Michael A. Fischler is the senior partner of Fischler & Friedman, P.A. Mr. Fischler was born in New York and has been a resident of Broward County Florida since 1966. Mr. Fischler currently serves as President of the Broward County Bar Association. He graduated from Jacksonville University in 1975, where he double majored in Business and Psychology and minored in Accounting. Thereafter, Mr. Fischler attended both law school and business school at Nova Southeastern University where he graduated with a Juris Doctor (J.D.) and Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) in 1978. Mr. Fischler began his career as an Assistant State Attorney in the Broward County State Attorney's Office. After three years, Mr. Fischler was promoted to be in ASA in charge of the Economic Crime, Consumer Fraud, and Civil Division. After leaving the State Attorney's Office in 1984, he entered into private practice as an associate with a mid-sized law firm, concentrating in the areas of commercial and civil litigation. In 1992, he joined his practice with Howard S. Friedman, Esq. and formed Fischler & Friedman, P.A. Mr. Fischler's business education, combined with his more than thirty-five years of legal experience, provides him with a unique insight that allows him to comprehensively evaluate business and personal situations faced by his clients. Mr. Fischler focuses primarily on business and commercial transaction litigation and has experience representing businesses and individuals in a variety of different types of claims including breach of contract, fraud, negligence, and breach of fiduciary duty. He has effectively handled numerous matters involving shareholder disputes, business dissolution, non-compete clauses, and matters involving complex accounting. In addition to business and corporate law, Mr. Fischler also handles estate planning, wills, trusts, and probate matters. As part of his practice, Mr. Fischler prepares documents necessary for business entity formation and operation, including articles of incorporation/organization, shareholder agreements, operating agreements, and independent contractor agreements. In preparing these important legal documents, Mr. Fischler draws on his vast litigation experience to protect clients from potential issues that may arise from the business transactions and ventures in which they choose to explore, whether it be buying a new business, selling a business, forming a corporation or business entity or planning for succession. Mr. Fischler is a Certified Family Court and Circuit Civil Mediator, as well as a Qualified Arbitrator. He uses his alternative dispute skills to assist other lawyers and their clients to achieve amicable resolutions to their business disputes and estate administration matters. Mr. Fischler lives in Coral Springs, FL with his wife and has two adult children.

Terri Buchalter was awarded a Bachelor of Arts degree from University of Florida in 1977 with honors. She earned a Juris Doctor degree from Nova Law School in 1980. That same year she was admitted into the Florida Bar. Terri specializes in personal injury, automobile accidents, wrongful death, premises liability, slip and fall and negligent security cases. Terri has successfully handled thousands of personal injury cases. Terri possesses outstanding legal and negotiation skills which she uses to maximize recoveries for her clients. Outside of the office Ms. Buchalter was awarded the Women's American Ort award for human achievement through technology and training. Terri Buchalter believes her clients deserve a tough and tenacious advocate who will work tirelessly to achieve her clients best result.

Richard Hoffman graduated from the University of Miami Law School with a Juris Doctor degree in 1980, after graduating from Cornell University in 1977 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Government. He has been a member of the Florida Bar since 1980, continuously practicing personal injury law on behalf of accident victims throughout Florida. Primarily a sole practitioner for his first ten years, Mr. Hoffman formed a lasting partnership with Terri Buchalter in 1990. Kenneth Dorchak has been a welcome partner since 2000. The firm is a close knit group, with a longstanding, appreciated staff, all dedicated to protecting the rights of the injured. Mr. Hoffman has always made a point of meeting new injury clients at their convenience, as he still routinely makes home and hospital visits. Examples of immediate client needs that Mr. Hoffman will sit down and address are arranging following-up medical care, securing medical and loss of income benefits, and resolving auto repair and rental claims. Mr. Hoffman has helped thousands of accident victims ultimately receive lump sum awards for their lifelong damages. From pre-suit settlements to complicated litigation, he provides personal attention and professional expertise from start to finish.

Kenneth Dorchak is a life long resident of South Florida. Mr. Dorchak graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Miami in 1988 and graduated with Honors from the Florida State University School of Law in 1991. In addition to being a member of the Florida Bar since 1991, Mr. Dorchak is admitted to practice before the United States District Court for the Southern District and has been admitted to practice before the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. During his 26 years of practice Mr. Dorchak has practiced in the areas of personal injury and automobile, homeowner’s, health and disability insurance disputes with a focus in trial practice. Mr. Dorchak has worked to protect the rights of individuals and medical providers as co-counsel and court appointed class counsel in several statewide insurance class actions which were brought against large automobile insurance companies. Mr. Dorchak has also handled appellate matters including an important precedent setting case wherein Mr. Dorchak successfully defended the rights of individuals to an award of attorney’s fees against insurers who failed to pay insurance benefits. Mr. Dorchak has protected the rights of injured clients not only against large insurance companies but also against large chain retail stores, utility companies, amusement parks, apartment buildings, municipalities, construction companies, and trucking companies, among others. When not working Mr. Dorchak enjoys playing golf, travel with his family and is an avid music and sport fan.

