The Florida 651 East Jefferson Street Tallahassee, FL 32399-2300 Lisa DiFranza, Chair 850/561-5669 Committee www.FLORIDABAR.org Agenda Consumer Protection Law Committee Aug. 15, 2019, 11:30 a.m. Conference Call Number: 888-376-5050 Code 6452365715# Leader PIN 46255#

I. Call to order and welcome Roll call and welcome (Att. 1, 2019-2020 CPLC Roster)

II. Introductions of committee members (Att. 2, 2019-20 CPLC Bios)

III. Subcommittees reports (Att. 3, 2019-20 Subcommittees) ▪ CLE – Plans seminar CPLC hosts at the Annual Convention. ▪ – Monitors legislation of interest to consumers and spearheads efforts to contact lawmakers. ▪ Outreach and Social Media – Organizes public events and outreach; manages committee’s Twitter account: @FLBarConsumer. ▪ Judicial – Updates committee’s manual for on consumer issues. ▪ Pamphlets – Updates Florida Bar consumer pamphlets. ▪ Consumer Protection of the Year Award – Seeks nominations of an attorney for the award, proposes winner for committee to name.

IV.Upcoming meetings: Dates of conference calls and in-person meetings (which have conference call capability). All times Eastern (Number: 888-376-5050 Conference Code 6452365715#): ▪ Sept. 19, 11:30 a.m. ▪ Feb. 20, 11:30 a.m. ▪ Oct. 17 (Fall Meeting, ▪ March 19, 11:30 a.m. Tampa Airport Marriott, ▪ April 16, 11:30 a.m. 10:30 a.m.) ▪ May 21, 11:30 a.m. ▪ Nov. 21, 11:30 a.m. ▪ June 17-20, Florida Bar ▪ Dec. 19, 11:30 a.m. Annual Convention; ▪ Winter Meeting, usually Hilton Orlando Bonnet held in January, is now Creek, Orlando being held Feb. 5-8, Hyatt Regency)

V. Adjournment May 9, 2019 Att. 1(1-4) CONSUMER PROTECTION LAW COMMITTEE (2019-2020)

0087566 0106870 Ms. Lisa Anne DiFranza, Chair Ms. Rachel Ann Bentley P.O. Box 51403 423 Fern St., Ste. 200 Jacksonville Beach, FL 32240-1403 West Palm Beach, FL 33401-5839 (904) 394-2874 561-655-8944 x101 Fax: (904) 212-1994 Fax: (561) 655-5269 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected]

0861250 0104904 Ms. Victoria Ann Butler, Vice Chair Mr. Anthony S. Bradlow Office of Attorney General 3507 E. Frontage Rd., Ste. 325 3507 E. Frontage Rd., Ste. 325 Tampa, FL 33607-1795 Tampa, FL 33607-1795 (813) 287-7950 (813) 287-7950 Email: Fax: (813) 281-5515 [email protected] Email: [email protected] 0599743 0085170 Mr. Robert Graham Clements Mr. Charles G. Geitner, Vice Chair 225 E. Robinson St., Ste. 545 c/o Charles G. Geitner, P.A. Orlando, FL 32801-4338 100 S. Ashley Dr., Ste. 600 (407) 245-7601 Tampa, FL 33602-5300 Email: [email protected] (813) 724-3140 Fax: (813) 724-3179 0845469 Email: [email protected] Mr. Patrick St. George Cousins 319 Clematis St., Ste. 701 0098716 West Palm Beach, FL 33401-4622 Mr. Anthony Joseph Palermo, Vice Chair (561) 835-1727 Holland & Knight, LLP Fax: (561) 835-0766 100 N. Tampa St., Ste. 4100 Email: [email protected] Tampa, FL 33602-3642 (813) 227-6320 0017491 Fax: (813) 229-0134 Ms. Carrie Vaughn Cromey Email: [email protected] 212 W. Cervantes St. Pensacola, FL 32501-3130 0868991 (850) 483-1689 Mr. Barry Seth Balmuth Fax: (850) 462-8691 2505 Burns Rd. Email: [email protected] Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410-5204 (561) 242-9400 Fax: (561) 366-2650 Email: [email protected] 1(2) May 9, 2019 Consumer Protection Law Committee (2019 2020)

