Board Certified Legal Specialist in Admiralty & Maritime Law; State Bar of California.
Florida and California Super Lawyers: 2006-2024.
AV Preeminent Rated Martindale Hubbell™
Best of the Bar, Florida Trend Magazine
Best of the Bar, Miami Daily Business Review
Best Verdicts, South Florida Business Journal
Best of the Bar South Florida Business Journal
Member Litigation Counsel of America
Former Judge Pro Tem of the Municipal Court of California

ABOUT:

Jeffrey specializes in all aspects of complex litigation, admiralty and maritime law, medical malpractice defense, sexual assault and negligent security cases, disease outbreaks, and corporate crisis management. In over 35 years of practicing law, he has accumulated extensive experience handling a wide array of high profile cases nationwide.

Clients frequently call upon Jeffrey to help their companies effectively respond to major mass casualty and other high profile crisis. He has appeared as an expert on CNN, Court TV, Dateline, Nancy Grace, Anderson Cooper 360, and the Today Show.

Outside the courtroom, Jeffrey frequently lectures on a wide array of human resources and tort issues. He also provides employee training on a wide array of issues. When not practicing law, you can find Jeffrey working at his family’s award winning wineries in California and Colorado.

PUBLICATIONS:

Shipboard Medical Care, Benedict on Admiralty (2015-2024)
COVID-19 and the Cruise Industry, Benedict on Admiralty (2021-2024)
The Seafarer's Ancient Duty to Rescue and Modern Attempts to Regulate the Good Samaritan, Tulane Law Review (2015)
Twas the Night Before Regulations: Foreign-Flagged Cruise Ships and the ADA, 75 Tulane Law Review 1571 (2001
Islands in the Sun, Cruise Line Liability for Water Activities on Private Islands, University of San Francisco Maritime Law Journal (2001)
Jobs in Paradise: The Definitive Guide to Exotic Jobs Everywhere, HarperCollins Publishers (1990, 1993)

Photo of Ana Maltzman partner at Maltzman & Partners — Ana Maltzman

Administrative Partner

EDUCATION:

J.D. University of Miami School of Law (cum laude 1998)
B.A. University of California at Davis (1985)

ADMITTED:

Florida
Washington

HONORS:

Articles Editor, University of Miami Law Review
Law Clerk to the Honorable Ursula Ungaro, United States District Court, Southern District of Florida.

ABOUT:

Ana specializes in employment law and serves as the firm’s administrative partner handling firm administration and Human Resources. She assists the firm’s lawyers with both trial court and appellate briefs, motions for summary judgment, and other complex writing projects.

Education:

University of Florida College of Law (J.D., 2001)
University of Michigan – Ann Arbor (B.A., Phi Beta Kappa, 1998)

Admissions:

Florida
U.S. District Courts - Southern and Northern Districts of Florida
11th Circuit Court of Appeals.

Honors:

Law Clerk to the Hon. James M. Barton II, Circuit Court, 13th Judicial District, Florida.
Editor, Journal of Technology Law & Policy, University of Florida Levin College of Law.
Phi Beta Kappa

ABOUT:

Steve is a partner in the firm's Coral Gables office.

Steve has more than 30 years experience practicing civil litigation with an emphasis on resort and tourism law and the defense of hotel guest, passenger and crew tort claims. He also handles complex commercial litigation and class action claims. In addition to defending cases in both state and Federal trial and appellate courts throughout Florida, Steve regularly handles international arbitration matters.

Steve began his legal career as the staff attorney to a distinguished judge in the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit Court of Florida—Complex Civil Litigation Division. Before entering the legal profession, Steve was a general foreman for a large industrial contractor based in Los Angeles. He brings an in-depth knowledge of our clients resort, tourism and hospitality businesses having grown up in a family that owns and operates a resort hotel in New England.

When not practicing law, Steve can be found exploring his extensive wine collection or listening to his vast collection of vinyl records.

Education:

University of Miami School of Law (J.D., Magna Cum Laude and LL.M. International Law, May 2012);
Washington University in St. Louis (A.B. 2008).

Admissions:

Florida
California
11th Circuit Court of Appeals,
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida and Central District of California.

