Attorney Edward Rue joined Rue and Ziffra’s team of attorneys in 2006 and was announced as a partner in 2012. Mr. Rue concentrates his practice in several different areas, from auto accident cases to long-term disability to numerous general personal injury matters. Along with being a member of our trial team, Ed is one of the firm’s top researchers for cases. Before coming to Rue & Ziffra, Mr. Rue practiced criminal and insurance defense. He understands how insurance companies and defense attorneys evaluate and defend cases, and he uses that knowledge and experience to the advantage of his current clients. As a top law student at the University of Wisconsin Law School, Mr. Rue won the Wisconsin State Bar Law School Award for the Highest Achievement in Torts. Also, as a member of the Wisconsin Law Review, Mr. Rue won the William Herbert Page Award for the best Wisconsin Law Review article. Mr. Rue presently holds admissions in the Florida Bar Association, all Florida Courts, the Wisconsin Bar, all Wisconsin Courts, the Volusia County Bar Association, the American Bar Association, the Florida Justice Association, the American Association for Justice, and the National Organization of Social Security Claimants’ Representatives. He is also admitted to practice in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida. Having watched a close family member go through the process of applying for disability benefits, he knows it can be a long, complicated, and frustrating process. Mr. Rue applies that personal understanding to every disability case he handles throughout his career. His experience doesn’t stop there, as Mr. Rue handles slip and fall cases, premise liability cases, and has fought for justice for hundreds of auto accident victims. Clients find it easy to speak with Mr. Rue as he is a welcoming person and goes the extra mile for his clients.

Attorney Matthew Mitchell is a native of Volusia County, having been born and raised in Ormond Beach. After graduating with the highest honors from Seabreeze High School in Daytona Beach, Matthew went on to attend the University of Florida. Mr. Mitchell graduated with honors from UF in 2004, where he dual majored in Political Science and Criminology. In 2008, Matthew earned his Juris Doctorate from The Florida State University College of Law. Mr. Mitchell first joined Rue & Ziffra in October of 2008 and became a shareholder with the firm in January of 2019. With his practice now focused exclusively on first and third-party personal injury matters, Mr. Mitchell is committed to aggressively advocating for the rights of his injured clients and their families. Ever mindful of the needs of his clients, Mr. Mitchell believes in an individualized approach to each case, for which the ultimate goal is to achieve an outcome that is most favorable for the injured. As a detail-oriented lawyer, Mr. Mitchell is responsive to his clients and thoroughly prepares each case from its inception up to and through its resolution. Mr. Mitchell has recovered millions of dollars on behalf of those injured and wronged by others and insurance companies. In addition to being admitted to the Florida Bar Association and all Florida State Courts, Mr. Mitchell presently holds memberships with the Volusia County Bar Association, the Florida Justice Association, the American Association for Justice, and the Trial Lawyers Section of the Florida Bar. He is also admitted to practice in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida. When away from the office, Mr. Mitchell devotes much of his free time to boating, fishing, and spending time with family and friends. Mr. Mitchell is an avid supporter of the University of Florida Athletic Association, and you can frequently find him attending Gators sporting events.

Darren Coleman has been practicing workers’ compensation and personal injury law in Central Florida for over two decades. Mr. Coleman has personal experience with the devastation that an on-the-job accident can cause a family. Mr. Coleman’s grandfather had to drop out of school at a very young age and go to work in factories to support his mother and younger sisters following a crippling work-related accident to his father while working for a railroad company. Mr. Coleman has empathy for all Florida’s injured workers. Originally from Virginia Beach, he received his Bachelor of Science degree from James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia. After his undergraduate studies, Mr. Coleman worked as an insurance adjuster in Columbus, Ohio, representing many large insurance companies in automobile and slip and fall accident claims. Before attending law school, he also worked as a teacher in several developing countries. After the fall of the Soviet Union, Mr. Coleman traveled to the Republic of Latvia (his mother’s homeland), where he helped start the nation’s first charitable organization for the aid of orphaned or abandoned children. Mr. Coleman took his law school entrance exam while teaching in Seoul, Korea, and thereafter obtained his law degree from Golden Gate University in San Francisco. He began his legal career defending insurance companies and employers in workers’ compensation claims. Seeking greater job fulfillment, Mr. Coleman joined Rue & Ziffra in 2004 and was named a partner in 2014. He now uses his first-hand knowledge of the insurance industry to fight for the rights of Florida’s injured workers. Mr. Coleman is also accredited through the Veterans’ Administration to represent veterans with their disability claims. For more than a decade, Mr. Coleman has supported a disadvantaged African child through the Children’s Fund and a chimpanzee rescued from a research lab through Help Save the Chimps. For enjoyment, Mr. Coleman played rugby for many years and now engages in the much safer sport of running. He likes to run in Central Florida 5K’s, several of which have been for charitable organizations sponsored by Rue & Ziffra. He is also the very proud owner of a very handsome but rambunctious Irish Setter named Riley. If you ever pass by someone in Port Orange running with a big red dog, it will be Mr. Coleman and Riley.

