nick Hogan, son of famed wrestler, Hulk Hogan, in a lawsuit resulting from an automobile accident wherein his passenger, John Graziano, who was not wearing his seat belt, suffered a serious brain injury. Stuart obtained favorable rulings from the trial court limiting media access to the depositions and determining that Nicholas Bollea, a minor, had no legal duty to require that his adult passenger, John Graziano, wear a seat belt. The case was settled shortly before trial was set to begin in March 2010.
Bar Admissions
State of Florida, 1977
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, 1978
U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, 1977
U.S. Court of Appeals for the 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
Stuart and his wife, Carol, were married in 1979 and have two adult children. They enjoy outdoor activities including hiking and kayaking as well as foreign travel.
