Best's Insurance Professional Resources
Client-Recommended Attorneys, Adjusters and Experts
Best's Insurance Professional Resources
Client-Recommended Attorneys, Adjusters and Experts


Best's Recommended Insurance Attorneys - General Defense

100 South Ashley Drive, Suite 2000, Tampa, Florida 33602-5311

Practice Areas

  • Admiralty and Maritime Law
  • Appellate Practice
  • Bad Faith
  • Bankruptcy
  • Commercial Litigation
  • Complex Litigation
  • Construction Litigation
  • COVID-19/Coronavirus
  • Employment Litigation
  • Employment Practices Liability
  • Energy
  • Environmental Litigation
  • ERISA
  • Health Care
  • Insurance Coverage & Defense
  • Intellectual Property
  • Jones Act
  • Labor and Employment
  • Litigation
  • Oil and Gas
  • Personal Injury
  • Premises Liability
  • Product Liability
  • Professional Liability
  • Railroad Law
  • Real Estate Litigation
  • Reinsurance
  • Securities
  • Tax Litigation
  • Toxic Torts
  • Tort Litigation

About Us

With offices positioned along the Gulf Coast from Texas to Florida, Phelps Dunbar is a regional law firm of nearly 270 attorneys uniquely equipped to serve clients in the major commercial centers of the burgeoning "Third Coast" of the United States. Locations in New Orleans and Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Jackson, Tupelo and Gulfport, Mississippi; Houston and Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas; Tampa, Florida; Mobile, Alabama as well as Raleigh, North Carolina; and London, England enable Phelps Dunbar to serve clients not only along the Third Coast, but also the South, nationwide and abroad.

Regardless of a client's size or stage of development, we believe that successful legal representation begins with a clear understanding of our client's business, industry and objectives, followed by collaboration with the client to achieve the best possible results. Our lawyers and our support staff work together to deepen client relationships through a commitment to understanding their businesses and their goals, and we strive to advance our clients' interests by providing excellent, effective and efficient legal services and creative solutions across all areas of our practice.

Additional Locations

  • New Orleans, Louisiana
  • Canal Place
  • 365 Canal Street, Suite 2000
  • New Orleans, Louisiana 70130-6534
    • Telephone: 504-566-1311
    • Fax: 504-568-9130
  • Baton Rouge, Louisiana
  • II City Plaza
  • 400 Convention Street, Suite 1100
  • P.O. Box 4412 (70821-4412)
  • Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70802-5618
    • Telephone: 225-346-0285
    • Fax: 225-381-9197
  • Jackson, Mississippi
  • 4270 I-55 North
  • P.O. Box 16114 (39236-6114)
  • Jackson, Mississippi 39211-6391
    • Telephone: 601-352-2300
    • Fax: 601-360-9777
  • Tupelo, Mississippi
  • One Mississippi Plaza
  • 201 South Spring Street, Seventh Floor
  • P.O. Box 1220 (38802-1220)
  • Tupelo, Mississippi 38804
    • Telephone: 662-842-7907
    • Fax: 662-842-3873
  • Gulfport, Mississippi
  • 2602 13th Street, Suite 300
  • Gulfport, Mississippi 39501
    • Telephone: 228-679-1130
    • Fax: 228-679-1131
  • Houston, Texas
  • 910 Louisiana Street, Suite 4300
  • Houston, Texas 77002
    • Telephone: 713-626-1386
    • Fax: 713-626-1388
  • Mobile, Alabama
  • 101 Dauphin Street, Suite 1000
  • P.O. Box 2727 (36652-2727)
  • Mobile, Alabama 36602
    • Telephone: 251-432-4481
    • Fax: 251-433-1820
  • London, United Kingdom
  • Lloyd's, Suite 725, Level 7
  • 1 Lime Street
  • London, United Kingdom EC3M 7DQ
    • Telephone: 011-44-207-929-4765
    • Fax: 011-44-207-929-0046
  • Raleigh, North Carolina
  • 4141 Parklake Avenue, Suite 530
  • Raleigh, North Carolina 27612
    • Telephone: 919-789-5300
    • Fax: 919-789-5301
  • Dallas, Texas
  • 2102 E. State Highway 114, Suite 207
  • Southlake, Texas 76092
    • Telephone: 817-488-3134
    • Fax: 817-488-3214

