Karen Persis

Bart Valdes is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation. Bart, who practices law in Orlando, Florida, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Bart is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Managing Shareholder Brian Gilchrist is Board Certified by The Florida Bar in the area of Intellectual Property Law. Certification is the highest level of evaluation by The Florida Bar for competency, experience professionalism and ethics in an area of law. He has substantial experience in all phases of intellectual property litigation, including patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, deceptive trade practices and restrictive covenants. Mr. Gilchrist has been attorney of record in ov...

Matthew Mokwa concentrates his practice on products liability and mass tort litigation, as well as securities fraud and consumer class action cases. He is dedicated to delivering client-focused and compassionate legal services to the wrongly injured. His passion for litigating cases involving corporate fraud and financial corruption stems from his unique blend of legal and business acumen Prior to joining our firm, he worked as an attorney in the private equity and venture capital industry. H...

MELVIN BOWEN WRIGHT was born in Albany, Georgia on August 1, 1959 and was raised on a family farm still in operation in Warwick located in Worth County, Georgia. He moved to Central Florida in 1985, is married and has two children. He received his Juris Doctor degree in 1985 and was admitted to the State Bar of Georgia in 1985 and the Florida Bar in 1986. Mr. Wright is also licensed to practice law in Tennessee. Mr. Wright is also a member of the Supreme Court Bar, the District Courts for the...

Amber N. Davis is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Litigation - Intellectual Property and Trademark Law. Amber N., who practices law in Orlando, Florida, has been recognized since 2018. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Amber N. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Born in Vero Beach, Florida, Todd W. Fennell is the managing partner of our firm and a valued member of the Estate Planning & Tax Group. He focuses his practice on sophisticated estate and tax planning strategies for high net worth individuals and families. He is “AV” rated by Martindale-Hubbell’s peer review rating system, the highest such rating available to any individual lawyer. Mr. Fennell’s areas of practice include tax planning strategies for high net worth ...

Vanessa Bolton is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law. Vanessa, who practices law in DeLand, Florida, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Vanessa is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Chris N. Kolos focuses his practice on the defense of environmental contamination suits, CERCLA litigation, toxic substance exposure cases, and pharmaceutical, products liability, nursing home, assisted living facility, and many other types of personal injury cases. He has substantial experience defending cases involving industrial chemicals and asbestos. He also defends insurers in bad faith and insurance coverage cases. He has served as national coordinating counsel and regional trial couns...

Mariane's practice is primarily focused on insolvency and bankruptcy related cases. The insolvency practice includes the representation of debtors-in-possession in Chapter 11 proceedings, representation of Chapter 11 trustees, liquidating agents, and receivers, and the representation of secured and unsecured creditors in cases pending before the bankruptcy court. Mariane has also represented assignors and assignees in the statutorily created liquidation process known as an “Assignment f...

David Carter was born in Vero Beach, Florida, and has been a partner at Gould Cooksey Fennell since 1996. Mr. Carter founded and chairs the firm’s Personal Injury & Medical Negligence Group and serves on the firm’s Executive Committee. Mr. Carter graduated with honors from the University of Florida College of Law where he was a member of the Order of the Coif and Senior Symposium Editor for Law Review. Upon graduation, Mr. Carter accepted a position with the Tampa law firm of ...