0642101 0010167 Ms. Carol E. A. DeGraffenreidt Mr. Ian Richard Leavengood 1515 N. Flagler Dr., Ste. 900 3900 1st St. N., Ste. 100 West Palm Beach, FL 33401-3432 Saint Petersburg, FL 33703-6109 (561) 837-5007 x126 (727) 327-3328 Fax: (561) 837-5109 Fax: (727) 327-3305 Email: Email: [email protected] [email protected] 0051011 0508489 Ms. Ruth Jackson Lee Ms. Lynn Drysdale 1991 Longwood Lake Mary Rd. Jacksonville Area Legal Aid, Inc. Longwood, FL 32750-4620 126 W. Adams St. (813) 850-9201 Jacksonville, FL 32202-3849 Email: [email protected] (904) 356-8371 Fax: (904) 224-7050 0645486 Email: [email protected] Mr. Jared A. Levy 515 N. Flagler Dr., Ste. P300 0898570 West Palm Beach, FL 33401-4326 Mr. David Jude George (561) 671-1920 9897 Lake Worth Rd., Ste. 302 Fax: (561) 370-7401 Lake Worth, FL 33467-2377 Email: [email protected] (561) 232-6002 Fax: (888) 421-4529 0137911 Email: dgeorge@4-.com Ms. Patrice Shannon Malloy Attorney General Office 0035921 110 S.E. 6th St. Ms. Shaunda Therese Hill Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301-5000 Landmark Center One (954) 469-6151 315 E. Robinson St., Ste. 600 Email: [email protected] Orlando, FL 32801-4341 (407) 425-7010 0046366 Fax: (407) 425-2747 Mr. Alex McClure Email: [email protected] 255 Primera Blvd., Ste. 160 Lake Mary, FL 32746-2168 0165085 (407) 984-5270 Mr. Richard Polk Lawson Fax: (407) 984-5270 7 Times Sq., Fl. 22 Email: [email protected] New York, NY 10036-6551 (212) 790-4539 Fax: (212) 536-1839 Email: [email protected] 1(3) May 9, 2019 Consumer Protection Law Committee (2019 2020)

0086956 0086258 Mr. Nicholas Patrick Merriweather Mr. Daniel Joseph Rheaume 422 S. Florida Ave. Welt & Rheaume, P.A. Lakeland, FL 33801-5227 4770 Hollywood Blvd. (863) 683-5353 Hollywood, FL 33021-6504 Fax: (863) 683-2237 (954) 966-4646 Email: [email protected] Fax: (954) 966-4642 Email: [email protected] 0127172 Mr. Derek K. Mountford 0711977 50 N. Laura St., Ste. 3900 Mr. Taras Stefan Rudnitsky Jacksonville, FL 32202-3622 3383 Oakmont Ter. (904) 353-2000 Longwood, FL 32779-3151 Email: [email protected] (407) 333-0001 Fax: (888) 990-1460 0717223 Email: [email protected] Mr. Robert William Murphy 1212 S.E. 2nd Ave. 0024542 Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316-1808 Mr. Steven A. Salzer (954) 763-8660 4110 W. Barcelona St. Email: [email protected] Tampa, FL 33629-6704 (727) 561-2227 0081712 Email: [email protected] Mr. Robert J. Neary 2525 Ponce De Leon Blvd., Fl. 9 0888451 Miami, FL 33134-6039 Ms. Sarah Levien Shullman (305) 372-1800 1515 N. Flagler Dr., Ste. 900 Fax: (305) 372-3508 West Palm Beach, FL 33401-3432 Email: [email protected] (561) 837-5007 Fax: (561) 837-5109 0064027 Email: [email protected] Ms. Jennifer D. Newton 2699 S. Bayshore Dr. 0906751 Miami, FL 33133-5408 Ms. Jacqueline A. Simms-Petredis (305) 646-6036 P.O. Box 380 Fax: (786) 470-2536 Tampa, FL 33601-0380 Email: [email protected] (813) 367-5751 Fax: (813) 357-3534 0061497 Email: [email protected] Ms. Beth A. Norrow 450 S. Orange Ave., Ste. 650 Orlando, FL 32801-3311 (407) 420-1000 Email: [email protected] 1(4) May 9, 2019 Consumer Protection Law Committee (2019 2020)

