On the Pulse…Sun, Sand and Suits...Lawsuits That Is
Known as the “Venice of America,” Fort Lauderdale, Florida, sits along the Atlantic Ocean, halfway between the cities of Miami and West Palm Beach. In addition to 1,765 miles of inland waterways, visitors to Fort Lauderdale enjoy more than seven miles of beaches and can view the massive yachts that fill the Intracoastal Waterway.
In 2002, responding to the ever-growing needs and requests of our clients, Marshall Dennehey joined the masses of northerners migrating to the paradise of South Florida and opened its 18th office in downtown Fort Lauderdale, joining the firm’s existing Florida offices in Tampa and Orlando. (Jacksonville was yet to come in 2004.)
In the 23 years since then, the office has grown from two to 26 attorneys, undergone multiple expansions, moved three times, and been led by four managing attorneys. In addition to myself, the office is managed by Alan “A.C.” Nash, who supervises the casualty group, and Andrew Marchese, who manages the professional liability group. Office manager, Sandy Doersam, who has been there since the beginning, is the glue that holds us all together.
Located just north of downtown—less than a mile from the beach—the attorneys in the Fort Lauderdale office defend clients in professional liability and casualty matters from Key West in the south, to Lee County in the west, to Martin County in the north, and everything in between.
Our property and coverage group handles insurance coverage matters statewide. I am privileged to lead this dedicated group of attorneys who routinely secure outstanding results in courtrooms, arbitrations, and settlement negotiations across the region. We represent and defend Florida-based insurance companies and national insurance companies, both authorized and surplus, as well as market companies in first-party property cases. We also provide coverage analysis on third-party matters, prosecute and defend declaratory actions, and defend lawsuits alleging bad faith against insurance companies.
Shareholder Kimberly Berman is one of approximately 217 Board-Certified Appellate Attorneys in the entire state of Florida and serves as a critical resource for attorneys in all of our Florida offices who rely on her to assist in handling their most significant post-trial motions and appeals.
Board Certified in Condominium and Planned Development Law by The Florida Bar, shareholder Andrew Marchese, is a go-to attorney for condominium associations, homeowners associations, directors, officers, and property managers when facing claims and lawsuits. He routinely handles matters involving breach of fiduciary duty, breach of the declaration, real estate liens, real property document disputes, Fair Housing Act (FHA), HUD claims, and more. Under his supervision, our professional liability group represents attorneys and accountants in malpractice cases, insurance agents and brokers in errors and omissions claims, and companies of all sizes in employment law matters.
A.C. Nash and the attorneys in our casualty group represent a wide range of clients, including some of the biggest retail companies in the world, the largest supermarket chain in Florida, and municipalities throughout South Florida. The group is also experienced in rideshare litigation matters and the unique legal issues they bring for the rideshare platform, the drivers, riders and their insurers, and other involved vehicles. Construction is another area of focus, and our attorneys represent companies in every component of the industry that operate around the clock as South Florida continues to expand in the post-pandemic era.
Marshall Dennehey’s Fort Lauderdale office, working in conjunction with our additional 18 offices throughout the firm, is committed to the firm’s culture of family, collaboration, excellence, and striving to exceed our clients’ expectations. We just happen to do it where the weather is always better.
*Mike, a shareholder and Co-Chair of our Insurance Services Practice Group, is the managing attorney of our Fort Lauderdale, Florida, office.
Defense Digest, Vol. 31, No. 1, March 2025, is prepared by Marshall Dennehey to provide information on recent legal developments of interest to our readers. This publication is not intended to provide legal advice for a specific situation or to create an attorney-client relationship. ATTORNEY ADVERTISING pursuant to New York RPC 7.1. © 2025 Marshall Dennehey. All Rights Reserved. This article may not be reprinted without the express written permission of our firm. For reprints, contact tamontemuro@mdwcg.com.