Mrs. Bouck has lived in Florida with her family for over 40 years. She graduated cum laude in 1979 with a Bachelor of Arts in Education from the University of West Florida and received her Juris Doctorate in 1984 from Loyola University School of Law. Admitted to the Florida Bar in 1985, Mrs. Bouck has practiced law in the Daytona Beach area for nearly two decades, joining the Law Firm of Rue & Ziffra in 2005. Mrs. Bouck has represented and defended healthcare providers and the insurance industry for allegations of breach of contract, failure to obtain informed consent, as well as failing to perform, and breaching the acceptable standard of care. The majority of time has been spent representing victims of medical malpractice. During her career in law, Mrs. Bouck has been fortunate to work with many fine, bright, and talented professionals. Law has proven to be an amazing career, and disputed resolutions are at the heart of her practice. Medical malpractice litigation requires great scrutiny of detailed documents. Mrs. Bouck prefers and often conducts this analytical review herself. Mediation and arbitration are common methods of resolving litigation cases, and she has been very successful in this endeavor. Mrs. Bouck is a certified risk manager and a member of the Board of Arbitrators, Dispute Resolution, Inc., the National Association of Securities Dealers, Volusia County Bar Association, the Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers, and other professional organizations. Mrs. Bouck is also one of the Top 25 Medical Malpractice Trial Lawyers.

Attorney David L. Sweat has been representing injured people and their families for nearly twenty years in this community. As an avid motorcyclist himself, he understands motorcycles, their riders, and their operation on the local roads and highways. Early in his career, Mr. Sweat was on a team of lawyers who successfully settled a group of product liability cases in excess of $200,000,000. In 2010, 2011, and 2012, Mr. Sweat achieved settlements or verdicts totaling over $8,200,000 for motorcyclists or their families. He frequently rides in local and regional motorcycle benefits or memorial rides, many of which are sponsored by the Law Firm of Rue & Ziffra. Additionally, he has been a featured speaker regarding motorcycle safety, insurance, and crashes at conferences and motorcycle events. Mr. Sweat also practices in the areas of workers’ compensation and has successfully tried complicated workers’ compensation cases, including receiving an award of permanent total disability to a veteran, which resulted in reimbursement of over $1,000,000 from the Veterans’ Administration. He has also been successful in court proving the connection between another client’s medication and his catastrophic stroke.

Born and raised in Port Orange, Florida, Attorney Garrett Morrison has devoted his legal career to standing up for accident victims and challenging powerful insurance companies. His deep roots in the community and firsthand experience with the hardships families face after serious accidents drive his commitment to helping others navigate the complex world of personal injury law. After graduating from Spruce Creek High School, Garrett earned his Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Florida. During his time at UF, a life-changing event occurred when his mother was severely injured in a motorcycle accident caused by a driver who ran a red light. Despite the other driver admitting fault, the insurance company relentlessly contested her claim. Witnessing his mother’s struggle inspired Garrett to pursue a legal career dedicated to protecting the rights of the injured and holding insurers accountable. Garrett went on to earn his Juris Doctor from Stetson University College of Law in Gulfport, Florida, where he attended on a scholarship. While in law school, he gained valuable experience interning with Rue & Ziffra during both summers, working alongside experienced attorneys who shared his passion for client advocacy and justice. Today, Garrett is committed to fighting for those who have been wronged. He approaches every case with compassion, determination, and an unwavering belief that injured clients deserve to be treated with dignity and fairness. When he’s not advocating for his clients, Garrett enjoys fishing, spending time in nature, working out, cooking, and gardening. Whether in the courtroom or outdoors, he brings patience, focus, and perseverance to everything he does—qualities that also define his approach to representing his clients.

