Fentrice D. Driskell
Of Counsel
Carlton Fields Jordan Burt, P.A.
Fentrice Driskell is an AV Preeminent-rated attorney with significant experience representing banks and other financial institutions in commercial litigation and bankruptcy matters. She also defends clients throughout all stages of consumer finance litigation involving the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), the Florida Consumer Collection Practices Act (FCCPA), the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), the Fair Credit Billing Act (FCBA), and the Truth in Lending Act (TILA). Fentrice partners with clients to develop policies, procedures, and compliance best practices with respect to state and federal consumer protection laws, including the TCPA. In addition, she handles commercial and contested foreclosures and works with clients to enforce creditors’ remedies in bankruptcy proceedings.
As a business litigator, Fentrice has handled cases involving breach of contract, civil theft, the Uniform Commercial Code, covenants not to compete, nonsolicitation clause disputes, theft of trade secrets, and unfair and deceptive trade practices. She also has experience litigating civil lawsuits to recover criminal restitution.
Prior to joining Carlton Fields, Fentrice clerked for the Honorable Anne C. Conway of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida. Fentrice also previously interned for the Honorable Andrew J. Peck of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.
Fentrice currently serves as president of the George Edgecomb Bar Association and has been selected to the Florida Rising Stars list by Super Lawyers Magazine each year since 2011. In 2015, she was named a Florida Legal Elite "Up & Comer" by Florida Trend Magazine.
Denise D. Dell-Powell
Of Counsel
Dean Mead
Denise D. Dell-Powell is the chair of Dean Mead’s Bankruptcy and Creditors’ Rights Practice Group in Orlando. She has more than 25 years of experience in bankruptcy and creditors’ rights, as well as distressed property, including CMBS foreclosures, workouts and bankruptcy matters. She has represented secured and unsecured creditors, debtors, chapter 11 trustees, chapter 7 trustees and unsecured creditors’ committees. In addition to a focus on banking and financial institutions, her career also includes representation in the hospitality, restaurant, health care and agricultural industries.
In Ms. Dell-Powell’s business litigation practice, she has represented parties in federal and state court and has experience trying both jury and nonjury trials. Her litigation practice involves representing clients in a broad range of matters, including those involving real estate, mortgage foreclosure, receiverships, lender liability, commercial evictions, partnership disputes and other real estate-based litigation.
Ms. Dell-Powell is a Fellow of the American College of Bankruptcy and a frequent lecturer, presenter and author on bankruptcy, restructuring and related issues. She has presented at conferences and seminars sponsored by the American Bar Association, ABI, Trigild, The Florida Bar, The Bankruptcy/UCC Section of The Florida Bar, the Florida Bankers Association, the Jacksonville Bankruptcy Bar Association, the Central Florida Bankruptcy Law Association and Lorman Education Series.
Ms. Dell- Powell received her B.S. from Florida State University and her J.D. from Mercer University School of Law.
Steven M. Berman
Partner
Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick LLP
Clients and colleagues alike turn to Steve when a bankruptcy case is not likely to settle. A seasoned trial lawyer, he is widely recognized for his solutions-oriented approach which involves working closely with clients to first see the end result and then, map out a plan to get there. He focuses his practice on business bankruptcy litigation, representing creditors, investors, distressed debt lenders, trustees, committees, and business entities litigating disputes in bankruptcy court.
Steve received his B.S. in multinational business operations from Florida State University and received his J.D. from the University of Florida Levin College of Law where he continues to guest lecture. He is board certified by the American Board of Certification in both creditors' rights law and business bankruptcy law and is a member of the Florida, California, District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico (federal) bars.
Steve serves on the Board of Directors for the American Bankruptcy Institute and the American Board of Certification. He works on several committees and task forces and routinely volunteers and speaks at seminars. Additionally, he serves as the judge advocate to the Coronado Yacht Club in Coronado, California, and volunteers in providing pro bono bankruptcy and insolvency services and training for United States Navy service members, including Judge Advocate General officers and staff.
Robert A. Soriano
Founder
Soriano Law, P.A.
Soriano Law’s mission is to provides its clients with quality, practical, cost-effective solutions to legal and business issues. Robert Soriano has over 35 years’ experience representing a wide variety of business clients in bankruptcy cases, commercial litigation, and transactions. He has represented clients in and out of court on matters that have resulted in the restructuring of billions of dollars of debt. In these representations he has litigated and negotiated many complex commercial and bankruptcy law issues; represented corporate debtors, creditors’ committees, sellers and purchasers of assets, indenture trustees and bondholders, landlords, and significant creditors; participated in corporate restructurings; and served as a mediator of disputes and plans of reorganization.
Mr. Soriano’s credentials include graduating with honors from Syracuse Law School, where he served as Senior Notes & Comments Editor of the law review, and clerking for the Hon. Mark A. Costantino, United States District Judge for the Eastern District of New York. Mr. Soriano has worked at international law firms in New York and Florida before opening his own firm.
Mr. Soriano’s approach is to collaborate with his clients to understand their goals and work efficiently to achieve them. Having a small law firm allows him to do this economically for clients.
.