Client Information

Insurance Clients

*Principal outside law firm as designated by insurance companies

Personnel Information

Members of the Firm


A. Brian Albritton

Tampa, FL

Admitted
  • Florida, 1988
  • U.S. District Court, Middle, Northern and Southern Districts of Florida
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit
  • U.S. Supreme Court
Memberships:
  • Federal, American, and Hillsborough County Bar Associations
  • Hillsborough County Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
  • Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
Education:
  • New College of the University of South Florida, B.A., 1979
  • Harvard Divinity School, M.T.S., 1982
  • Boston College Law School, J.D. (with honors), 1988
Clerkship:
Law Clerk to Hon. U.S. District Judge William Terrell Hodges, M.D. Florida (1988-1990)

Michael H. Ashy

Tampa, FL

Admitted
  • Florida, 1996
  • U.S. District Court, Middle, Northern and Southern Districts of Florida
Education:
  • Florida State University, B.S., 1990
  • University of San Diego School of Law, M.I.B., 1995
  • University of San Diego School of Law, J.D., 1995

Karl J. Brandes

Tampa, FL

Admitted
  • Florida, 1981
  • U.S. District Court, Middle and Southern Districts of Florida
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit
  • U.S. Supreme Court
Additional Biographical Details:

Arbitrator, U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida

Memberships:
  • Federal, American and Hillsborough County Bar Associations
  • The Florida Bar
Certifications:
  • State and Federal Court Mediator
Education:
  • University of California, Berkeley, A.B., 1977
  • Golden Gate University School of Law, J.D., 1981

Bret M. Feldman

Tampa, FL

Admitted
  • Florida, 2000
  • U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida
Memberships:
  • American and Hillsborough County Bar Associations
  • The Florida Bar
Certifications:
  • Board Certified in Construction Law by The Florida Bar Board of Legal Specialization
Education:
  • University of Florida, B.A. (with honors), 1996
  • University of Florida, M.A./J.D. (with honors), 2000

Robert R. Hearn

Tampa, FL

Admitted
  • Florida, 1995
  • U.S. District Court, Middle and Southern Districts of Florida
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit
Memberships:
  • The Florida Bar
  • Hillsborough County Bar Association
Education:
  • Vanderbilt University, B.A., 1990
  • Tulane University Law School, J.D. (cum laude), 1995
Clerkship:
Law Clerk to Hon. U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Pizzo, U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida

Michael S. Hooker

Tampa, FL

Admitted
  • Florida, 1981
  • U.S. District Court, Middle and Southern Districts of Florida
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal and Eleventh Circuits
  • U.S. Supreme Court
Memberships:
  • Federal and Hillsborough County Bar Associations
  • The Florida Bar
Education:
  • University of Virginia, B.A. (with high distinction), 1976
  • Indiana University, M.A. (with high distinction), 1979
  • University of Virginia, J.D., 1981

Matthew L. Litsky

Tampa, FL and London, United Kingdom
Admitted
  • New York, 1992
  • Florida, 1993
  • Texas, 2004
  • U.S. District Court, Middle, Northern and Southern Districts of Florida
  • U.S. District Court, District of the Virgin Islands
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth and Eleventh Circuits
Memberships:
  • New York State and Virgin Islands Bar Associations
  • The Florida Bar
  • State Bar of Texas
Education:
  • Columbia University, B.A., 1987
  • New York Law School, J.D., 1991

Dennis M. McClelland

Tampa, FL

Admitted
  • Florida, 1996
  • U.S. District Court, Middle, Northern and Southern Districts of Florida
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth and Eleventh Circuits
  • U.S. Supreme Court
Memberships:
  • American and Hillsborough County Bar Associations
  • The Florida Bar
  • Wage and Hour Defense Institute
Certifications:
  • Board Certified Specialist, Labor and Employment Law by The Florida Bar
Education:
  • Florida State University, B.S. (summa cum laude), 1993
  • University of Florida, J.D. (Order of the Coif), 1996

Patricia A. McLean

Tampa, FL and London, United Kingdom
Admitted
  • Florida, 1997
  • U.S. District Court, Middle, Northern and Southern Districts of Florida, 1998
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit, 2001
Memberships:
  • American and Hillsborough County Bar Associations
  • The Florida Bar
Education:
  • Vanderbilt University, B.A., 1990
  • Loyola University New Orleans College of Law, J.D. (magna cum laude), 1997

