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Law Office of Mitchell A.Chester, P.A.Advocates for Justice

WHO WE ARE

RESUME

PRO BONO

CIVIC ACTIVISM

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OUTREACH

CONTACT US

LOCATION

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WHO WE ARE

WHO WE ARE

Intelligent Litigation. Justice. Persistence. Creativity. Professionalism.

That's what it's all about in contested civil litigation. Whether you are pursuing an urgent claim or defending against serious allegations, you need focused dedication to your Florida State court case.

Our office handles the following types of cases:

Small Business and Commerical Litigation

Contract Disputes

Insurance Coverage cases including Declaratory Actions

Insurance Defense

Serious Personal Injury

Large Property Damage Claims

Collection Defense

Public Interest and Community Advocacy Litigation

We handle cases in Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties and other parts of the Sunshine State.

The hiring of a lawyer is an important decision that should not be based solely upon advertisements. Before you decide, ask us to send you free written information about our qualifications and experience.

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RESUME

Why Mitch Chester As Your Counsel?

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Article 1 Founding Member: Law Office of Mitchell A. Chester, P.A. 2001-present.Admitted to practice law in the State of Florida, Mr. Chester works in personal injury, insurance law, commercial, housing and contract litigation in Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties in Florida. His interests include law, financial literacy and education, affordable and workforce housing, transportation issues, global warming/climate change, space policy, domestic and international affairs, citizen advocacy, alternative dispute resolution, disaster relief and planning, website design, writing, video production, technology and medical/legal issues. He is active in local community affairs in the Town of Davie, located in central Broward County, Florida. Mr. Chester enjoys jury and non-jury trials and solving complex legal issues. Progressive Insurance House Counsel Managing Attorney, 1987 - 2001Started and managed the first House Counsel office for Progressive Insurance in the State of Florida in 1987. Based upon the success of that office, 4 other offices were created in Florida. The Fort Lauderdale office was the third of the Progressive House Counsel offices in 1987, and by 2000, there were approximately 18 offices across the United States. By early 2000, the Fort Lauderdale (Dania) office included 21 people, including attorneys, paralegals, legal secretaries and support personnel.Duties included:Handling full caseloads, including: Third party personal and bodily injury litigationFirst party contract and personal injury litigationDeclaratory actions in insurance coverage cases.Bad Faith casesPIP mattersMedical Claims mattersBills of discovery Examinations under oathCases were handled in Miami-Dade, Monroe, Broward and early in the House Counsel operation, Palm Beach county.Law Office Management During Progressive YearsManaged staff of attorneys, paralegals and legal secretaries for nearly 13 years at Progressive House Counsel offices.Developed objectives and career goals for all law office staff.Responsible for budget and fiscal tracking. Involved in hiring, recruiting and performance management. Assisted in planning, design and oversight of office space layouts. Managed all aspects of the law office, including file reviews and case management.Responsible for attorney development.Special Projects at Progressive InsurancePresented legal seminars on various topics, including, but not limited to: deposition strategies, civil procedure, PIP, alternative dispute resolution and litigation strategies.Created and administered computer based legal reporting system on Lotus Notes 4.5 for use on Progressive intranet system and administered legal database on Lotus Notes.Created and published practice forms for lawsuit use by attorneys, paralegals and legal secretaries.Presentations/Speaking EngagementsMr. Chester has given seminars to Claims Representatives over the last 30 years on various litigation issues, including discovery, bad faith, Florida PIP law declaratory judgments, the psychology of litigation and other legal items of interest. In September, 2008, he worked with Attorney Alan Green in presenting a discussion about expert witness depositions to the American Osteopathic Academy of Orthopedics (AOAO) at its convention in Boca Raton.On September 16, 2008, Mr. Chester participated in the Florida Housing Coalition's 21st Statewide Annual Conference on "Housing, the New Environment" in Orlando, Florida. He addressed legal issues impacting mobile home park preservation.Prior Law Firm Affiliations1983 to 1987-Law Office of Mitchell Chester, Fort Lauderdale, FL. Worked in automobile insurance law and commercial litigation. 1979-1983- Carey, Dwyer, Cole, Selwood and Bernard, P.A., Attorney in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. As an associate the work included insurance defense and coverage matters, commercial litigation, real estate, probate. Worked in Section 1983 litigation with other attorneys. Conducted real estate closings, worked in subrogation, participated in jury and non-jury trials and focused on insurance coverage disputes.1978-1979- Carey, Dwyer, Cole, Selwood and Bernard, P.A., Law Clerk. Admitted to practice law in Florida in December, 1979.Film ProductionProduced and directed "Prototechnic Prisms," shown at film presentations as well as the Cleveland Museum of Art in 1971. Produced a film for the Shaker Heights Board of Education entitled, "The Sights and Sounds of Shaker High" in 1970.In 1980, Mr. Chester worked on three visits by President Jimmy Carter to Miami and Hollywood, Florida by organizing members of the community to assist the White House Advance Team in logistical operations.College Internships1973- Summer Intern for WTVJ Television News, Miami, Florida. 1975- Summer media internship with U.S. Senator John Glenn, in Washington, D.C. Duties included work on radio "beeper" program for Senator Glenn's Press Secretary, supplying radio content to Ohio Radio Stations.Awards and ScholarshipsMembership in honorary society "Sphinx." William Faulkner Scholarship in Journalism.Kappa Tau Alpha national journalism honor society.Student Leadership Award.Association of Broadcast Journalists.Ohio State University's Representative to the 27th Annual Student Conference on United States Affairs at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York.Member of the Ohio State University School of Journalism Self-Study Committee for Accreditation by the American Council on Education in Journalism.Miami Beach Bar Association Scholarship Recipient.In December, 2008, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel published an op-ed forum written by Mr. Chester. Entitled, "Broward citizens deserve, demand a working courthouse," the piece followed over a week of closed doors at the county courthouse due to leaking pipes and called upon lawyers, business leaders, politicians and educators to help fund a new building to avoid delayed, and denied justice.

