Personal Injury

I've been a lifelong resident of the Inland Empire. Although I've been an attorney for over 20 years, I've done nothing but represent injured individuals of the Inland Empire for the past 15 years. Prior to that I served as a Marine Corps Officer where I cut my teeth in the courtroom as a trial lawyer in one of the busiest trial shops in the entire Department of Defense. I've remained an active reservist for over 23 years where I've advised some of the largest commands in the U.S. Marine Corps. In my civilian practice I've represented hundreds of individuals against the largest corporations and governmental institutions in the United States. We care about our fellow Inland Empire residents and take whatever steps necessary to protect our clients rights. We believe that our caring goes beyond the resolution of the case as our clients often refer to our firm as "my lawyers" even after the case has ended. My office brings the full force of some of the finest attorneys in the Inland Empire with the financial wherewithal to undertake even the most complex case.

Alfred Wiseman is a practicing lawyer serving Long Beach, CA and the surrounding areas.

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.

In 2012, Donovan was selected by Florida Super Lawyers as a “Rising Star,” an honor extended to only two and a half percent of Florida lawyers each year. Donovan Whibbs received his undergraduate degree from the University of Alabama in 1994. In 1997, he received his J.D. from Cumberland School of Law at Samford University, where he was Associate Editor for the American Journal of Trial Advocacy. He is a member of both the Florida and Alabama Bars. Mr. Whibbs is a member of the Workers’ Compensation Section of the Florida Bar, Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers and the Escambia-Santa Rosa County Bar Association. His practice focuses primarily on workers’ compensation and personal injury.

Katherine Piccin Glynn was born in Southfield, Michigan on May 29, 1969. She was a Ford Foundation Scholar at Eckerd College, from which she graduated with honors in 1991. She then graduated from St. Thomas University School of Law, was admitted to The Florida State Bar in 1995 and US District Court, Middle District in 1999. Upon graduation, she was appointed Assistant State Attorney for the Fifth Judicial Circuit. During the next four years she gained extensive jury trial experience, mainly with white collar crime and other felony cases.

Mr. Klemawesch joined the firm in 2014. His practice includes all aspects of both criminal defense and personal injury in both State and Federal Court. Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Klemawesch worked as an Assistant State Attorney in the Sixth Judicial Circuit, Pinellas County, Florida, where he tried over seventy-five cases to juries, including cases involving homicide, hate crimes, sexual battery, weapons charges, and many other areas. He was a member of the Vehicular Homicide Squad, focused on the investigation and prosecution of severe DUI cases involving significant injuries and deaths. Before working for the State of Florida, Mr. Klemawesch worked at several Florida law firms, practicing civil and commercial litigation; he also served as a Judicial Clerk for the Honorable Gregory Presnell, United States District Judge in the Middle District of Florida. Mr. Klemawesch graduated in the top 3% of his law school class, and was a member of both the Trial Team and Law Review. Mr. Klemawesch has worked as a teacher in a Maasai community in Kenya, teaching English to elementary school children, and served with Doctors Without Borders in a trauma hospital in Port Harcourt, Nigeria.

Rob Cook is the founder of Rob Cook, P.A. Mr. Cook has practiced Civil Litigation and Trial Law since 2002. He has served as lead counsel on civil litigation for plaintiffs and defendants in personal injury, insurance claims and coverage, intellectual property/copyright infringement claims, contract disputes, real property disputes, maritime/admiralty law, property damage, federal civil litigation, business disputes. Prior opening his own practice, Rob worked for the law firm of Vernis & Bowling of The Florida Keys P.A. Rob obtained his Juris Doctorate from Florida Coastal School of Law and a BS in Political Science from Capital University. At Rob Cook Attorney At Law, P.A. we are pleased to offer a wide range of legal services to fit your needs. Our attorneys take pride in giving each case the individual attention it deserves. When you choose our firm to represent you case, you are a treated as a person and not just another case number. Are you unsure about your rights in a legal matter? We offer a free consultation to review the details of your case. During you consultation we will gather and examine the information to determine the best course of action to protect you.

A civil trial lawyer since 1983, Alan Wagner brings an unusual skill set to his partnership in the firm. True to the firm’s dedication to plaintiffs’ rights, Alan’s experience plays a vital role in helping clients. Alan has distinguished himself as a trial lawyer, gaining extensive experience in handling claims of professional negligence, products liability, bad-faith litigation, complex commercial disputes, toxic torts, and legal and medical malpractice. One of Alan’s key areas of expertise is in the examination of expert witnesses — frequently a critical component in personal injury litigation — which he has perfected while honing a reputation for general excellence in trial advocacy. Alan became a partner in the firm in 1994 and today serves as President of Wagner McLaughlin. His exceptional skills and competence have refueled the practice’s growth and success.

Octavio “Tav” Gomez is a managing partner at The Consumer Lawyers. Previously he served as the Head of the Consumer Protection Department of Morgan & Morgan. He has represented Thousands of across the Nation. Mr. Gomez has earned a reputation for aggressive and dedicated representation in complex civil litigation. As an attorney, he is constantly striving to become a more educated and informed legal professional, and readily attends legal seminars and conferences to ensure his continuing legal education. Tav Gomez and his consumer team at Morgan and Morgan were recognized as “The Consumer Protection Group of the year” by Law360. Originally from Colombia, South America, Mr. Gomez moved to the United States as a child. He was raised in in Fort Lauderdale, FL and attended Florida State University for his undergraduate studies. After earning his Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science, he went on to earn his Juris Doctorate at the Florida State University College of Law. While attending law school, Mr. Gomez served as an intern with the Agency for Health Care Administration. After graduating law school, Mr. Gomez began working as a state prosecutor at the State Attorney’s office in Tampa, Florida. As a prosecuting attorney, he handled a multitude of felony cases, including habitual felony offender, 10-20-Life cases, grand theft, and trafficking cases. Mr. Gomez moved on from the State Attorney’s office in 2003 to become a named partner with Taracks, Gomez & Rickman, practicing primarily in the area of criminal defense and personal injury. During his tenure at the firm, he handled high profile cases including 1st-degree murder, vehicular homicide, complex mortgage fraud, extradition and tax fraud. Mr. Gomez has also handled civil and administrative cases involving the Federal Trade Commission, the Drug Enforcement Agency and the Internal Revenue Service. Mr. Gomez’s became the National Head of the Consumer Protection at Morgan & Morgan and focuses primarily on Federal Litigation, on the FCRA, FDCPA, TCPA, and other consumer issues. He uses this extensive knowledge and experience in the courtroom, all to the benefit of his clients. Mr. Gomez has developed an invaluable understanding of the discovery phase and trial preparation. He has represented high profile cases in both Federal and State Court. Mr. Gomez has been involved in some of the largest individual settlement agreements in FCRA and TCPA cases around the nation. He has a deep understanding of the policies and procedures employed by most banks and debt collectors and has mastered credit reporting as instituted by Congress in relation to the FCRA. Mr. Gomez is a member of the Florida Bar, the Georgia Bar, The Pennsylvania Bar and numerous Federal Courts throughout the Country. He is fluent in Spanish and has served as lead attorney in more than 60 jury trials and hundreds of bench trials, in both Federal and State Courts. With over 20 years of legal experience, he handles cases with strategic aggressiveness to maximize case results.

Keith opened his own firm in July of 2003 where he strives every day to offer every client the best legal representation with the best customer service. He understands no one wants to be injured especially due to another’s negligence that is why Keith and his staff are committed to doing everything they can in their power to assist their clients with a full recovery. Keith has been the managing partner since 2003 and is assisted by several great lawyers, paralegals and staff.