Join our law firm’s five-star, award-winning team.  Our paralegals assist trial lawyers in a team dynamic by preparing legal documents, scheduling arbitrations/mediations/court hearings, filing and serving legal documents, and preparing discovery.  The successful candidate will provide exceptional technical assistance during all phases of the litigation process.  The work is challenging but incredibly rewarding.  You will work on multi-million dollar lawsuits and gain firsthand experience with high-stakes insurance disputes representing the Insured.  We offer a competitive salary and excellent benefits.  

Our Culture:  

Most of our team joined us more than a decade ago, with each member contributing to our record-setting success.  In fact, you will be replacing a paralegal who is retiring after holding this position for the last 18 years.  There has been no turnover for this position.  Our Tampa-based law firm has helped hundreds of property owners and other Insureds throughout Florida recover more than $500 million in compensation.  We are a true boutique law firm and small batch version of the legal community, respected and feared by insurance companies for our results in the courtroom.  If you think you might be a good fit for this position, please review the Job Responsibilities and Requirements below, and then send your Resume and other supporting documents to service@corlessbarfield.com.  

Job Responsibilities: 

• Prepare legal documents for both State and Federal Court;
• Coordinate service of process;
• Maintain case files;
• Conduct pre-claim investigation, legal research, and initial case assessments;
• Maintain court calendars;
• Development Project Management Schedules;
• Maintain litigation timetables;
• Draft pleadings, motions, and appellate documents and file them with the court;
• Perform legal research for attorneys;
• Organize exhibits, documents, evidence, briefs, and appendices;
• Perform notary functions;
• Liaise between trial teams, clients, witnesses, and internal/external third parties; and
• Aid attorneys with interrogatories and other discovery requests.

Requirements: 

• A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university; 
• Three years of experience involving litigation paralegal work, in both State and Federal Courts; 
• Applicable knowledge of motions, discovery, evidence, litigation documentation, court rules and procedures, practices, etc. in Florida; 
• Highly organized with ability to juggle multiple deadlines in a fast-paced environment; 
• Strong writing and communication skills along with attention to detail; 
• Extensive computer and database expertise; 
• Excellent research and investigation skills; and
• Ability to prioritize workload and assignments.

Next Step: Please send your resume and other materials to service@corlessbarfield.com. 

As more states report cases of the coronavirus (COVID-19), you should know about your legal rights and the risks associated with coronavirus. 

Microsoft, SAP, JPMorgan Chase, and hundreds of other employers have imposed restrictions on travel, domestic as well as international. Countless supply contracts are being disrupted by factory shutdowns in the areas most affected by COVID-19. Facebook, Stanford University, SXSW, and Google have canceled long-planned business conferences and events.

Two people have already died in Florida out of at least a dozen Florida residents that state health officials say have tested positive for the new strain of coronavirus that is now quickly spreading across the United States and other parts of the world.  

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis spoke at a press conference at Port Everglades on Saturday where Vice President Mike Pence as well as Florida Senators Rick Scott and Marco Rubio addressed the spread of the virus and the danger to the state’s elderly population.  “This is a virus that has a disproportionate impact on that community,” DeSantis said.

Legal Matters Involving Coronavirus 

Whether you are a big or small office, and whether you have offices overseas or not, every employer (and employee) should have a disaster plan in place for the coronavirus and other types of health crises as well as natural disasters. Companies should consider how to protect their employees and their productivity without running afoul of employment laws.

As an employer, the most important message to communicate is that employees should stay home from work when they are sick and telecommute if necessary.  With the global spread of coronavirus, companies should focus first and foremost on employee safety. Business continuity plus the well-being of your employees and clients is of the utmost importance. 

Employers can require that an infected or at-risk employee stay home from work if the employer has a reasonable objective belief that the employee poses a direct threat to the workforce.  An employee’s race, color, sex, national origin, or perceived or actual disability cannot be taken into account when assessing risk.

Employers cannot require employees to undergo medical exams and should avoid making unnecessary inquiries into an employee’s medical status.  The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), along with equivalent state and local laws, restrict an employer’s ability to ask questions about an employee’s medical condition. 

The Family Medical Leave Act provides job-protected unpaid leave for employees and their family members who are suffering from a “serious health condition.” If an employee or his/her immediate family member contracts the coronavirus, the FMLA could be triggered. 

Will insurance cover COVID-19 losses? Losses related to coronavirus could be covered under insurance depending on the type of loss, the type of coverage, and the terms and conditions of specific policies.  Policyholders should review their insurance coverage provisions.

Business interruption insurance could provide coverage for income and other losses.

The scope of coverage for coronavirus and other infectious disease-related losses will ultimately depend upon the specific language of each insurance policy. Remember, too, not every contract and governing law provides for a force majeure defense based on unforeseeable events outside the parties’ control. 

Next Steps

The main challenges in the next few weeks are to become informed on legal options, develop a risk management strategy, keep up with health guidelines, and exercise a certain degree of common sense. It is important that you consult with counsel regarding your legal rights in light of the coronavirus.

Corless Barfield Trial Group advises clients on numerous legal issues relating to the coronavirus and its effects, such as force majeure clauses in contracts, employment law matters, insurance law, negotiating commercial agreements in light of world events, and risk mitigation, among other issues.  For a free, no-obligation consultation, call Corless Barfield at 813-258-4998.