frank@franksheplaw.com
Resume
Profession
Attorney, Mediator, Arbitrator, Appellate Court Judge (retired), Adjunct Professor of Law
Professional Licenses
Admitted to the Bar: Florida (1972); District of Columbia Bar (inactive)
Education
University of Michigan (J.D. - 1972); University of Massachusetts (M.A. - 1970); University of Florida (B.A., Cum Laude - 1968)
Work
History
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Shareholder - GrayRobinson, P.A. (2017-2021)
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Appellate Court Judge/Chief Judge - Third District Court of Appeal (2003-2017)
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Florida Senior Attorney - Pacific Legal Foundation (1999-2003)
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Shareholder - Weissman, Dervishi, Shepherd, Borgo & Nordland, P.A. (1997-1998)
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Miami Office Managing Shareholder/Shareholder - Popham, Haik, Schnobrich & Kaufman, P.A. (1990-1998)
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Associate Administrator - Legal Counsel & Enforcement for the United States Environmental Protection Agency (1981)
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Associate/Shareholder - Bradford, Williams, McKay, Kimbrell, Hamann & Jennings (1972-1998)
Experience
Thirty years of experience as a trial and appellate lawyer, including jury trial experience, in state and federal courts in each of the following areas of the law: commercial and business litigation, construction litigation, real estate and condominium litigation, corporate litigation, product liability litigation, including automobile, personal injury and property damage, probate, trusts and estates, eminent domain, mass tort litigation, age discrimination, professional malpractice, class actions, maritime and admiralty law, and insurance coverage and bad faith litigation.
Thirteen years as an appellate court judge adjudicating thousands of civil and criminal cases and writing more than 500 published opinions, including in all areas of law previously listed.
Served as civil trial judge by designation while carrying out appellate duties on district court of appeal.
Qualified civil mediator, experienced arbitrator, court appointed and agreed upon umpire in first-party insurance appraisal cases.
Most recent arbitration since leaving the bench was serving as a sole arbitrator chosen by the parties in multi-party dispute between developer, master condominium association, and exclusive country club concerning respective rights and obligations concerning an island development in Miami-Dade County with tens of millions of dollars at stake.
Most recent mediation cases include multi-million dollar age discrimination claim, multi-party condominium dissolution case, multi-million dollar Bert Harris Act Private Property Protection Act case, and all manner of commercial and business disputes.
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Most recent umpire appointments in first party insurance appraisal cases include multi-million dollar condominium hurricane loss claims made by court appointment, agreement of counsel, and agreement of appraisers.
Alternative Dispute Resolution Experience
Alternative Dispute Resolution Training
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AAA Arbitration Fundamentals and Best Practices for New AAA Arbitrators, 2018
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Arbitration Awards - Safeguarding, Deciding and Writing Awards, 2018
Publications
& Speaking Engagements
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Author, “The Demise of Agency Deference: Florida Takes the Lead,” (with Roberto Martinez, Ben Reaveley and Savannah Padgett), 94 Florida Bar Journal 18 (January/February 2020)
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Invited Panelist, “The ‘Write’ Way to Avoid Reversal,” Florida College of Advanced Judicial Studies, Orlando Florida, (May 31, 2018)
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Invited Witness before the Executive Committee of the Florida Constitutional Revision Commission, Tallahassee, Florida, on Proposal 6, “Amending the Florida Constitution to Eliminate Chevron Deference in the State Courts and Administrative Hearings.”
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Speaker, “Homestead 101 for the 21st Century,” The Florida Bar Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section, “Probate Law 2017,” (November 3, 2017)
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Invited Witness before the Judicial Committee of the Florida Constitutional Revision Commission, Tallahassee, Florida, on Proposal 6, “Amending the Florida Constitution to Eliminate Chevron Deference in the State Courts and Administrative Hearings,” (November 2, 2017)
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Speaker, “New Challenges and New Means to Resolution,” CLE International Annual Eminent Domain Conference, (October 26-27, 2017), Tampa, Florida.
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Panelist, “Advanced Topics in Insurance Law: Everything the Florida Judge Would Want to Know,” 2017 Florida College of Advanced Judicial Studies, (May 22, 2017), Naples, Florida.
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Panelist, "Insurance: The Devil is in the Details," 2016 Florida College of Advanced Judicial Studies, (May 24, 2016), Orlando, Florida.
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Lecturer, "Practicing Before the Third District Court of Appeal," Florida Bar Appellate Practice Section, (February 6, 2015)
Awards
& Honors
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AV Preeminent - rated by Martindale-Hubbell
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Florida Bar Committee on Judicial Administration (2018-2021)
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Award for Outstanding Teaching and Service, St. Thomas Law School (April 2014)
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Founding Member, Third District Court of Appeal Historical Society (2004-Present)
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Lifetime Member, Dade County Bar Association