EDUCATION LAW – May a school discipline a teacher for political social media posts made from their own home?
With the recently issued opinion in Florida’s 5th District Court of Appeal, school administrators may be wondering when a teacher’s speech is entitled to constitutional protection under the First Amendment, and when can the teacher be disciplined. To bring you up to date, teacher free speech is governed by a framework that seeks to balance […]
Terry Lewis Co-Authors Ehrhardt’s Florida Evidence Treatise
Messer Caparello, P.A.’s Terry P. Lewis, a retired Circuit Court Judge, served as a contributing co-author of the 2024 Edition of Ehrhardt’s Florida Evidence, a publication of West’s Florida Practice Series. Cited over 450 times in Florida appellate decisions, Ehrhardt’s Florida Evidence is widely considered the preeminent treatise on the Florida Rules of Evidence. Judge […]
Nicholas Cleary Joins the Firm
The law firm of Messer Caparello, P.A. is pleased to announce that Nicholas “Nick” Cleary has joined the Firm as an associate attorney. Mr. Cleary was most recently an assistant general counsel at the Florida Department of Education, where he provided legal advice and representation to the Commissioner of Education and various units within the […]
Employment and Business Team Obtains Temporary Injunction to Enforce Non-Compete Agreement
Led by Rob McNeely and Cameron Carstens, our Firm successfully obtained a temporary injunction in September 2024 enforcing an employment non-compete agreement on behalf of Florida Technical College in Orlando. At issue was a nine-month, 50-mile non-compete provision signed, as a condition of employment, by a former senior level administrator at the College. Unfortunately, when […]
Terry Lewis Participates as Faculty Member at the Florida Bar’s Civil Trial Certification and Review Seminar
Terry Lewis, former circuit judge, recently participated as a faculty member at the Florida Bar’s Civil Trial Certification and Review Seminar. Judge Lewis presented on the topic of Evidence during the seminar, which was held on February 1-2, 2024, in Fort Myers, Florida. Judge Lewis is a member of the Firm’s mediation and arbitration team.
Best Lawyers® Names Messer Caparello, P.A. a Best Law Firm in its 14th Edition National Rankings
Best Lawyers, the oldest and most respected peer-review publication in the legal profession, names Messer Caparello, P.A. a Best Law Firm in its 2024 rankings. Best Lawyers’ ranking highlights Messer Caparello’s Ethics and Professional Responsibility and Mediation practice areas. With nearly 50 years of experience in Ethics and Professional Responsibility, Messer Caparello is unrivaled in […]
Rick Miller Conducts Mediation Workshop
Richard “Rick” Miller recently conducted a mediation-skills workshop for Florida’s Second Judicial Circuit. Entitled “Mediation Training: Mediation Survival,” the interactive presentation (which was recorded and posted on the Circuit’s YouTube channel) highlights techniques to avoid impasse and foster resolution. Rick became of counsel with the firm last year and specializes in mediation.