Kristopher Wohlers began his legal career as a defense attorney for Florida’s largest insurance defense firm where he defended individuals and businesses alike in a wide array of personal injury matters such as premises liability, products liability, wrongful death, motor vehicle accidents, and insurance coverage disputes. As a result, Mr. Wohlers was able to obtain invaluable experience as to how insurance companies analyze and value claims in both a pre-suit and litigation setting. He now brings this unique perspective into how he effectively handles cases on behalf of his clients. Mr. Wohlers has extensive experience in how the litigation process works, as he has practiced in multiple facets as depositions, court hearings, mediations, etc. This enables him to be able to successfully handle and prepare claims before litigation and carry them all the way through litigation to obtain the best results for his clients. Mr. Wohlers is a Florida native who grew up in Mount Dora. Prior to law school, he attended Stetson University where he excelled in his studies and graduated with high honors. Due to his performance at Stetson University, he was accepted into Stetson College of Law where he earned his Juris Doctor with honors. While attending Stetson Law, Mr. Wohlers was a teaching assistant for multiple different law courses. Additionally, he became part of the Dispute Resolution team where he learned, practiced, and competed in various forms of alternative despite resolution, including negotiations, mediations, and arbitration. Moreover, he gained valuable legal experience by working as a legal extern with the Federal Court in the Middle District of Florida for the honorable Judge Thomas Wilson. In his free time Mr. Wohlers enjoys spending time with his loved ones, eating good food, and thinking about his work. It is his duty and pleasure to serve his community by providing strong representation to all victims of negligence who deserve compensation.

Mr. Smith, a founding member of Smith, Hood, Perkins, Loucks, Stout, Bigman, Lane & Brock, P.A., has been practicing law for more than thirty-five years.  He focuses his practice in the areas of family law and criminal litigation.  Mr. Smith was Board Certified as a specialist in criminal trial law from 1987 to 1997 and is currently Board Certified as a specialist in Marital and Family law.

Recognized as one of the most accomplished personal injury attorneys in Florida, William M. Chanfrau, Jr., has been practicing law for over 20 years. His career began at the State Attorneys Office, where he served from August 1997 through 2000. While there, he successfully handled hundreds of Misdemeanor and Felony cases through the final resolution either by plea negotiations and/or trial. In January 2001, William started practicing law at Chanfrau, Chanfrau and Bouck as an Associate where he focused on handling both plaintiff's personal injury claims and criminal cases. In July 2007, William became the managing partner at Chanfrau & Chanfrau where he continues today to focus primarily on plaintiff’s personal injury claims. Acknowledged as one of America’s Top 100 Attorneys, he has held and continues to hold leadership positions both professionally and in the community.

Shipley Law Firm & Title Company is pleased to provide the highest quality, professional legal services for clients in Lake County and throughout central Florida. The firm's attorneys are experienced in representing individuals and businesses in the areas of bankruptcy law, business and corporate law, civil litigation, family law, wills, trusts and estate planning, probate, and real estate law (including real estate closings and title insurance). Our firm offers comprehensive analyses of all debt relief and debt workout options including skilled and cost-effective legal representation in all types of Chapter 7, Chapter 13, and Chapter 11 bankruptcy law matters. We are dedicated to finding the best possible financial solution for our clients, which financial solution may or may not include bankruptcy. If you need legal assistance with a business and corporate law or civil litigation matter, Shipley Law Firm & Title Company can help. The firm has for many years represented clients in matters involving business formation, commercial lease agreements, and the purchase and sale of businesses and real estate. We also represent clients in business and corporate disputes involving breach of contract, unfair competition, fraud, landlord-tenant issues and employment. Whenever possible, we try to resolve disputes through alternative dispute resolution to avoid the time and expense of trial. However, when necessary we will aggressively defend your interests in litigation. Shipley Law Firm & Title Company provides legal services related to wills, trusts and estate planning to ensure peace of mind for you and your loved ones. Our firm can draft and reviewing wills and trust documents as well as identify and implement asset protection strategies for Medicaid, to minimize estate and probate taxes, and plan for potential creditor's claims. At Shipley Law Firm & Title Company, we provide family law services related to adoption, dissolution of marriage/divorce, child custody, child support, post-dissolution modifications, spousal support/alimony, and ante-nuptial/prenuptial and post-nuptial agreements. We guide prospective adoptive parents through the complicated Florida adoption process and help file the necessary paperwork with the court. Our firm also guides clients through the difficult legal process of divorce and assists with the drafting and review of ante-nuptial/prenuptial and post-nuptial agreements. Shipley Law Firm & Title Company has also successfully represented clients in a variety of real estate matters related to closings, title insurance, easement disputes, title insurance claims, deed restrictions, enforcing real estate contracts, evictions and landlord-tenant litigation, homeowners associations, foreclosures, boundary disputes and quiet title actions. Mr. Shipley received both a Master's Degree in Business Administration (M.B.A.) concentrating in Entrepreneurship and a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from Florida State University. He is also licensed as a Florida Certified Public Accountant and is a member of many professional organizations, including the American Bar Association, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Florida Institute of Certified Public Accountants, REALTORS® Association of Lake & Sumter Counties, Inc., the Lake County and Orange County Bar Associations, National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys and the Central Florida Bankruptcy Law Association. Mr. Shipley also served in the United States Army Reserve for eight years and was on active wartime duty during the Persian Gulf War.