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William
"Dude" Phelan
Current
Employment Position(s):
Partner
email: William
"Dude" Phelan
Areas Of Practice:
Business Litigation
Probate Litigation
General Civil Litigation
Civil Appeals
Bar Admissions:
Florida, 1979
U.S. District Court Middle District of Florida, 1979
U.S. District Court Northern District of Florida, 1985
U.S. Court of Appeals 11th Circuit, 1981
Education:
University of Florida College of Law, Gainesville, Florida,
1978
J.D.
Honors: With Honors, Order of the Coif, Moot Court Board (Chair,
1978) 1977-1978
University
of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 1976
B.S.B.A.
Honors: With High Honors
Major: Business Administration
Representative Cases:
Allen v. Dalk, 826 So.2d 245 (Fla 2002)
City of Ocala v. Nye, 608 So.2d 15 (Fla. 1992)
Stevens v. Jefferson, 436 So.2d 33 (Fla 1983)
Professional
Associations and Memberships:
Florida Bar, 1999 - 2005
Board of Governors
Florida Bar, 1983 - 1987
Board of Governors, Young Lawyers Division
Marion County Bar Association, 2000
President
Florida Bar, 1997 - 1999
Rules of Civil Procedure Committee
Florida Bar, 2001 - 2004
Budget Committee
Florida Bar, 1999 - 2005
Disciplinary Review Committee
Birth Information:
December 5, 1953, Lebanon, Tennessee
Personal Statement
By training and experience, I am a litigator. From the beginning of my career, I have been privileged to try cases in both State and Federal Court as well as represent clients in other adversarial proceedings. In years past, I gained courtroom experience trying personal injury and criminal cases. However, for the past fifteen years I have focused my practice primarily in the fields of business litigation and probate litigation.
My business clients are carefully focused on the "bottom line" when evaluating potential litigation. As a result, I best serve these clients by being more of a problem solver than a pure litigator. Simply stated, a lawsuit is not always the answer to every problem. Particularly in commercial disputes, the direct and indirect costs of litigation can be extremely high. I find my clients appreciate an approach which views litigation as a last, rather than first, resort. Of course, having the known ability and willingness to litigate facilitates negotiated settlement of problems.
The only other area in which I routinely practice is probate litigation. My practice in this regard includes prosecution and defense of will contests, trust litigation, and fiduciary surcharge actions. I have litigated probate related issues at all levels of our court system; including the Florida Supreme Court.
I view the practice of law as a profession; not a vocation. Therefore, both my firm and I are dedicated to scrupulous adherence to ethical and professional conduct. The practice of law is a privilege and I try to give something back to the profession which means so much to me. In the past, I have served on numerous Florida Bar committees and I am a past President of the Marion County Bar Association. From 1999 through 2005 I represented the Fifth Judicial Circuit on the Board of Governors of the Florida Bar. I am proud to have assisted in charting the future of my profession through these efforts.
If you have any questions regarding my firm, my practice, or me; please do not hesitate to ask. |
