Athena Pearl Riley is a former felony prosecutor, licensed Realtor, and real estate investor. Athena’s extensive trial experience, meticulous attention to case details, and real estate background has made her the go-to attorney for individuals, investors and businesses alike seeking the zealous representation they deserve. Selected to serve as the Chief Justice of her alma mater at the University of New Mexico (UNM), Athena went on to graduate from UNM School of Law, where she was a member of her law school’s nationally ranked mock trial team, winning Regionals and advancing to Nationals. Athena received a number of distinguished honors during law school, including the American Association for Justice Partnership in Advocacy award, the American Board of Trial Advocates mock trial student of the year award, first place honors in the Mediation Competition, advancing to Regionals in the Negotiation Competition, competing in the invitation only National Institute for Trial Advocacy Tournament of Champions, and serving as the President of the New Mexico Trial Lawyers Student Association. Athena was subsequently selected to be the National Trial Competition Coach for Golden Gate School of Law in San Francisco, California, where she taught for two years prior to relocating to Northwest Florida. Athena received the 2019 Florida Association for Women Lawyers "Leader in the Law" award and has dedicated her practice to protecting her clients financial and property interests. Community Involvement: Athena is very active in her community, having served on a number of local boards including United Way, Boys & Girls Club and the Healthy Start Coalition. Athena is the founding member of the Okaloosa Florida Association for Women Lawyers (OFAWL), and of Franklin’s Tree House Foundation, where her and her husband have created the “Confident Kids!” program which partners with Children in Crisis, Inc, a non-profit organization serving foster children from Okaloosa, Walton, Santa Rosa and Escambia counties. In her free time, Athena enjoys running, reading, cooking and exploring the white sand beaches and nature trails of the place she now calls home. Practice areas: Athena's practice covers a wide range of civil issues including simple to complex contract disputes, business entity incorporations, negligent and fraudulent misrepresentations, land disputes, condominium defects & HOA representation, mold litigation, unlawful detainers, evictions, and defending against federal and state civil asset forfeitures, among handling a number of other civil issues.

Stephen Bernhardt has been an attorney since he was 25 years old. Now, nearly a decade later, Bernhardt has extensive trial experience in both criminal and civil law. He began his legal career as a prosecutor, first handling misdemeanor offenses such as DUI, Battery, Possession of Controlled Substance, Violation of Injunction and many others. Bernhardt was quickly moved to a felony division and become the State Attorney’s Office’s representative for the county’s Drug Court Program. In this role, Bernhardt learned many techniques to help individuals overcome addictions as well as the differences between the many rehabilitation establishments throughout Florida. Prior to leaving the State Attorney’s Office, Bernhardt was the lead prosecutor in his division. Bernhardt conducted several jury trials that ended in convictions and sentences of more than thirty years, including a mandatory life in prison sentence. After leaving the State Attorney’s Office, Bernhardt began practicing civil law for one of the largest creditors’ rights firms in the United States. Bernhardt quickly became the lead litigating attorney for the firm’s Florida office and handled countless civil hearings and trials before leaving to start Bernhardt Law, PLLC. Bernhardt Law focuses on the practice areas of Criminal Defense, Personal Injury and Debt Defense. Using the knowledge gained throughout the years, Bernhardt Law is dedicated to making sure each client’s specific situation is handled with the utmost professionalism, attention to detail, and integrity. How did you build a successful practice? I was fortunate enough to begin my legal career having great mentors and practicing in front of great judges. Having that foundation and always continuing to work hard has helped me build a successful practice. What should clients look for in a lawyer? Clients should look for a lawyer that has a strong work ethic and that conducts himself/herself with integrity. How important is local knowledge to the success of your cases? Having knowledge of the local judges and attorneys for the other side in very important in all areas of law. What information can you provide in a free phone consultation? I’m happy to discuss an individual’s legal matter for free over the phone or at one of our locations. I would review their case, discuss the strengths and weaknesses and determine what options may be available for the client What information do you need in a free phone consultation? I would like to review any paperwork they’ve received from the other attorney/party as well as contact information for following up. What differentiates you from other lawyers in your community? The two things that separate me from other lawyers are (1) my trial experience and (2) my experience on the opposing side. I have handled more trials in my first decade as an attorney than most attorneys will handle in their entire career. Additionally, as it pertains to criminal defense and debt defense, I have been the head attorney in my respective divisions for the sides I now go against. This gives me a big advantage in those cases. What is the most rewarding aspect of your job? When someone comes to me, it usually means they’re going through a tough time. Either they’ve been hurt, arrested or sued. Helping someone get through that difficult time by putting these legal issues behind them is very rewarding. What are your other interests in addition to law? I am a big sports fan and I also love to travel.