GrayRobinson moves up in AmLaw 200

On the American Lawyer's list of the top U.S. law firms for 2012 by gross revenues, Florida-based GrayRobinson moved up to number 179.  See The 2012 Am Law 200.

In other news, The Florida Current reported that GrayRobinson was a top-four Florida lobbying firm based on reported revenues for 2012 1st and 2nd quarters.

Perry Cone, the author of TallyInsLaw.com, practices Insurance Regulatory, Corporate, and Government Law in the Tallahassee office of GrayRobinson.

GrayRobinson moves up in AmLaw200 ranking

On the American Lawyer's list of the top grossing U.S. law firms for 2011, Florida-based GrayRobinson moved up to number 182.  See The Am Law 200 2011 published June 1, 2011 at www.AmericanLawyer.com.

Earlier this year, GrayRobinson was ranked 1st (tie) as Florida's top lobbying firm.  See GrayRobinson Is Top Florida Lobbying Firm.

Perry Cone, the author of the web-blog TallyInsLaw.com, is an attorney with GrayRobinson.

This summary was prepared by Perry Cone and posted at www.tallyinslaw.com/

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GrayRobinson is top Florida lobbying firm

GrayRobinson was ranked 1st (tie) as Florida's top lobbying firm, by total revenue for 2010, according to a recent analysis by Florida Trend.  See GrayRobinson is Ranked a Top Florida Lobbying Firm and Florida’s Top 10 lobbying firms — by total revenue.

Perry Cone, the author of the web-blog TallyInsLaw.com, is an attorney with GrayRobinson.

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Cone quoted in PropertyCasualty360.com

I appreciate being quoted by Joan Collier, in her recent article on pending Florida property insurance reform in PropertyCasualty360.com:

"A more realistic view of the legislation is expressed by Perry Cone, an attorney at GrayRobinson and former general counsel for Citizens. Cone noted, 'Senate and House leadership seem committed to helping consumers by revitalizing the private insurance market rather than over-regulating and relying on assessments to subsidize depressed rates.'"

See Property Insurance Bill Advances (April 6, 2011).

This summary was prepared by Perry Cone and posted at www.tallyinslaw.com/

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Bad faith reform - Senate workshop

It was all very polite, as proponents and opponents debated reform to the "bad faith" laws before the Senate Judiciary Committee on February 22.  The proponents were led by GrayRobinson's George Meros and Charlie Wells, representing the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform. 

"What we are asking of this Legislature is to bring common sense and equity to an area of the law that has gone very, very bad," said Meros.  Former Florida Supreme Court Justice Charlie Wells expressed his concerns with bad faith, saying "I believe that it goes directly to the heart and health of the economy of this state."  Wells is well known for his dissenting opinion in Berges v. Infinity Ins. Co. (Fla. 2005).  See Bad Faith Set-Up: Florida Bar Article.

Bad Faith Set-Up: Florida Bar Article

This month's Florida Bar Journal has a feature article on insurance bad faith, "The Good Faith, Bad Faith, and Ugly Set-up of Insurance Claims Settlement." Written from the perspective of defense attorneys, the article has this set-up paragraph:

The current imbalance in Florida’s bad faith statute can be exploited to create bad faith claims where they otherwise would not exist.  This practice is commonly referred to as the “bad faith set-up,” and the various tactics used to set up bad faith claims have been well-documented by courts and commentators alike. Simply put, the “bad faith set-up” is “nothing more than an attempt to induce the insurer to commit a tort in order to explode the policy limits.

Impact of Bad Faith Lawsuits on Florida Consumers

George Meros, Jr., GrayRobinson, Tallahassee, released a report from Berkeley Research Group: The Impact of Bad Faith Lawsuits on Consumers in Florida and Nationwide. It will be used in support of the bad faith reform legislation proposed for the 2011 session.  In releasing the report Meros stated: "Here is the economist's report on the adverse impact of bad faith litigation on Florida's consumers. Note that it correctly states that a bad faith verdict cannot be included in the rate base but goes on to show how Florida's bad faith laws have a devastating financial impact nonetheless."

The report is at this link:  William Hamm study - The Impact of Bad Faith Lawsuits on Consumers in Florida.

AG Bondi Picks Carlos Muniz from GrayRobinson as Chief of Staff

Attorney General-elect Pam Bondi announced Wednesday that Carlos Muñiz will serve as deputy attorney general and her chief of staff.

