David J. Abbey



Mr. Abbey’s primary practice has been defending organizations, governments, insurance companies and individuals for over 30 years in civil litigation. He has tried in excess of one hundred fifty jury trials and has participated in numerous appeals and arbitrations.

Mr. Abbey’s professional experience includes bad faith, motor vehicle liability, trucking defense, uninsured motorist claims, coverage litigation, industrial accidents, machine and equipment failures, wrongful death, premises liability and products liability.

Mr. Abbey has served as an adjunct professor at Stetson College of Law teaching courses in Insurance Law and Damages. Over the years, Mr. Abbey has provided seminars, with other attorneys in the Florida offices, to the claim staffs of insurance clients on the topics of Florida uninsured motorist law, perfecting coverage defenses pursuant to the Florida Claims Administration statute, first party bad faith liability pursuant to Florida common law and the Civil Remedies Statute, and other topics of interest to the insurance industry. Mr. Abbey has spoken at annual Conferences of the Florida Defense Lawyers concerning Florida Uninsured Motorist Law; Improper Argument to the Jury; and Direct Examination. Mr. Abbey has also served as a Presenter in seminars sponsored by the St. Petersburg Bar and Hillsborough County Bar Associations.

Mr. Abbey is a Board Certified Civil Trial Lawyer by the Florida Bar, as well as certified by the Florida Supreme Court as a Circuit Civil Mediator.

Mr. Abbey is A-V rated by Martindale-Hubbell, and has been listed in Guide to Leading Florida Attorneys, Florida Trend's Legal Elite and The Wall Street Journal's listing of the top attorneys in Florida. He has also been selected by his peers as a Florida Super Lawyer.

Member

American Bar Association (Member Sections: Commercial Transportation and TIPS); The Florida Bar (Member Section Trial Lawyers); Member of the Florida Bar Civil Procedure Rules Committee (1994-2000, 2002, 2003), Illinois State Bar Association (Member Sections on: Tort Law, Insurance Law); St. Petersburg Bar Association (President, 2003-‘04, Secretary, 1987-’88, Executive Committee, 1996-1998, 2000-‘02 Member: Trial Lawyers Section); Hillsborough County Bar Association; Florida Defense Lawyers Association; Illinois Association of Defense Trial Counsel; Attorney Advisory Board of Illinois State University; Florida Trucking Association; and Trucking Industry Defense Association (TIDA).

Education

Illinois Central College (A.A. 1972); Illinois State University (B.S. 1973); Stetson College of Law (J.D. 1977)


ST. PETERSBURG • TAMPA • FLORIDA