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.

China Ikpeama received his Bachelor of Arts degree from The Columbia College-Chicago. During the course of his studies Mr. Ikpeama realized Columbia College was an excellent school, but not too far from campus in downtown Chicago was a homeless shelter with many people with many needs. Mr. Ikpeama made brown bag lunch packs and distributed them freely. Mr. Ikpeama then worked for the Circuit Court Clerk of the City of St. Louis Missouri and soon after, attended Florida A&M University College of Law where he earned his J.D.. While at Florida A&M University College of Law, he participated in the Housing Clinic by providing legal advice to citizens in the community who could not afford legal representation. After earning his law degree, attorney Ikpeama served his community by working as a prosecutor for the Office of the State Attorney in downtown Orlando. Today, attorney Ikpeama continues to serve his community by volunteering at The Coalition for the Homeless in downtown Orlando. The reoccurring theme in Mr. Ikpeama's life has been to attend to the needs of those around him by serving his community and the public interest. Attorney Ikpeama believes that there is a binding relationship between law and society, and that the work of the legal profession is inherently related to the public. Inspired by Justice Louis Brandeis, and his desire to help improve the everyday life of men and women, Mr. Ikpeama founded The United Law Firm. We are dedicated to defending you and defending your interests...it's about you, it's about us, United...You and Us.

Whittel & Melton, LLC is a full service central Florida law practice with an emphasis on representing clients from The Villages in all Personal Injury cases, Wrongful Death tragedies, and serious State and Federal Criminal matters. The firm was formed when Gainesville and Ocala Attorney Robert G. Whittel and Hernando and Sumter County Lawyer Jason M. Melton joined their respective practices to better accommodate their clients in The Villages. The two founding members of the firm are former State Prosecutors and nominees for State and Federal office. Our lawyers and staff are committed to meeting and exceeding our clients' needs. The Villages is a unique and growing area of Florida. No place in Florida is quite like it. We work very hard to accommodate all of our Villages clients. Whittel & Melton's success and reputation has always been based on high quality legal work, performed by well-prepared lawyers who are devoted to their clients. The firm's growth is due in large part to the wide range of services and varied interests of our clients. Our attorneys are proud to deliver a personalized and focused counsel to our many clients in Florida. Whittel & Melton remains dedicated to developing and maintaining long-term relationships in the different communities where we practice. Our firm routinely represents clients from The Villages in the courthouses of Ocala, Bushnell, Tavares, Gainesville, Inverness, Brooksville, New Port Richey, Dade City, Tampa, Orlando and throughout the State of Florida.

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.

James Michael Sawyer hails from South Florida but has been a resident of Gainesville off and on since the 1970’s when he moved here to attend the University of Florida for his Bachelor’s Degree. Mike began a martial arts career as a teenager in Miami, which continued while he attended UF and went on to become one of the world’s foremost promoters and authorities on sport martial arts. He is the co-founder of many prestigious martial art associations including the North American Sport Karate Association (NASKA) and the International Sport Karate Association (ISKA), as well as an on-air expert analyst for ESPN and other sports channels.