Honors:

Law Clerk to the Hon. Edwin Torres, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida
Inter-American Law Review, Associate Editor
Writing Dean's Fellow, Academic Achievement Program
CALI Excellent for the Future Award and Book Award
Dean's List
Outstanding Public Interest Scholarship Recipient
Phi Delta Phi

ABOUT:

Rafaela is admitted in both Florida and California and routinely handles matters on both coasts. She specializes in maritime and travel law with an emphasis in international arbitration. Rafaela represents multiple cruise lines and resort hotels in both Federal and state courts. She is originally from Spain and was raised in Puerto Rico. Rafaella speaks English, Spanish, French and Italian.

As editor of the Inter-American Law Review, Rafaela conducted extensive research on international arbitration and the enforceability of international arbitration agreements. She is a former law clerk to the Hon. Edwin Torres at the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida. She is currently a member of the Hispanic Bar Association, the International Centre for Dispute Resolution and the Young Arbitrators Forum of the International Chamber of Commerce.

EDUCATION:

L.L.M. Admiralty Law, Tulane University School of Law, 2004
J.D. University of Richmond School of Law, 2003
B.A., Queens University, 1992

ADMITTED:

Florida

ABOUT:

Alex grew up in the British Virgin Islands and is a licensed U.S. Coast Guard Captain with extensive experience as a charter boat captain in the Caribbean before obtaining his law degree. His practice concentrates on travel, tourism and admiralty issues where he has more than 20 years experience defending cruise lines, resorts, and other travel entities. He routinely works on matters involving claims of negligent shipboard medical care, negligent security and a wide array of passenger and crew injury and death claims.

Michael Lange

Partner

EDUCATION:

J.D., University of Miami School of Law

ADMISSIONS:

Florida
California
United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida
United States District Court for the Central District of California

ABOUT:

Michael is a partner in our litigation practice. He specializes in representing cruise lines and tourism related entities in complex personal injury litigation and foreign arbitrations. He has more than ten years experience defending passenger and crew claims with a special emphasis in claims of assault and negligent security, medical malpractice, and catastrophic injury. He routinely handles cruise line crew arbitration matters in Bermuda, the Bahamas, Panama and elsewhere throughout the world.

EDUCATION:

J.D., University of Miami
B.S./B.A., Boston University, Question School of Business

ADMITTED:

Florida
U.S. District Courts for the Southern and Central Districts of Florida

ABOUT:

Matt specializes in maritime and business law. He handles a wide array of cruise and yacht related business, litigation and arbitration matters worldwide. He routinely handles complex and serious personal injury and crime matters for the firm’s many cruise line clients.

Matt has a U.S. Coast Guard Master’s license for vessels under 100 Gross Tons. Before completing law school Matt worked as an in-house intern in the legal department at Princess Cruises in Santa Clarita, California and as a Charter Boat Captain and Sailing Instructor at the Boston Sailing Center.

Education:

University of Denver (J.D., 1983)
University of Denver (M.B.A., 1984)
University of Notre Dame (B.A., 1976)

Admissions:

California
Colorado
Washington
United States District Courts (CA and WA)
9th Circuit Court of Appeal

Honors:

American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA)

ABOUT:

Ed, along with his wife Gabrielle Nield, handle cases in the firms California and Colorado offices. He has extensive experience in the areas of medical malpractice, personal injury and professional liability, and commercial litigation. Ed's regularly handles cases for the firm's cruise industry and hotel clients. He also has an active practice specializing in the defense of state and local government agencies.

Ed is an experienced trial attorney and has earned the honor of admission into the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA). He also continues his longtime service as an arbitrator/mediator to both the San Diego and Riverside County Superior Courts.

Ed received his Bachelors (BA) Degree in Business Administration from the University of Notre Dame in 1976. After working for several years in management for an international food service company, he attended the law and graduate business schools at the University of Denver where he received his Juris Doctor (JD) in 1983 and a Masters Degree in Business Administration (MBA) in 1984. He is an experienced litigator with over 30 trials to his credit.

* Of Counsel Partner; also affiliated with Nield Law Group

education:

J.D., Southwestern University School of Law, Los Angeles, California (1983)
B.A., Loyola Marymount University (1978)

ADMISSIONS:

California

HONORS:

American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA)

ABOUT:

Gabrielle is licensed to practice law in California and is a member of the California Bar Associations as well as the San Diego County Bar Association and North San Diego County Bar Association. She is also admitted to practice before all of the United States District Courts in California, including the Central District Court in Los Angeles, Eastern District, Northern District, Southern District as well as the Supreme Court of the United States.