0125132 0253081 Ms. Kaelyn Steinkraus Mr. Dennis Joseph Wall 2561 Nursery Rd., Ste. A P.O. Box 195220 Clearwater, FL 33764-1783 Winter Springs, FL 32719-5220 (727) 538-4188 (407) 617-4693 Fax: (727) 362-4778 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] 0017630 0527238 Ms. Janelle Alicia Weber Mr. Max Story 1520 W. Cleveland St., Ste. A 328 2nd Ave. N. Tampa, FL 33606-1807 Jacksonville, FL 32250-5549 (813) 982-3663 (904) 372-4109 Email: [email protected] Fax: (904) 758-5333 Email: [email protected] 0533858 Ms. Andrea Johnson White 0102875 PL-01 The Capitol Ms. Edrei G. Swanson Tallahassee, FL 32399-1050 One Wells Fargo (850) 414-3300 301 S. College St., Fl. 30 Fax: (850) 488-4483 Charlotte, NC 28202-6000 Email: [email protected] (704) 374-2968 Fax: 0 Email: [email protected]

0057675 Mr. Adam C. Thoresen Jacksonville Area Legal Aid, Inc. 126 W. Adams St., Ste. 101 Jacksonville, FL 32202-3899 (904) 827-9921 Email: [email protected]

0099203 Ms. Christina E. Unkel 1605 Main St., Ste. 710 Sarasota, FL 34236-5833 (888) 952-5242 Fax: (877) 952-5042 Email: [email protected] Att. 2(1-9)

The Florida Bar Consumer Protection Law Committee Members, 2019-2020*

Lisa DiFranza, chair, is a private attorney whose practice focuses on guardian advocacy, guardianships, elder law, and planning. DiFranza started her solo practice in the area of guardianship and guardian advocacy by volunteering with Jacksonville Area Legal Aid (JALA) and she continues to work in the community volunteering with JALA. She serves Jacksonville Area Legal Aid as their expert in Advocacy clinic for attorneys and clients. DiFranza was awarded the 2018 Small Business of the Year, Beaches Division of the JAX Chamber. She enjoys educating colleagues and the public by giving lectures on guardianships, advanced directives, durable powers of attorneys, trusts, and living wills and probate, and consumer issues to community and professional groups. She also serves on the local bar association’s Pro Bono Committee and liaison to 4th Circuit Pro Bono Committee, Estate Planning and Tax Committee, and Elder Law Committee.

Victoria Butler, vice chair, is the director for the Consumer Protection Division of the Florida Attorney General’s Office. Butler has participated in numerous multistate Attorney General cases and joint enforcement actions with federal agencies involving business practices such as advertising, data security, sweepstakes, financial practices and mortgage servicing. Before joining the Attorney General’s Office in 1998, she was a U.S. District Law Clerk in the Middle District of Florida and worked as deputy court in Florida’s 13th Judicial Circuit Court. Butler was named The Florida Bar Consumer Protection Law Committee’s Lawyer of the Year for 2012 and has been honored with the U.S. Attorney General’s Distinguished Service Award. She received her J.D. from Stetson College of Law and bachelor’s from Wheaton College in Norton, Massachusetts. 2(2)

Charles "Chuck" Geitner, vice chair, is a partner with the Florida offices of the national firm, Fisher Broyles, LLP, and is a member of the firm's Consumer, Commercial, and Intellectual Litigation practice groups. Geitner focuses his practice primarily on advising businesses engaged in consumer retail, consumer credit, insurance sales, debt collection, web-based advertising and telemarketing regarding their compliance obligations under federal and state consumer protection acts and related , including the Retail Installment Sales Finance Act, Truth in Lending Act, Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act, Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, Telephone Consumer Protection Act, Fair Credit Reporting Act, Florida's Insurance Code, the Copyright Act, Patent Act and Lanham Act. Geitner is Board Certified by The Florida Bar as a Business Litigation Specialist.

Anthony J. Palermo, vice chair, is an associate at Holland & Knight in Tampa, where he represents clients in commercial litigation and consumer protection matters and advises on regulatory compliance issues. He has been engaged in state and federal court class actions, complex business disputes, and governmental investigations, particularly in the financial services, and life sciences, and transportation industries. As part of his regulatory practice, Palermo was appointed a special assistant attorney general to advise a state‐run lending institution on compliance with consumer protection . He graduated from the honors program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he received his B.A. with highest distinction, and he earned his J.D. from Harvard , where he received the Harvard University Certificate of Distinction in Teaching for his work as a Teaching Fellow in the Government Department.

