Mark R. Osherow is a Florida Bar Board Certified Specialist in Business Litigation with over 30 years of experience. He has practiced for most of those years in both state and federal courts throughout Florida. With significant trial and alternative dispute resolution experience, Osherow has taken countless depositions and served as first-chair in numerous trials, arbitrations and mediations. He serves as a legal advisor for his clients as they assess their business risks across a large segment of industry and service providers. Lawyer.com Member Questionnaire How did you build a successful practice? Throughout my early career, I was involved in class action litigation, complex litigation for major clients and product liability cases. I was fortunate to be involved in complex cases and, through that experience, to develop expertise in a variety of areas,” he says. Osherow learned early on that success as a litigator requires a very high level of commitment and tenacity. After 2006, my practice focused almost exclusively on business litigation and related areas such as real estate, construction and employment litigation. Osherow believes in leading by example, a philosophy he developed and has carried out through his over 30 years of practice. Osherow says he works to be a good listener. That skill, combined with his experience as a board-certified business litigator, allows him to respond quickly and effectively to client needs in diverse areas of the law. He believes in The Florida Bar board certification process. He says he is proud of his certification as a board-certified business litigation specialist, and frequently encourages his colleagues to apply. “I believe in team effort and in leading in a way that makes other people want to perform for you as a team. My philosophy has come down to this – the way I define a problem is whether somebody is going to remember in a day, a week, a month, six months, a year or five years from now. If they are not going to remember it in the long term, it is really not a problem; it is just a bump in the road. And 99.9 percent of things fall into that category, although at that moment they may seem like major issues. We work in a high pressure, stressful profession and it’s important that people know someone has his or her back,” he says. “I’d say the biggest challenge is getting a case to the point that the client fully realizes how cases are resolved. It is basically strategy. Most cases can ultimately be resolved. Finding those solutions that get the participants to a point where they are ready to resolve the case is for me one of the most interesting aspects of practicing law,” Osherow says. He helps clients to see that sometimes they are motivated more by hostility, anger, frustration or something else that interferes with their ability to focus on the practical business aspects of their situation. One of his primary goals is to motivate those clients to see their situation from a practical perspective rather than an emotional perspective, to see the situation as it really is – a purely business transaction. “Sometimes clients don’t think as rationally as they believe they are and sometimes when they think rationally they don’t necessarily weigh all the different aspects of the case. It is very important to help clients see the various motivations and causes that are influencing them to make a decision. Once we have done that analysis and we have gone through all of the specifics, then they can decide whether or not litigation is called for,” he says. Osherow sometimes faces a client who initially only wants to litigate, someone who doesn’t want or doesn’t realize that one of the key aspects of a case is an attorney’s ability to resolve or at least attempt to resolve the case before the client gets involved in expensive, time-consuming and often emotionally-draining litigation. He says it is crucial for a lawyer to help a client assess his or her willingness to take a case through the litigation process and trial. The client must also feel comfortable that their law firm is providing advice that is in their best interests, whether they go the distance through trial or seek alternative dispute resolution. “I always want our clients to understand the costs and risks of the decisions they’re making. For me, that is critical. I’m always advising clients about the next step, about what they need to know, what we should be doing, and advising them constantly on pre-litigation, litigation, settlement and trial issues,” he says. Osherow says that whether cases are rewarding or difficult, an attorney has to have an even keel as a litigator. He upholds a philosophy of trust when it comes to his clients’ interests. “My father taught me to never give up and my first boss taught me how to think like a lawyer, to be precise, and to be articulate in my writing. From those mentors and others, I have come to believe strongly in creating an environment where people can do their best.” What should clients look for in a lawyer? Do not rely on what is on a lawyer’s website alone. Speak to the lawyer and make sure your questions are fully answered and there is no run around or diversion in providing direct answers. That does not mean that every question is subject to an easy answer however. Make sure the lawyer has the competence to proceed with your case or its defense. Many inexperienced lawyers claim to be experts in matters that are really outside of their experience level or abilities. Many lawyers do not have the extensive training and experience to handle complex litigation but represent to the public that they have this experience. But they can be cost effective by charging lower rates. Sometimes you get what you pay for so be careful in selecting a lawyer who can at a minimum learn the issues and competently address your situation. Look for a lawyer who will represent you or your company vigorously and professionally and will take the time to learn all the critical issues involved in your particular matter. Check for prior cases handled by the lawyer and the actual experience the lawyer has in similar or related types of cases, recognizing that each case may well present distinct issues. Find out when the lawyer was admitted to the Bar and if they are Board Certified as a specialist in their particular area of practice, which can also help select a lawyer with the competency to handle a matter within their specialty. How important is local knowledge to the success of your cases? It is important to know the lawyers on the other side and the court rules and the reputations and differences in the way judges handle cases before them. This helps provide each client with valuable insight on how the case may progress in court. Where a case is in arbitration, where possible, it is critical to know the reputation of the arbitrators who may be chosen to hear the case.

The Law Offices of Michael K. Bregman, P.A. has helped thousands of clients that have been injured due to the negligence of others. We are available for no fee consultations in office or at your home. After hours appointments are also available. We are very proud to provide personal attention for your personal injuries.

Attorney Bruce S. Rosenwater was born in Cleveland, Ohio. He is a veteran attorney, having assisted Floridians for more than 30 years. Bruce founded and developed his law firm as a law firm for life. He developed the firm’s practice areas to span most, if not all of an individual’s and a family’s lifetime legal needs. He has distinguished his practice by willingly being a family’s lawyer and counselor throughout the various stages and circumstance of their lives, from owning a first home to unfortunately unavoidable disputes, business and real estate legal needs and even injury, probate and guardianship law. Bruce has surrounded himself with a handpicked team of professionals who share his work ethic and beliefs that the reality of a personal lawyer or retained lawyer should not be reserved for the wealthy and a select few corporate clients. Bruce S. Rosenwater practices in the areas of civil litigation, family law, bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, real estate, personal injury and probate and guardianship law. Bruce S. Rosenwater is a long-standing member of the South Florida community. He has dedicated countless hours both personally and professionally to assisting clients of his law firm and under resourced members of his extended community. He is a devoted husband and father. The Rosenwater family resides full time in Palm Beach County, Florida.

David P. Slater has over 30 years of litigation and general practice experience and handles all accident cases from investigation through trial, including motor vehicle, slip and fall, construction and wrongful death. He is experienced in all real estate and landlord and tenant matters, collections, business practices and probate. He has been associated with various law firms throughout New York City for more than 20 years. He is now in private practice in Boca Raton, Florida. He is also a licensed Realtor in the State of Florida, an arbitrator for the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority and a Special Magistrate to the Palm Beach County (Florida Department of Building, Zoning and Planning. He has written various legal articles that have been published in Florida newspapers. He taught business law at a local college and has lectured attorneys and business professionals in the area of landlord and tenant law. He is a former Traffic Court Hearing Officer, deputy chairman of the Zoning Board of Appeals in the Village of Chestnut Ridge, Rockland County, N.Y., and arbitrator with the Civil Court of the City of New York, Division of Small Claims, as well as the American Arbitration Association. Of Counsel and per diem associations with members of the Florida Bar are actively sought throughout the state.

Myles Schlam is a practicing lawyer in the state of Florida. He received his J.D. from St. Thomas University School of Law in 2002.