She has been practicing in Southern California for over 25 years focusing on personal injury and professional liability defense. Her past work experience also includes serving as Assistant Counsel at in-house counsel for State Farm Insurance Companies focusing her practice on third party and first party personal injury defense. Gabrielle practices in the firm's California office alongside her partner-husband Ed Nield.

Gabrielle is an experienced trial attorney and has earned the honor of admission into the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA). She has tried numerous cases to a jury, participated in hundreds of mediations and arbitrations and is a past arbiter with the San Diego courts. She enjoys running, working out, and spending time with her family and friends. Gabrielle also is involved with non-profit organizations that support parents and mothers who have lost their children.

* Of Counsel Partner; also affiliated with Nield Law Group

Education:

University of Southern California (J.D., 1987)
University of California at Los Angeles, magna cum laude (B.A., 1983)

Admissions:

California
United States District Court for the Central District of California

ABOUT:

Teresa works out of the firm's Los Angeles office. She obtained her undergraduate degree in Communication Studies from UCLA, where she graduated Magna Cum Laude. She attended the University of Southern California Gould School of Law on a full academic scholarship. Teresa has over 25 years of litigation experience and has extensive experience handling maritime, resort and tourism related cases. For most of her career, she has defended major insurance companies and self-insured entities in cases involving significant personal injuries and/or multi-million dollar property losses. Teresa has drafted appellate briefs and has argued before the California Court of Appeal, Second Appellate District. Teresa's experience makes her an effective and efficient litigator.

education:

University of South Carolina Law School (J.D. 1992)
University of Pennsylvania - The Wharton School (CIMA, MPT Executive Education Program, 2008)
Northwood University-Florida, Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA), 1988

HONORS:

National Semi Finalist, Environmental Law Moot Court
South Carolina Delegate, American Bar Association LSD
Negotiation Team State Representative
Phi Delta Phi.

ADMISSIONS:

Florida
South Carolina
North Carolina
Utah
United States District Court Southern District of Florida

COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES:

Volunteer hammer swinger, Habitat for Humanity
Board Member, North Carolinians against Racist and Religious Violence

about:

Steve has worked in the firm's maritime practice group defending cruise lines in cases involving passenger and crew personal injury, class actions, and medical malpractice. He is also an active member of the firm's emergency mass casualty response team having led one of the team response units in the wake of the Star Princess fire. In addition to extensive experience in personal injury defense, Steve has experience in criminal law and handles a wide range of negligent security and sexual assault matters.

When not working for the firm, Steve is active in his family's real estate development business and is also a licensed Realtor.

Education:

University of Miami School of Law (J.D., 2024)
University of Miami (B.A., 2020)
University of Miami (Paralegal Certificate, 2014)

Admissions:

Florida
U.S. District Court for the Southern District

HONORS:

Vice Admiral, Maritime Law Society, University of Miami

COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES:

Volunteer Guardian Ad Litem, Broward County (advocating for children in need)

ABOUT:

Gabrielle (“Gabi”) is an associate attorney in the firm's Florida office where she specializes in maritime law and complex personal injury litigation.

Prior to obtaining her law degree, Gabrielle worked as a Certified Registered Paralegal in various law firms across South Florida, specializing in areas such as personal injury (both land and sea), defamation, and commercial litigation. She routinely handles passenger and crew personal injury litigation cases and international arbitrations.

When not practicing law, Gabrielle can be found traveling and discovering the best local coffee shops.

Photo of office manager and paralegal Laurie Valqui — Laurie Valqui

Office Manager / Legal Assistant

Laurie Valqui is a paralegal in our firm’s Florida office and serves as the firm’s administrator overseeing operations in our Florida, California, Washington and Colorado offices.

Diana is a paralegal assisting the firm’s California attorneys with a wide array of passenger and crew litigation matters in both state and Federal courts.

Maegan is a paralegal in the firm’s Florida office handling a wide array of cruise line and resort cases in Florida state and Federal courts.

Bekka is a paralegal in the firm's California office assisting firm attorneys in a wide array of passenger and crew cruise line cases in both state and Federal courts.