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Range of cases handled during Mr. Chester's career:Brain damage, psychological injury, pedestrian knockdowns, scarring, implant litigation, disfigurement, herniated discs, thoracic outlet syndrome, brachial plexus injuries, carpal tunnel cases, shoulder injuries, knee injuries, loss of significant bodily functions (hearing, taste, vision), soft tissue claims, orthopedic and neurologic claims, urological injuries, ENT claims, wrongful death actions, products liability actions, declaratory and coverage litigation subrogation claims and various other types of personal injury disputes. He as also worked in uninsured and underinsured motorist claims, first party bad faith and statutory claims under Section 624.155 and 626.9541 of the Florida Statutes and third party defense cases. Mr. Chester has also worked on commercial and contract litigation including banking litigation and large property damage cases, as well as public record requests and litigation.He has tried lawsuits in Palm Beach, Monroe, Miami-Dade and Broward Counties, in Circuit Civil and County Court matters, both jury and non-jury, and has also participated in modified high/low binding jury trials, multiple party claims, complex mediations and arbitrations. Mr. Chester has worked with primary, excess and umbrella insurance carriers with regard to personal injury, wrongful death and insurance litigation. Mr. Chester currently represents Plaintiffs and Defendants.

Article 3 College and Law School YearsAttended Ohio State University from 1972 to 1976. Graduated with honors.Earned a Bachelor of Arts in Broadcast Journalism in 1976. Took courses in National Security Studies at the Mershon Center.Reporter for The Lantern, a large circulation newspaper run by students of the OSU School of Journalism. Covered the Battelle Memorial Institute in Columbus, Ohio, reporting on scientific research activities.Four year resident in the Stadium Scholarship Dormitory, located in Ohio Stadium, where Mr. Chester worked in public relations and for the West Side Story, the dorm newspaper. Also served as Ombudsman for the dormitory residents.Attended Nova University Center for the Study of Law (Now the Sheppard Broad Law Center at Nova Southeastern University) from 1976 to 1979. Editor, Nova Perspective, a student newspaper focusing on contemporary legal topics. Articles on law related topics featured major newsmakers from the national, state and local arena.While at Ohio State Mr. Chester worked as a News Reporter and announcer, Development Director and General Manager for student run carrier current radio station WOSR (1972-1976). Also served as a member of the Board of Directors of that station. Worked to make the station into an FM broadcast facility for student produced programs.Talk show host for Rock and Talk on WOSR, 1973-74. Guests included Senator John Glenn, musicians, local personalities and other news makers. Liaison to Ohio State University faculty for WOSR operations. Like all Florida lawyers, Mr. Chester participates in 30 hours of continuing legal education classes each three years.
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PRO BONO

Pro Bono Dedication

Mr. Chester provides pro bono activities from time-to-time on a wide range of legal matters. Some of those matters have included housing controversies, such as the following cases. In 2007 until early 2010, Mr. Chester provided representation to a group of Hallandale Beach residents being sued by the City of Hallandale Beach in the municipality's efforts to close the Tower Mobile Home and R.V. Park and evict the residents. The case involved 10 judges in 3 different courts and included 4 appeals. The case remains a basis for efforts to change Chapter 723 of the Florida Statutes, which deals with mobile home tenancies.1984-Served as pro bono counsel in Dinnen v. Pond Apple Place II Condominium Association, Inc., et al., in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida. Provided approximately 400 hours of representation in this high profile case, which involved issues now covered by the amended Fair Housing Act. The case was covered by the CBS news magazine "60 Minutes." Involved in other pro bono activities throughout the years. Each year, the office works to provide pro bono work to select clients when the need arises.
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CIVIC ACTIVISM