Barry Balmuth of Barry S. Balmuth, P.A. in Palm Beach Gardens has been AV- rated by Martindale-Hubbell since 2003 and is Board Certified by the Florida Bar as a specialist in both Civil law (2001) and Business Litigation law (2002). He has been selected for inclusion in 11 issues of Florida Super Magazine as well as several issues of Super Lawyers Magazine, Business Edition. Balmuth was the lead counsel in cases in which his clients obtained the largest in an inverse condemnation action in Florida and the largest individual judgment under the Fair Credit Reporting Act. He earned both J.D. and M.B.A. degrees from Emory University in 1990 where he was a merit fellow and research assistant. He practiced at a full-service and served as an assistant county attorney before founding his own firm. He practices in the areas of 2(3) eminent domain and property rights, consumer protection and real estate, business, and employment litigation.

Rachel Bentley is currently the program manager of the Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County’s Consumer Advocacy Unit. After graduating from the Florida International University College of Law in 2013, she practiced consumer law and foreclosure in the private sector for two years. She joined the Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County as a staff attorney in 2016 in order to advocate on behalf of low-income consumers.

Anthony Bradlow is an assistant attorney general in the Consumer Protection Division of the Florida Attorney General’s Office. Bradlow participates in multistate Attorney General cases involving financial services and mortgage servicing and works on local consumer protection matters in the Tampa Bay area. He joined the Attorney General’s Office in 2014 and received his J.D. from Stetson University College of Law in St. Petersburg, and bachelor’s from Florida State University in Tallahassee.

Robert Clements is the vice president of Regulatory Affairs and Legislative Counsel for the American Resort Development Association (ARDA), a Washington, D.C.-based trade association representing the vacation ownership and resort development industries. He manages government relations, lobbying efforts and regulatory outreach in the United States, Mexico and the Caribbean on behalf of ARDA members. Previously, Clements was senior assistant attorney general with the Florida Office of Attorney General in the Consumer Protection Division, where he handled unfair and deceptive trade practices cases. Before the attorney general position, he was in private practice handling complex commercial litigation in state and federal , corporate and transactional law, intellectual and real estate transactions. He graduated from the University of Florida with honors where he obtained his B.S. in Business Administration. He received his J.D and MBA from Cumberland School of Law and Samford University.

Carol E.A. DeGraffenreidt is a senior assistant attorney general assigned to the West Palm Beach, Florida Office of the Attorney General, where she investigates and litigates civil matters primarily involving violations of the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act. DeGraffenreidt is a former assistant state attorney (17th Judicial Circuit – assistant county court supervisor and lead felony trial attorney), assistant U.S. attorney (Southern District of Florida – Economic 2(4)

Crimes, , Income Tax Fraud, and Everglades Land Condemnation), and Traffic Court hearing officer (17th Judicial Circuit). DeGraffenreidt was named the 2018-2019 Consumer Protection Lawyer of the Year for the Office of the Attorney General. She earned her undergraduate degree from Spelman College (Atlanta) and The University of Maryland School of Law (Baltimore). She has served on numerous Florida Bar committees and is active in her church and community.

Lynn Drysdale is a consumer protection attorney who has been with Jacksonville Area Legal Aid, Inc., for over 30 years. She engages in litigation and legislative advocacy relating to homeownership, debt collection, pay day loans, motor vehicle sales and financing, student loans and other consumer-related issues. She has served as co-chair of the Board of the National Association of Consumer Advocates and chair of the Florida Bar Consumer Protection Law Committee and has been a contributing writer for the National Consumer Law Center practice manuals. Drysdale co-authored “The Two-Tiered Consumer Financial Services Marketplace: The Fringe Banking System and its Challenge to Current Thinking About The Role of Usury Laws in Today’s Society,” a law review article for the South Carolina Law Review. She has been asked to testify twice before the U.S. Senate on matters relating to consumer protections. She was vice-chair and rising chair of the Consumer Advisory Board of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau until fired by the present administration. She was also chair of its Small Business Lending Markets and Mortgage subcommittee. She has also been an adjunct consumer law professor for 10 years at the University of Florida, College of Law.

