Marie Tomassi joined the firm in 1988 and has been a Shareholder since 1995. She is Florida Bar Board Certified in Appellate Practice and also provides civil counseling and representation in civil litigation. Marie leads the firm’s Appellate Practice and serves on the firm’s three person Management Committee.

Additional Practice Areas:
•   ERISA Litigation

Representative Matters:
•   Secured reversal of federal court injunction enjoining state court 
    action.
•   Secured affirmance of judgment in excess of $36 million in 
    complex business contract litigation.
•   Secured reversal of judgments against an individual and exceeding 
    $10 million in a partnership dispute.
•   Set the law in the Second District regarding obtaining billing records 
    of a party seeking fee award.
•   Set the law in the Second District on an issue regarding temporary
    attorneys’ fee awards in family law.
•   Set the law in the Eleventh District on the statue of limitations applicable 
    to criminal bankruptcy fraud, securing reversal of a guilty verdict.
•   Secured affirmance of judgment in excess of $22 million in a family 
    business dispute.
•   Secured rehearing en banc that reversed panel opinion in case 
    regarding easement rights.
•   Secured reversal of final judgment in excess of $1 million and fee 
    award in whistleblower case.
•   Secured reversal of several million dollar judgment entered against 
    two individuals for a failed development deal.

Education:
•   Stetson University College of Law (J.D., summa cum laude), 1988
    – Graduated first in her class
•   University of South Florida (B.A., summa cum laude, in English), 1985
    – King-O’Neal Award Winner

Bar and Court Admissions:
•   All Florida Courts
•   United States Supreme Court
•   United States Court of Appeals, Second and Eleventh Circuits
•   Federal Circuit Court of Appeals
•   United States District Court, Middle and Southern Districts of Florida

Honors & Distinctions:
•   Florida Bar Board Certified in Appellate Practice
•   AV Preeminent Peer Review Rated by Martindale Hubbell
•   The Best Lawyers in America (Appellate Practice) 2013
•   Florida Super Lawyers, 2008-2012

Recent Publications and Presentations:
Marie has presented numerous seminars in bar association programs on appellate law. Her most recent are:
•   Author of “The Insider’s Guide to the United States Court of Appeals for the 
    Eleventh Circuit” for the Council of Appellate Lawyers, December 2011.
•   Author/editor of Chapter 4 of the Florida Bar Civil Trial Practice Manual titled 
    “Trial Notebook,” October 2011.
•   “Professionalism in the Second District,” (part of advanced level CLE course), 
    Florida Bar Continuing Legal Education Committee and the Appellate Practice 
    Section, May 2011.
•   “Practice in The Second District: A Seminar for Trial and Appellate Lawyers,” 
    St. Petersburg Bar Association Appellate Practice Section, March 2011.

Professional Involvement:
•   American Bar Association, Judicial Division
    – Appellate Judges Conference, Council of Appellate Lawyers
    – Member since its inception
    – Executive Committee member, 2006-present
•   The Florida Bar, Appellate Advocacy Section
•   The St. Petersburg Bar Association, Appellate Practice Section

Community Involvement:
•   Leadership Tampa Bay, 1998
•   Mahaffey Theater Foundation, former member of the Board of Directors