John D. Mullen

Tampa, FL

Admitted
  • Florida, 1994
  • U.S. District Court, Middle, Northern and Southern Districts of Florida
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit
  • U.S. Supreme Court
Memberships:
  • The Florida Bar
  • Hillsborough County Bar Association
Education:
  • New College of the University of South Florida, B.A., 1989
  • New York University School of Law, J.D., 1994

John E. Phillips

Tampa, FL

Admitted
  • Florida, 1989
  • U.S. District Court, Middle, Northern and Southern Districts of Florida
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth and Eleventh Circuits
Memberships:
  • American and Hillsborough County Bar Associations
  • The Florida Bar
Education:
  • University of South Florida, B.A. (summa cum laude), 1986
  • Boston University School of Law, J.D. (cum laude), 1989

Jason A. Pill

Tampa, FL

Admitted
  • Florida, 2009
  • U.S. District Court, Middle, Northern and Southern Districts of Florida
Memberships:
  • Federal and Hillsborough County (Co-Chair, Labor & Employment Section, 2017-present) Bar Associations
  • The Florida Bar (Labor & Employment Section)
Education:
  • University of Florida, B.A. (cum laude), 2005
  • University of Florida, Levin College of Law, J.D. (magna cum laude, Order of the Coif), 2009

Reed L. Russell

Tampa, FL

Admitted
  • Florida, 1999
  • District of Columbia
  • U.S. District Court, Middle, Northern and Southern Districts of Florida
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth and Eleventh Circuits
Memberships:
  • American and Hillsborough County Bar Associations
  • The Florida Bar
  • Wage and Hour Defense Institute
  • Litigation Counsel of America
Education:
  • Wake Forest University, B.S., 1991
  • The Catholic University of America, J.D. (Valedictorian), 1999
Military:
Former Major, U.S. Army National Guard; Veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom

Seth M. Schimmel

Tampa, FL

Admitted
  • Florida, 1993
  • U.S. District Court, Middle and Southern Districts of Florida
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit
Memberships:
  • American and Hillsborough County Bar Associations
  • The Florida Bar
Education:
  • Tufts University, B.A. (magna cum laude), 1990
  • Vanderbilt University Law School, J.D. (Order of the Coif), 1993

Sara B. Van Schoyck

Tampa, FL

Admitted
  • Florida, 2009
  • U.S. District Court, Middle and Southern Districts of Florida
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit
Education:
  • Western Michigan University, B.A. (cum laude), 2004
  • Stetson University College of Law, J.D. (cum laude), 2009

Counsel


Erin L. Malone

Tampa, FL

Admitted
  • Florida, 2007
  • U.S. District Court, Middle, Northern and Southern Districts of Florida
Memberships:
  • The Florida Bar
  • Hillsborough County Bar Association
  • Hillsborough Association for Women Lawyers (Scholarship Committee, 2013)
Education:
  • Wake Forest University, B.A., 2003
  • Stetson University College of Law, J.D. (cum laude), 2006

Guy P. McConnell

Tampa, FL

Admitted
  • Florida, 1985
  • U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan
Memberships:
  • The Florida Bar
  • Hillsborough County Bar Association
Education:
  • University of Cincinnati, B.B.A. (summa cum laude), 1980
  • University of Michigan Law School, J.D., 1983

Erin Raschke

Tampa, FL

Admitted
  • Florida, 2005
Memberships:
  • The Florida Bar
Education:
  • Florida State University, B.S. (summa cum laude), 2002
  • Florida State University College of Law, J.D. (magna cum laude), 2005

William J. Tinsley, Jr.

Tampa, FL

Admitted
  • New Jersey, 1992
  • New York, 1994
  • Florida, 2015
  • U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern and Southern Districts of New York
Memberships:
  • American Bar Association (Fidelity and Surety Law Committee, Forum on Construction)
  • National Bond Claims Association
Education:
  • University of South Carolina, B.A., 1981
  • New York Law School, J.D. (cum laude), 1992

News

Publications

(See profile under New Orleans, LA for additional information)

 Back To Top

Contact Our Team | About Best's Insurance Professional Resources | FAQs | Qualification Guidelines | Important Notice