With an office only two blocks from the Manatee County Courthouse, I enjoy being in the heart of downtown and close to the river. It reminds me of how wonderful my community is and why I serve them. Growing up, I always enjoyed taking part in my community. After graduating from high school, I attended university for a year before joining the Air Force - deciding to not wait for the draft. I served in both the US and Southeast Asia for four years as an electronics technician. After my service, I moved to Bradenton and returned to school. Upon graduating from Florida State University College of Law, I served as the Governor's Attorney — Bob Graham — and since then have remained active in local, state, and national politics. I both understand and appreciate the role of politics in the local community, and I’m always happy to serve in any capacity possible. With my business background, as the co-founder of MOR Music and Coast Bank of Florida, I have first-hand experience that benefits my clients who are looking to make business investments and make business-related decisions big or small.

Mr. Nelson’s experience includes over thirty (30) years of practice in Circuit and County Courts in Florida. Mr. Nelson’s experience also includes representing clients in arbitration and mediation. Mr. Nelson is a member in good standing of The Florida Bar Association, the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida and the Manatee County Bar Association. Mr. Nelson is a past President and a past Director of the Manatee County Bar Association. Mr. Nelson is also a Florida Supreme Court certified Circuit Court Mediator. Mr. Nelson attended the University of Florida from 1979 – 1981 before transferring to the University of Notre Dame where he majored in Government and International Relations and obtained a Bachelor of Arts Degree in 1984. Mr. Nelson obtained a Juris Doctorate Degree from Stetson University College of Law in 1987. In 1987 Mr. Nelson moved to Bradenton, Florida from St. Petersburg, Florida with his wife, Margie and he joined the law firm of Harllee, Porges, Hamlin & Brownell, P.A. (n/k/a Porges, Hamlin, Knowles & Hawk, P.A. ) where he was a shareholder from 1993 – 2002. Mr. Nelson was a shareholder in the law firm of Ozark, Perron & Nelson, P.A. from 2002 to 2014, until he formed his own law firm in July of 2014. Mr. Nelson has previously served as President of South Manatee Sertoma Club, Chairman of the Board of Gulf Coast Marine Institute, Director and Chairman of the Agency Relations and Allocations Committee of the United Way of Manatee County, Governmental Affairs Chair and Director of the HomeBuilders Association of Manatee County, Chairman of the Young Children Priority One Committee and Vice President of the Bradenton Kiwanis Club. Mr. Nelson was a Manatee High School Mock Trial Team Coach for eight years from 2004 through 2012.Mr. Nelson’s experience includes over thirty (30) years of practice in Circuit and County Courts in Florida. Mr. Nelson’s experience also includes representing clients in arbitration and mediation. Mr. Nelson is a member in good standing of The Florida Bar Association, the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida and the Manatee County Bar Association. Mr. Nelson is a past President and a past Director of the Manatee County Bar Association. Mr. Nelson is also a Florida Supreme Court certified Circuit Court Mediator. Mr. Nelson attended the University of Florida from 1979 – 1981 before transferring to the University of Notre Dame where he majored in Government and International Relations and obtained a Bachelor of Arts Degree in 1984. Mr. Nelson obtained a Juris Doctorate Degree from Stetson University College of Law in 1987. In 1987 Mr. Nelson moved to Bradenton, Florida from St. Petersburg, Florida with his wife, Margie and he joined the law firm of Harllee, Porges, Hamlin & Brownell, P.A. (n/k/a Porges, Hamlin, Knowles & Hawk, P.A. ) where he was a shareholder from 1993 – 2002. Mr. Nelson was a shareholder in the law firm of Ozark, Perron & Nelson, P.A. from 2002 to 2014, until he formed his own law firm in July of 2014. Mr. Nelson has previously served as President of South Manatee Sertoma Club, Chairman of the Board of Gulf Coast Marine Institute, Director and Chairman of the Agency Relations and Allocations Committee of the United Way of Manatee County, Governmental Affairs Chair and Director of the HomeBuilders Association of Manatee County, Chairman of the Young Children Priority One Committee and Vice President of the Bradenton Kiwanis Club. Mr. Nelson was a Manatee High School Mock Trial Team Coach for eight years from 2004 through 2012.

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.