Lesser Landy Smith & Siegel Firm
Attorney Austin Diaz has been selected as a Top 40 Under 40 Trial Attorney by The National Trial Lawyers. The National Trial Lawyers Top 40 Under 40 recognizes accomplished civil plaintiff and criminal defense trial attorneys under the age of 40 from each state or region. Membership is extended by invitation only to attorneys who demonstrate excellence in their practice and leadership within the legal profession. Austin represents clients in catastrophic personal injury cases involving vehicular negligence, trucking accidents, maritime incidents, premises liability, defective products, construction defects and negligent security. He is admitted to practice in all Florida state courts, including the Florida Supreme Court, and the U. S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida. Congratulations to Austin on this well-deserved recognition.
J ones Foster announces that attorneys
Melanie R. Skenian and Alexander M. Parthemer have graduated from the prestigious Florida Fellows Institute of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel( ACTEC). As members of Class VII, Ms. Skenian, a trust and estate litigation attorney, and Mr. Parthemer, an estate planning and tax attorney, completed a comprehensive, multi-session program featuring indepth educational presentations led by ACTEC Fellow practitioners who are considered subject matter experts in their respective fields. Jones Foster Vice Chair Theodore S. Kypreos, who was elected an ACTEC Fellow in 2023, served as a featured speaker during Session II, Program 3, presenting on Florida Probate Code. The Florida Fellows Institute( FFI) was established by the Florida Fellows of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel to cultivate future leaders in trust and estate law through interactive learning and valuable networking opportunities. Selection to the Institute is highly competitive. Candidates must be nominated by an ACTEC Fellow, be in good standing with The Florida Bar, and complete a rigorous application process.
Jones Foster is pleased to announce that Chairman Scott G. Hawkins and Vice Chair Theodore S. Kypreos have been recognized among Florida ' s highest-rated attorneys in the 2026 edition of Florida Super Lawyers Top 100 lists. Both attorneys were named to the prestigious Top 100: Miami list, with Mr. Kypreos also placing on the Top 100: Florida list. In addition to their Top 100 honors, Mr. Hawkins earned distinction in Business Litigation, while Mr. Kypreos was recognized for Estate & Trust Litigation. Mr. Hawkins is a Florida Bar Board Certified Business Litigation attorney who focuses his practice in commercial litigation with an emphasis on intellectual property, trade secret disputes, trademark infringement, covenants not to compete, securities, real estate litigation, and claims arising under ERISA Plans. Mr. Kypreos, co-chair of the firm’ s Trust & Estate litigation team, is an experienced trial and appellate attorney who focuses his practice in the areas of probate and trust litigation, trust and estate administration, guardianship law, and fiduciary litigation. The firm also celebrated broad recognition across its legal team, with the majority of Jones Foster shareholders selected for inclusion in the 2026 editions of Florida Super Lawyers and Rising Stars.
Jones Foster announces that private wealth and tax attorney Richard C. Vaughan has been elected to the Board of Directors of the Palm Beach County Estate Planning Council( PBCEPC) for the 2026- 2027 term, effective July 1, 2026. As a member of the Board of Directors, Mr. Vaughan will help support the organization’ s mission of advancing collaboration and professional development among estate planning professionals throughout South Florida. In this role, he will contribute to the planning of continuing education programming, networking events, and roundtable discussions designed to keep members informed on emerging trends and developments in estate planning, trust and wealth management, taxation, charitable giving, and related disciplines.
PBCBA BAR BULLETIN 25