Attorney Jason Chalik is a founding partner in The Law Offices of Chalik and Chalik, where he provides legal services and compassionate counsel to people who have suffered personal injury and loss of loved ones due to the negligence or recklessness of other responsible parties. Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., Jason and his family moved to the Sunshine State in 1977. He is proud to have founded a law firm headquartered in the community of Plantation, Florida where he grew up and attended public schools. Assisting injured citizens and bereaved families is his life's work. "What I love about our work is we help injured people who don't know about the legal system," Attorney Chalik says.

Michael Acker has over 25 years of trial experience in all manner of personal injury litigation. He has been focused for much of that time on medical malpractice cases. Preventable medical errors are the third leading cause of death in the United States, according to a Johns Hopkins study. It is his hope that holding the healthcare system responsible when something they do, or fail to do, results in harm will make every patient’s treatment safer in the future. In addition to medical malpractice cases, Mike also works tirelessly to achieve justice for those harmed by negligence in nursing home settings, in automobile and trucking accidents, and in commercial/ retail settings. Mike received his undergraduate degree from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and his law degree from Boston University School of Law. He began his career at a prestigious Fort Lauderdale insurance defense firm, achieving partnership early in his career. He was there for a dozen years before turning his focus to helping the injured. Mike has held the prestigious AV rating from Martindale-Hubbell for over 20 years. He has handled cases in nearly every county in Florida, and co-counseled with dozens of the finest lawyers in the country on cases in other states.

Practice Areas: Medical Malpractice, Product Liability, Wrongful Death, Personal Injury Born to Cuban and Colombian parents, Cassandra “Cassie” Lombard was raised in South Florida and is fluent in Spanish. She attended the University of Miami, graduating Magna Cum Laude in 2010. While there, she received a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and graduated in the top five percent of her class. She was also a member of the prestigious University of Miami President’s 100. She then attended the University of Miami Law School, graduating in 2013 Magna Cum Laude. She was also on the Inter- American Law Review during this time. Cassie began her internship with Gordon & Partners in 2012. One year later, she joined the firm’s Broward County office as an associate attorney. Cassie is currently a trial lawyer who has devoted her professional life to representing injured individuals in litigation. Cassie began her career at the firm handling all types of personal injury cases. In 2017, Cassie was trial counsel in a motor vehicle case where she obtained a verdict that was listed as one of Florida’s Top 100 Motor Vehicle Accident Verdicts in Florida. In 2017, Cassie began working exclusively in the firm’s tobacco litigation division. During this time, Cassie has been on trial teams that have received seven and eight figure verdicts including one that was named in the Top 100 Verdicts in Florida in 2018. During her free time, Cassie enjoys spending time with her family. Below is a list of recent verdicts that Cassie has been involved in: Duignan vs. R.J. Reynolds and Phillip Morris: $26,750,000.00 Coyne v. R.J. Reynolds: $17,589,233.00 Burgess v. R.J Reynolds: $3,000,000.00 Garcia v. Rance & X-Ray Copy Service Inc.: $254,461.00

Practice Areas: Product Liability, Medical Malpractice, Personal Injury, Wrongful Death, Nursing Home Abuse Gary Paige manages the Broward County office of Gordon & Partners. Throughout his legal career, he has had a multitude of highly successful results. His significant list of victories includes many seven and eight figure verdicts. He is an industry tested and proven trial attorney, as well as a highly valued member of our law firm. Gary is a fellow of The American College of Trial Lawyers (ACTL) and also a recipient of Martindale-Hubbell's "AV Rating"—the highest rating possible for exemplary legal service.

Practice Areas: Medical Malpractice, Product Liability, Wrongful Death, Personal Injury Alana Weatherstone, born and raised in South Florida, is a civil litigator who has always devoted 100 percent of her practice to injured plaintiffs. Attending Florida State University for both her undergraduate and law degree allowed her to have the unique experience of working in the Capitol during legislative session seeing firsthand the power that “big money interests” have on lobbying efforts throughout the State of Florida. This, along with Alana’s innate passion for justice, has resulted in her trying multiple cases throughout the State of Florida and representing countless clients who have been injured due to the negligence of others. After admission to the Florida Bar, she also gained admission to the Federal Bar of the Southern District of Florida. Alana enjoys being with her family and rescue dogs in her spare time.

Practice Areas: Personal Injury Protection (PIP), Diminished Value, First Party Property Erik is an attorney at Gordon & Partner’s Plantation office where he serves as the lead attorney for the firm’s Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and Diminished Value divisions. He has concentrated his practice on both first and third party insurance litigation and utilizes his experience and competitive nature to vigorously advocate on behalf of his clients. He takes pride in ensuring his clients receive proper and just compensation while providing them the individual attention they deserve. Born and raised in South Florida, Erik is a third generation attorney from Hollywood. He earned his law degree from the University of Miami School of Law, where he founded the Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Society and was Speaker of the Senate for the Student Bar Association. Erik was awarded Senator of the Year for his commitment to the governance of the law school’s student body. Prior to law school, Erik attended the University of Florida where he graduated cum laude with degrees in Psychology and Business Administration. During his undergraduate career, Erik earned his real estate license, was a member Pi Kappa Phi, and a defensive player on the Florida Lacrosse team.