I have been representing employees and employers in work related issues for more than 20 years. I have litigated cases in state and federal trial and appellate courts, as well as before numerous administrative agencies, including the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Florida Commission on Human Relations, the Florida Department of Administrative Hearings, the National Labor Relations Board and civil service boards in numerous cities, counties and law enforcement agencies in Florida. I am licensed to practice before the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals and the U. S. Supreme Court, as well as federal trial courts in Florida. I have handled a wide variety of employment law cases, including those involving discrimination based on age, race, disability, gender, national origin, sexual harassment, retaliation, medical leave disputes, minimum wage and overtime issues, and non-compete agreements. I have drafted employee handbooks, employment agreements, and have litigated non-compete cases. I have counseled both employees and employers on all types of workplace disputes, including those involving discipline and termination. I served as the Legislative Chair for the Volusia chapter of the Society for Human Resource Management, and have lobbied for work related legislation in Tallahassee. I have represented large corporations and small businesses, as well as individual employees. I have represented employees and employers for various government agencies, including local school districts, cities and counties, and universities. My goal is to provide the highest quality representation at a reasonable cost.

Denise Tessier has been a lawyer for over 25 years, admitted in Massachusetts and Connecticut. For many years, Denise served diligently as in-house counsel for large multinationals, international and start-up operations, rising to General Counsel and Compliance Officer roles. She has extensive expertise in highly complex areas such as global insurance and corporate law, regulatory compliance, and dispute resolution. Now residing in Lake Wales, Florida, she has enthusiastically transitioned her practice to passionately educate and serve her new community on how to protect their children, their families, their legacy and wealth. Her continuous goal is to achieve peace of mind for her clients, whether handling elder concerns or crafting solid estate plans.

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.

Cooperation and full understanding produce the best results. I look forward to helping you resolve your issues or achieve your objectives.

Kevin Humphries has served in the capacity as a Partner in private practice for more than a decade and has previously served as a Felony Prosecutor at the State Attorney’s Office of the 10th Judicial Circuit. Kevin has practiced law on a wide diversity of cases at both at the County and Circuit Court levels in State Court in Hillsborough, Dade, Hardee, Pinellas, Osceola, Polk and Highlands counties. He has also handled cases in Federal Court in the United States Middle District Court for Florida in Tampa. Kevin’s work has been showcased on numerous forms of media throughout the entire country on both local and national television. He has been featured locally on Fox 13 news, Bay News 9, ABC Action news, NBC, the Lakeland ledger and the Orlando Sentinel to name a few. He is also been featured as a guest speaker nationally on the Dr. Drew show and has had his jury trials covered live on national television to include Court TV and True TV where he has been characterized as excellent by hosts and panelists alike. Kevin Humphries has a wealth of real jury trial experience that has been cultivated and honed over the past 15 years. He has tried more than 70 jury trials including capital murder cases, money laundering, complex commercial truck accident cases and motor vehicle crashes. His jury trials have occurred in multiple Circuits throughout the State. In addition to being a trial lawyer he has served as an Adjunct Professor of law as well as a guest judge for trial team competitions at his alma mater Stetson University College of Law. It was at Stetson University College of Law where Kevin was a member of the National Championship Trial Competition Team and received the Ralph Harris Ferrell competition award for individual excellence in intercollegiate competitions. It was also at Stetson where he clerked with Chief Judge Demers from the 6th Judicial Circuit who acknowledged Kevin in his DUI manual every year since its inception for his assistance in this crucial manuscripts preparation. Off campus, Mr. Humphries acted simultaneously in several leading roles as Vice President for the Student Division of the Federal Bar Association, Stetson’s Liaison of the City of Saint Petersburg, Lieutenant Governor of Resolutions for the Law Student Division of the American Bar Association, Dean’s Assistant and Co-Chair of Stetson’s Social Committee. Kevin Humphries active role in his profession mirrors his involvement in voluntary bar and legal organizations as he has been President of the Lakeland Bar Association, President of the Polk County Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, Chair of the Grievance Committee for the 10th Judicial Circuit and frequent Teen Court Judge. Attorney Kevin Humphries discipline, dedication and commitment to the practice of law when coupled with his natural and learned skills will make him a worthy advocate for you in your time of need.

When you need an experienced family law attorney in Lakeland, Florida, trust the future of your family to Michael S. Farrell. Michael S. Farrell is a child support attorney that knows all the laws and regulations governing a variety of child custody issues. When you need a child custody attorney, Michael S. Farrell is a resource that understands all the applicable laws, rules and where your rights fit in. For difficult and stressful processes like custody cases, make sure you have a dedicated lawyer like Michael S. Farrell on your side. Our law office is also here for you if you need an experienced divorce attorney. Make sure your side and interests in the divorce proceedings are properly represented. Michael S. Farrell will have your back from start to finish. When you need a divorce lawyer, you'll feel a whole lot better with Michael S. Farrell on your side.

Thomas Grajek is a Lakeland criminal defense attorney at Thomas C. Grajek, Attorney At Law. We offer aggressive representation for various criminal defense cases in Florida. We handle misdemeanors, felonies, traffic violations, juvenile offenses, and more. With offices in Lakeland and Tampa, we are committed to protecting the rights of those accused of crimes throughout the Tampa Bay area.

Mr. Casanova vigorously defends the accused in all cases ranging from misdemeanors to serious felonies. He practices in both State and Federal Courts. His experience with Federal drug trafficking cases, drug possession and sale cases, aggravated domestic battery cases and all misdemeanors and felonies gives him a perspective on criminal law that can provide you with a significant advantage in today's legal system.

I began my legal career in 1986 when I was a senior in High School. I started as a receptionist in a busy New York law firm. From there, I became a secretary and eventually a paralegal. I have personally worked on hundreds if not thousands of cases and even assisted in the courtroom during trials. But that wasn't enough--my passion for helping people became so overwhelming that I became an attorney. I worked full time as a paralegal in a local Brevard County law firm while obtaining my undergraduate degrees with top honors and Summa Cum Laude, and graduated from Barry University School of Law. Helping people through hard times, mistakes, unfortunate and stressful personal matters is what I am here for and devoted to.

Zachary Leacox is a Board Certified Specialist in Civil Trial Law. This is a distinction that only 7% of lawyers in the State of Florida hold. Board certification is Florida’s official, independent determination of a lawyer’s expertise to practice in a specialty field of law. It is the gold standard for Florida lawyers, representing a recognition by a lawyer’s peers that they have attained a level of professional expertise in their chosen fields. Zachary Leacox spent many years representing insurance companies and large corporations. As a defense lawyer he saw firsthand the tactics insurance companies use to deprive injury victims of full and fair compensation and to save money. He now uses that experience and knowledge to help injured people fight insurance companies and large corporations. He focuses his law practice 100 percent on accident and injury law, and getting his clients the compensation they need to pick up the pieces after devastating accidents. Zachary Leacox has represented thousands of clients throughout the State of Florida who have been in an accident or injured. He has had jury trials in 9 different counties in the State of Florida. Zachary was born in Denver, Colorado and earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in 1997 from the University of Denver with a focus in Finance and Statistics. In 2001, he earned both a Juris Doctor degree and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Kansas.