Civic Activism

AFFORDABLE HOUSINGIn Fall, 2008, Mr. Chester co-sponsored with other community civic leaders a class at the University of Miami School of Architecture to encourage student designs of truly affordable housing. This was identified as the first time that Engineering professors worked with Architecture students on a collaborative project to find efficient quality housing solutions.In 2008, Mr. Chester was appointed to the Town of Davie Affordable Housing Advisory Committee and served as Chair. The group was tasked with the responsibility of making affordable housing recommendations to the Town of Davie Council. In 2007, Mr. Chester participated in a working group established in the Town of Davie to help craft the Town's first Affordable Housing Ordinances. RELOCATION OF IKEAEditor of No-Ikea.com (which was instrumental in an effort to relocate a proposed IKEA store from the Town of Davie to the City of Sunrise due to concerns the traffic volume would interfere with the safe operation of three schools and the police/fire complex. JUDICIAL CALENDAR.COMCreated and operated, free to Broward County, JudicialCalendar.com, an on-line Court scheduling resource which was beta tested for approximately 11 months in 2000- 2001 with former Circuit Court Judge George Brescher and has served as a precursor for on-line judicial scheduling and communications in Broward County. ABOTA FORT LAUDERDALEMr. Chester is Editor of the Fort Lauderdale Chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates website. The American Board of Trial Advocates is a national association of experienced trial lawyers and judges dedicated to the preservation and promotion of the civil jury trial right provided by the Seventh Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. First and foremost, ABOTA works to uphold the jury system by educating the American public about the history and value of the right to trial by jury. Visit ABOTA Fort Lauderdale here.PRIVACY DOCKET.COMMr. Chester is Publisher and Editor of PrivacyDocket.com, a site for attorneys designed to help the bar comply with complex rules pertaining to the filing of confidential documents and data.COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENTCo-editor of DavieCommonSense.org, a grass roots web effort in support of creation of the proposed Davie Commons project in Western Broward County which was designed to provide 6000 full and part-time jobs in Western Broward County. TRANSPORTATION ISSUESMr. Chester also was co-coordinator of a citizen effort to stop the Florida Department of Transportation's (FDOT) imminent plans to double deck busy Interstate 595 in Broward County, Florida with express toll lanes. He also served as Editor of www.595Alert.org which discussed various aspects of the proposed elevated highway.FDOT's plans to add a $200 million deck over the exhisting highway were opposed based upon safety and environmental concerns. U.S. NATURAL DISASTER RELIEF Following Hurricane Katrina, in 2005, the Law Office sent printers and supplies to a school in Long Beach, Mississippi to help rebuild education efforts.After Hurricane Wilma, in 2005, Mr. Chester helped mobile home residents with roofing tarps and supplies in the Town of Davie, Florida, where mobile home parks were particularly hard hit. In 2004, he also organized a relief effort to deliver supplies for victims of Hurricane Charley in Southwest Florida. In 1992, he worked in a Red Cross shelter in Kendall (Miami-Dade) Florida and with others in South Dade to provide food for emergency first responders located at a high school staging area in the aftermath of Hurricane Andrew. That same year, he delivered clothing and supplies donated by the Clinton presidential campaign to residents of Florida City. Several years prior, when migrant workers were threatened with a Christmas crop freeze in Homestead, Florida, he also participated in relief response in the form of clothing and food.In 2011, organized Portables4America.org, an effort to ship surplus portable classrooms to toranado affected regions in the United States.HOMEOWNER ASSOCIATIONSServed as the first President of the Ridgeview Lakes Estates North Homeowner's Association, 1996-1997. Prior service on the Highland Lakes Homeowner's Association in Miami-Dade County. Active involvement in zoning issues that affected the community. Web site content manager for www.No-Ikea.com in 2004 and participant in the successful efforts to stop the development of an IKEA super store in Davie, Florida. Member of Architectural Review Board for the Ridgeview Lakes Estates North HOA, 2004.2008-present-Designer and Editor of www.PasadenaEstates.org, the homeowner's association website.HAITIAN EARTHQUAKE RELIEF EFFORTOrganized and managed Portables4Haiti.org, a purely volunteer effort to send over 770 surplus portable classrooms for use as clinics, housing, classrooms and government facilities to the Republic of Haiti.