From the release:

"Muñiz is currently a shareholder in the Tallahassee office of the law firm GrayRobinson PA. He has extensive legal and policy experience in Florida government, beginning with his service in the administration of Gov. Jeb Bush, where he was deputy general counsel to now-Chief Justice Charles Canady. Muñiz has also served as general counsel to the chief financial officer and deputy chief of staff and counsel to the speaker of the Florida House of Representatives.  Muñiz is a graduate of the University of Virginia and of Yale Law School, where he was an editor of the Yale Law Journal. Upon graduation from law school, Muñiz clerked for Judge Thomas A. Flannery of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia and for Judge José A. Cabranes of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.  Muñiz and his wife, Katie, live in Tallahassee with their three children."

Pam Bondi Picks Carlos Muniz as Chief of Staff

About
Perry Cone practices insurance, compliance and government law, and provides consulting to in-house counsel, from the Tallahassee office of GrayRobinson. He writes from his perspective as a former general counsel, legal executive, and leader in the Florida insurance industry.

Visit Perry's blog at www.tallyinslaw.com/

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Former GrayRobinson partner Dean Cannon formally elected Speaker

On November 16, 2010, Dean Cannon was formally elected Speaker of Florida's House of Representatives.  Link to story:  Dean Cannon Becomes Speaker of the Florida House

On July 26, 2005, the SunSentinel reported Cannon's selection as Speaker-designate five years ahead of his formal election.  Cannon was a partner with GrayRobinson prior to his selection as Speaker-designate.

July 26, 2005|By John Kennedy Tallahassee Bureau

"TALLAHASSEE — In a stunningly swift rise to power, first-year Winter Park Republican Rep. Dean Cannon said Monday that he has sewn up the state House speaker's post for 2011 and 2012.

"Cannon, a lawyer with Orlando's Gray Robinson firm who turns 37 next week, is poised to become the first Central Florida House leader since U.S. Rep. Tom Feeney, R-Oviedo, held the post for two years after the 2000 elections. . . .

"Cannon is the first speaker-designate in memory to be chosen by his colleagues five years ahead of his formal election, which would occur if Republicans maintain control of the House after the 2010 elections. . . ."  

The 2005 article is at this link:  Legislator Claims Lock On Speaker's Post

About
Perry Cone practices insurance, compliance and government law, and provides consulting to in-house counsel, from the Tallahassee office of GrayRobinson. He writes from his perspective as a former general counsel, legal executive, and leader in the Florida insurance industry.

Visit Perry's blog at tallyinslaw.com/

Legal Notice and Disclaimer

Cone Speaks to Insurance Task Force on Antitrust

Perry Ian Cone, an attorney in GrayRobinson's Tallahassee office, spoke to insurance executives, managers, SIU investigators, and law enforcement authorities on "Antitrust Law for Insurance SIU & Claims." The presentation was made at the inaugural meeting of the Florida Property Insurance Fraud Task Force, on September 22, 2010. Cone explored antitrust fundamentals in the context of the "business of insurance" exemption, state-action immunity, trade association activity, and industry education & conferences.
Cone is a corporate attorney who focuses on insurance, government law, and strategic litigation.

Haridopolos hires Andy Bardos from GrayRobinson

The St. Petersburg Times reported that incoming Senate President Mike Haridopolos has hired GrayRobinson's Andy Bardos to serve as special counsel.  See the following article:
Haridopolos fires two more Senate staffers Florida politics blog: The Buzz tampabay.com; St. Petersburg Times

Insurance Appraisal Dispute: Cone and Kuntz File Amicus Brief in U.S. 11th Circuit

GrayRobinson attorneys Perry Cone and Jeffrey Kuntz filed an amicus curiae brief on behalf of the American Insurance Association (AIA).

The brief was filed with the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, in Chubb Custom Insurance Company v. Vista View Apartments, Ltd. The appeal involved the important question of whether Florida's federal courts would follow its state courts in allowing the review of an appraisal award to eliminate uncovered losses.

Cone Speaks to Insurance Executives on Antitrust Hazards

Perry Ian Cone, an attorney in GrayRobinson's Tallahassee office, will be lead-off speaker at a May 20 conference for insurance executives in Tampa, "Sinkholes: The Other Florida Catastrophe." His topic will be "The Unexpected Hazards of Antitrust Law." The conference is being coordinated by ROL Insurance Consulting.

Former Citizen Property Insurance General Counsel Joins GrayRobinson

TALLAHASSEE, FL -- December 17, 2009 -- Perry Cone, former general counsel of Citizen Property Insurance Corp. and Travelers of Florida, has joined the Tallahassee office of GrayRobinson, P.A. His addition to the firm signals the launching of an insurance operations and regulatory practice and the continued expansion of its government law practice group. Perry's practice will focus on insurance, government law, strategic litigation and corporate finance.