Shaunda Hill of Orlando has substantial experience in both civil and criminal court litigation. After receiving her B.S. from the University of Central Florida, she obtained her law degree from Florida A&M University College of Law, where she was a member of the Trial Team. Hill is actively involved with the Central Florida Association for Women Lawyers, Central Florida Criminal Defense Lawyers Association and is a Justice Teaching Program Volunteer.

Richard Lawson is a partner with Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP’s consumer protection practice, where he concentrates on Federal Trade Commission and state attorney general investigations and litigation. Before joining Manatt, Lawson served as the director of the Consumer Protection Division for the Florida Attorney General’s Office. Lawson received his B.A. from the University of Florida and his J.D. from the Florida State University College of Law. 2(5)

Ian R. Leavengood is founding and managing shareholder of LeavenLaw, headquartered in St. Petersburg, and which has been assisting consumers with debt and credit since 2003. Leavengood has an AV® Preeminent™ Peer Review Rating from Martindale‐Hubbell®, and has been recognized as a SuperLawyer, a member of Florida’s Legal Elite in Florida Trend Magazine and as one of the Best Lawyers in America© by U.S. News & World Report. He twice was appointed by Gov. Rick Scott to the Sixth Circuit Judicial Nominating Commission – serving as chair in 2016-2017. He currently serves on the University of Florida Levin College of Law Board of Trustees. Leavengood was appointed as lead class counsel in several state-wide unlawful debt collection class actions, both in state and federal court. He is a triple Gator, earning his bachelor and master’s Degrees from the Fisher School of Accounting, and his J.D. from the Levin College of Law. Ruth Jackson Lee

Patrice Malloy is bureau chief at the Florida Office of the Attorney General leading the Multistate and Bureau, where she manages a wide range of cases and investigations including Privacy and Data Breaches. As an committee member, she pursued investigations and settlements against several pharmaceutical, automobile and telecommunication companies for violations of Florida’s Unfair and Deceptive Trade Practices. She worked on one of the first multistate data breach cases initiated in 2007, that led to a settlement with the TJX Companies, Inc. Malloy participated on the Multistate Executive Committees’ privacy and data security investigations into Equifax, Uber, Target, Nationwide and Google Safari and Google Street View. Most recently she settled a social media case against Devumi that involved the use of bots to generate and create endorsements. Malloy worked in private practice for a major Miami law firm before joining the Florida Attorney General’s office. Prior to practicing law, she worked as an anchor, reporter, and producer for CBS affiliated stations in Southwest Florida and St. Louis, Missouri, Following her undergraduate education from Temple University in Philadelphia. Malloy earned a Masters’ in Business Administration from the University of Missouri and a law degree from the University of Miami.

Alex McClure was born and raised just outside of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. After high school, he attended California University of Pennsylvania, earning a B.S. in , with honors. After graduating college in 2004, he began studying law at Stetson University College of Law, where he earned his J.D. in 2007 and was admitted to The Florida Bar that same year. For nearly a decade, he worked in a high-volume creditor's rights law firm representing the interests of creditors and large debt-buying companies. Throughout those years he 2(6) litigated thousands of from pre-suit negotiations through trial, wage and bank garnishment and sometimes on appeal. He now represents consumers and small businesses in Chapter 7 and 13 , consumer protection, debt and judgment defense and negotiation and asset protection planning.

Nicholas P. Merriweather is a litigation attorney with the Sanoba Law Firm in Lakeland. He graduated from Morehouse College in 2006 and from Stetson University College of Law in 2010. Merriweather assists clients in a variety of legal issues including landlord/tenant disputes, debtors’ rights, garnishment actions, mortgage issues including foreclosure defense, credit card defense, debt harassment, homeowner and condominium association issues, FDCPA and FCCPA claims, and real property litigation. He has extensive courtroom expensive including more than 70 , and more than 150 non- jury trials, to . Merriweather is a former member of the Florida Bar Code & Rules of Committee, serving from 2011–2017.

Derek K. Mountford is a Jacksonville trial attorney who focuses his practice on general commercial, class action and consumer financial services litigation. He is experienced in handling complex state and federal court actions across the country. Mountford regularly represents clients in the banking, auto financing and mortgage servicing industries, with respect to a variety of consumer protection-related matters. This includes advising clients regarding on issues related to the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA), Truth in Lending Act (TILA) and other related .