MORE INFORMATION

More About Our Office

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ANALYSISOur office believes in attacking legal problems from all angles. To that end, we consult with other attorneys and lay persons to brainstorm. Complex legal problems are mapped out in a continuing effort to understand dynamic legal controversies. Quality reviews of on-going litigation are a regular practice at the office.QUALITYWe strive for excellent work products, and make quality control a key core value. PREPARATIONConveying the message is vital to proper legal representation. We work hard to be ready for hearings, trials, depositions, mediations, arbitrations and meetings. Making complex information understandable is key to our work ethic.

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We believe in the opportunites presented by office and mobile technology tools and strategies.Whether it is mediation and meetings by video conference, real-time remote collaborative document preparation and on-line presentations to clients and others, we leverage technology to enhance the delivery of legal services.Legal research is both internet based for the latest developments and enhanced by use of updated practice books and treatises. Mr. Chester is currently developing PrivacyDocket, an on-line resource for other attorneys on the developing area of Court record confidentiality. Our data and files are backed up off-site to encrypted cloud based servers for 24/7/365 cyper security. Our office uses efficient scanning equipment to image and save your important documents. Constantly connected, we communicate with Clients by e-mail, text, mobile and land-line phone lines, fax, e-fax and video conferencing.

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We are a small, but efficient office, and we work extremely hard for our Clients. To supplement the work of Mr. Chester, our team includes a Paralegal/Office Manager, Legal Secretary, and a Document Manager.We also keep in contact with a wide-array of other lawyers in different legal fields to discuss ideas, new developments in the law, legal trends and to strategize. Our mission is simply to serve your best legal interests, and to deliver quality representation, excellent advocacy and ethical professionalism. As a dynamic team, we put the pieces of the legal puzzle together and provide you a friendly, comfortable atmosphere to discuss your legal challenges.

OUTREACH

Publications & Client Services

Our office continually works to educate Clients with clear and informative explanations of Florida law. Briefings include:Proposals for Settlement-Understanding how to work with one of the most important tools you can use, and may face, in civil litigation.Understanding Litigation Costs-Just what are "taxable costs" and how can they affect your lawsuit exposure as a Plaintiff or Defendant?What is a Summary Judgment?- Why some cases never make it to trial, and what a summary judgment practice can mean to you.Beware the Hidden Guaranty- Signing a contract or credit instrument may be much more dangerous than you think. What to look for.Dealing With Your Lawsuit- What to expect in litigation, and smart ways to deal with the pressure. Attorney Fee Entitlement and What It May Mean To Your Civil Case- If you are facing litigation with entitlement, as a prevailing party, to attorney's fees, how will that affect the decisions you make with your lawyer? Our briefing highlights some thoughts about litigation fees you may not have considered.Our office also offers informative seminars on timely legal topics for corporations and small groups via in-person presentations and web conferences.
CONTACT US

Your legal needs are important to us. If you have a case you wish to pursue, or have been served with a Summons and Complaint and need a defense, send us a message so we can quickly respond.

LOCATION

Where We Are

To view a detailed map, please select the "Map" page tab, above right.From East South Broward and Miami-Dade Counties:Take I-95 north to the I-595 interchange. Head west to Pine Island Road. Exit to northbound Pine Island. Proceed to SW 6th Street, and make a right. Our building is the first on the left. (7951). From Soutwest Broward and Miami-Dade Counties:Take I-75 north to th I-595 interchange. Head east to Pine Island Road.Exit to northbound Pine Island. Proceed to SW 6th Street, and make a right. Our building is the first on the left. (7951). From Northwest Broward and Palm Beach Counties:Take I-75 south to the I-595 Interchange. Head east to Pine Island Road.Exit to northbound Pine Island. Proceed to SW 6th Street, and make a right. Our building is the first on the left. (7951). From Northeast Broward and Palm Beach Counties:Take I-95 south to the I-595 Interchange. Head west to Pine Island Road. Exit to northbound Pine Island. Proceed to SW 6th Street, and make a right. Our building is the first on the left. (7951).
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Our office is conveniently located in central Broward County in Southeast Florida, between Miami and West Palm Beach. We are approximately 10 miles west of Downtown Fort Lauderdale.

Meetings can be scheduled in person, at your office, by phone or teleconference through Skype.

For driving directions, please select the "Office Location" page.

Admitted to Florida Bar in 1979Associate Member of the American Board of Trial AdvocatesAV Rated by Martindale-Hubble Peer Review ServiceLaw Office of Mitchell A. Chester, P.A.7951 SW 6th StreetSte 112Plantation, FL 33324Main Line: (954) 759-9960Fax Line: (954) 759-9930MChester_MitchellChester.comCopyright 2011. Mitchell A. Chester, Esq.