Robert Neary is an attorney in Kozyak Tropin & Throckmorton’s complex litigation and class action practice groups. His practice includes prosecuting and defending in various areas of complex commercial litigation as well as class actions and multi-district litigation, representing consumers in fraud and deceptive trade practices, , and claims. Neary has litigated actions in both federal and state courts as well as matters before the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA). Neary works on the firm’s largest and most complex class actions, including a lead role in more than 20 nationwide class actions representing homeowners against major mortgage servicers and lenders involving their force-placed insurance practices that have resulted in settlements making available more than $1 billion in relief and compensation for class members. Neary’s practice also includes work on various other complex matters including product liability actions, Ponzi scheme 2(7) fraud actions, litigation and matters before the FINRA arbitration panel.

Jennifer Newton is director of Consumer Financial Services Compliance at Kaufman Rossin, where she provides consulting services and advice on banking regulatory and consumer compliance matters. She leads a team of consultants who provide internal audits, consumer compliance reviews, fair lending risk assessments, remediation assistance, policy and procedure implementation and development, and other services to banking and financial institution clients. Previously, Newton worked in both the private and nonprofit sectors and as a federal financial services regulator at the U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Newton currently serves as an adjunct professor of law at Nova Southeastern University’s Shepard Broad College of Law, as the current vice chair of the Pro Bono Subcommittee of the American Bar Association Consumer Financial Services Committee, and as a Board of Director member of Catalyst Miami. Newton was selected as an American Bar Foundation Legal Fellow, and for membership in Leadership Florida’s Connect Class VIII, and Class IV of The Florida Bar’s William Reece Smith Jr. Leadership Academy.

Taras Rudnitsky is a consumer protection attorney with his office in Longwood, near Orlando. He was formerly an automotive engineer and expert witness in cases throughout Florida and the United States. After graduating from the University of Michigan Law School, he began a career representing consumers. He handles primarily auto fraud cases, debt collection defense, FDCPA, UDAP, warranty, and other consumer protection cases. Rudnitsky is also active in the legal community. He served on the Florida Bar Small Claims Rules Committee from 2011-2017, including terms as chair and vice-chair. He has also served on the Board of Directors for Community Legal Services of Mid- Florida and the Legal Advocacy Center of Central Florida since 2011, including as president. He is also chairman of the Ukrainian American Bar Association, an international bar association. His dedication to pro bono representation of consumers has repeatedly been recognized by the Florida Supreme Court and various organizations, including his earning the Florida Bar President’s Pro Bono Service Award for the 18th Circuit in 2016. Rudnitsky also helps train other attorneys throughout the United States on consumer protection litigation and advocacy.

Steve Salzer is senior vice president, Enterprise Risk Office and General Counsel, at PSCU in St. Petersburg. He oversees the company’s Enterprise Risk 2(8)

Management, Legal, Compliance, Business Continuity, Investigations, Vendor Risk Management and Government Relations functions. In 2017, Salzer was PSCU’s point person in dealing with Hurricane Irma. He also represents PSCU as the chair of the Board of Managers of one of PSCU’s minority investments (Ongoing Operations, LLC), on the Regulatory Advocacy Committee of NACUSO, on the Payments Subcommittee of CUNA, on the Consumer Protection Law Committee of The Florida Bar, on the Grants Committee of The Florida Bar Foundation, and on the Board of Directors and Audit Committee of Junior Achievement of Tampa Bay. Salzer joined PSCU in January 2005 and has more than 25 years of experience in enterprise risk, legal matters, mergers and acquisitions, P&L management, operations, finance, human resources and sales. Salzer earned his Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Political Science from Duke University and has a J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School.

Sarah Shullman is an assistant attorney general and the South Florida Bureau Chief for the Consumer Protection Division of the Florida Office of the Attorney General in West Palm Beach, where she conducts civil investigations and prosecutions of persons that engage in unfair and deceptive trade practices. Prior to joining the Attorney General's Office, Sarah was a Traffic Hearing Officer for the Fifteenth Judicial Circuit and a Senior Associate at Squire, Sanders & Dempsey, as well as the owner of her own law office in Wellington. Shullman earned her law degree magna cum laude from Georgetown and her undergraduate degree with honors from the University of Florida. In addition to her work, Sarah is actively involved with the Florida Association for Women Lawyers and the Palm Beach County Bar Association and serves as an Ethics Commissioner for the Palm Beach County Commission on Ethics.

Kaelyn Steinkraus was admitted to the Florida Bar in 2016, Steinkraus has solely practiced consumer protection law, with a focus on plaintiff’s claims under the FDCPA, FCCPA, TCPA, and FCRA. She primarily practices in federal court and is admitted to all Florida federal district courts and the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals. Steinkraus is an associate attorney at the Law Office of Michael A. Ziegler, P.L. in Clearwater, where she was also a law clerk for two years before her bar admittance. Steinkraus grew up in the small town of Vero Beach, and obtained her Bachelor of Science degree cum laude from the University of Florida in 2012. She attended Stetson University College of Law and was a Guardian ad Litem in Pinellas County throughout her law school career. Currently, she is a member of the National Association of Consumer Advocates and the St. Petersburg Bar Association. 2(9)

Adam Thoresen is a consumer protection and housing attorney with the firm Jacksonville Area Legal Aid. His career has been devoted to making sure low income and otherwise vulnerable consumers have access to competent, effective legal representation. He regularly assists consumers in defending evictions, foreclosures and debt collection lawsuits as well as homeowner and condo association disputes. In addition, he litigates individual and class claims in state and federal court for violations of the FCRA, FDCPA, FCCPA, and other consumer protection statutes. Thoresen is a member of the National Association of Consumer Advocates and has a particular interest in credit reporting and background check issues that negatively impact consumers seeking housing or employment. Before joining Jacksonville Area Legal Aid, he received his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Virginia Tech University and his J.D. from Florida Coastal School of Law.

Dennis Wall is an experienced litigator, mediator and expert witness in Florida and Federal Trial and Appellate Courts, an “a, v” rated attorney, and an elected member of the American Law Institute. His first book, “Litigation and Prevention of Insurer Bad Faith, 3d” (Third Edition; 2016 Supplement in process, Thomson Reuters West), has been called “the Bible of Bad Faith,” addressing more than 5,000 cases, statutes and other legal authorities. Wall is also co-author of “Catastrophe Claims: Insurance Coverage for Natural and Man-Made Disasters” (Thomson Reuters West; 2016 Supplement). “Lender Force-Placed Insurance Practices” published by the American Bar Association in 2015, is his third book.

Janelle A. Weber, principal attorney at the Law Office of Janelle A. Weber in Tampa, represents consumers in FCCPA, FDCPA, and FCRA actions. She also represents businesses in commercial and intellectual property disputes. She opened her own firm after more than a decade in private practice at an AmLaw 200 firm and two federal clerkships.

*This list is not the full committee roster. It only includes names of members who submitted bios. Att. 3(1-2)

2019 – 2020 Consumer Protection Law Committee Subcommittees

Consumer Protection Lawyer of the Year Secures nominees; reviews nominees and proposes a winner; seeks to increase award public profile [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]

Vice Chair Vicki Butler will assist the subcommittee Carol DeGraffenreidt, chair Patrice Malloy Steve Salzer

CLE Seminar Plans and organizes a seminar to be held at the Annual Convention [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]

Vice Chair Anthony Palermo will assist the subcommittee Jennifer Newton, co-chair Jared Levy Sarah Shullman co-chair Derek Mountford Ruth Jackson Lee Robert Murphy

Judicial Updates manual for judges on consumer issues [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]

Vice Chair Vicki Butler will assist the subcommittee Anthony Bradlow, chair Kaelyn Steinkraus Robert Neary Andrea White

Legislative Monitors legislation of interest to consumers; leads efforts to contact lawmakers [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]

Vice Chair Charles Geitner will assist the subcommittee Barry Balmuth Beth Norrow Rachel Bentley Daniel Rheaume Robert Clements Dennis Wall 3(2)

Outreach and Social Media Organizes public events and outreach; leads the way among the Bar’s standing committees in social media outreach. Updates Twitter account. Username: FLBarConsumer [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]

Vice Chair Anthony Palermo will assist the subcommittee Janelle Weber, chair Janelle Weber David J. George

Pamphlets

Updates Florida Bar consumer-related pamphlets, which need to be reviewed and, if needed, updated, every two years. [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]

Chair Lisa DiFranza working with the subcommittee Alex McClure, chair Adam Thoresen Lynn Drysdale