Jennifer Gentry Fernandez The Fernandez Firm 1922 East 4th Avenue Tampa , Florida 33605 E-mail : jfernandez@fernandezfirm.com Phone : (813) 228-6313 Fax       : (813) 228-6323

Jennifer Gentry Fernandez is a shareholder in The Fernandez Firm. She began her career in 1994, practicing insurance and medical malpractice defense law with a large defense firm in Orlando, Florida. In 1997, she joined a plaintiff’s practice with Maher, Guiley and Maher and remains of counsel to that Winter Park, Florida law firm. Ms. Fernandez currently specializes in plaintiff’s personal injury law, with an emphasis on medical malpractice litigation.

Ms. Fernandez attended the University of Florida, where she was a member of Phi Kappa Phi, and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Journalism in 1990. Ms. Fernandez attended Stetson University, College of Law, where she received her Juris Doctorate, Cum Laude, in 1993. She was a member of the 1993 Stetson College of Law National Trial Team and was awarded Champion of the 1993 Chester Bedell Memorial Mock Trial Competition and Best Advocate in the 1993 Association of Trial Lawyers of America Southeast Regional Student Trial Advocacy Competition. Upon graduation, she received Stetson’s Ralph Harris Farrell Competition Award.

Ms. Fernandez served on the Board of Directors of the Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers from 2000-2002 and the Board of Directors for the Young Lawyers Section of the Academy from 1997-2000. She served as the Chair of the Academy’s Continuing Legal Education Committee from 2002-2003 and Secretary of the Academy’s Women Caucus Committee from 1999-2000. She has been both a F.L.A.G. and EAGLE Program Sponsor and received the 2001 Bronze EAGLE Award.

Ms. Fernandez is a member of the Association of Trial Lawyers of America, for whom she served as the Regional Coordinator of the 2000 ATLA Student Trial Advocacy Competition. She also served as a member of the 2000-2002 Florida Bar Code and Rules of Evidence Committee. Ms. Fernandez served as Committee Chair for the Orange County Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Division from 1996-1998 and as a Mediator for the Citizen’s Dispute Resolution program for several years. She is currently a member of AFTL, the Tampa Bay Trial Lawyers Association, the Hillsborough County Bar Association, the Hillsborough Association for Women’s Lawyers and the Association of Trial Lawyers of America (ATLA). She is admitted to practice in all Florida Circuit Courts, before the United States District Court, Middle District of Florida, and before the United States Court of Appeals, 11 th Circuit.

Current Position:

Shareholder

Areas of Practice:

Auto Accidents
Personal Injury
Medical Negligence
Negligent Hiring and Retention
Wrongful Death
Product Liability
Insurance and Bad Faith Claims
Pharmaceutical Injuries
Premise Liability

Bar Admissions:

The Florida Bar
U.S. District Court Middle District of Florida
U.S. Court of Appeals 11 th Circuit

Education:

Stetson University College of Law, Juris Doctorate, cum laude
University of Florida, Bachelor of Science, Journalism
Episcopal High School of Jacksonville, Florida

Professional Work Experience:

Maher, Guiley and Maher, Orlando, Florida; 1997-2001; 2001-2004 (of counsel)
Fisher, Rushmer, Werrenrath, Keiner, Wack and Dickson; 1994-1997

Current Professional Memberships:

Florida Bar, Member
Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers, Member; past Director and Committee Chair;
AFTL Women’s Caucus, Member
Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Member
Hillsborough County Bar Association, Member
Hillsborough Association of Women Lawyers, Member
Tampa Bay Trial Lawyers Association, Member
Ybor City Chamber of Commerce, Member

Committees/Appointments:

The Florida Bar, Code and Rules of Evidence Committee, 2000-2003;
“First 150 Women Lawyers Project,” Research Committee member, 1999-2000.
Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers, Board of Directors, 2000-2002;
Young Lawyers Section, Board of Directors,1997-2000;
AFTL Journal articles editor, Young Lawyers Division,1998-2000;
Women’s Caucus, Secretary,1999-2000;
Constitutional Challenge Committee, challenging the  1999 “Tort Reform” legislation, 1999-2000.
Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Regional Coordinator, 2000 ATLA Student Trial Advocacy Competition.
Central Florida Trial Lawyers Association, Board of Directors, Publications/Newsletter Co-Chair, 1999-2001.
Orange County Bar Association, Young Lawyers Division, Fundraiser Committee, 1996 -1997, Chair, 1997-1998;
Citizens Dispute Resolution, Mediator 1995 -1997, 2000;
Great Oaks Village “Day in the Park” Committee, 1996 -1998;
Law Week, Participant/Presenter, 1995-1999; Art-Lando Cocktail Party, Chair, 1996 -1998

Continuing Legal Education and Speaking Engagements:

“2005 Collateral Sources Seminar,” presented by the Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers, January 2005, attendee.

“Cross Examination of the Defense Medical Expert,” presented by the Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers, May 2004, Medical Malpractice Seminar, speaker.

“Innovations in Trial Advocacy,” presented by the Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers, June 2003, program Chairperson/moderator.

“2003 Medical Malpractice Seminar,” presented by the Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers, June 2003, attendee.

“New Lurking Disasters with Pretrial Stipulations, Exhibits Lists and Witness Lists,” presented by the Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers, February 2003, Workhorse Seminar, voting members only, speaker.

“2002 Workhorse Seminar,” presented by the Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers, February 2002, voting members only, moderator.

“2002 Collateral Sources Seminar,” presented by the Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers, January 2002, program Chairperson/moderator.

“Doing It All,” presented by the Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers Women’s Caucus, February 2001, speaker/panelist.

“Civil Litigation for Paralegals and Legal Assistants,” presented by the Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers, October 2000, program Chairperson/moderator.

“2000 Legislative and Case Law Update,” -for Academy Members Only , presented by the Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers, May 2000, moderator.

“Evidence for the Litigation Paralegal,” hosted by the Institute for Paralegal Education, May 2000, speaker.          

“Medical Malpractice,” presented by the Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers, April 2000, attendee.

“The Practicalities of Being a Young Lawyer,” lecture presented at Barry University College of Law, Orlando, November 1999, speaker.

“Constitutional Analysis & Practical Considerations for Practicing Under the Tort Reform Act”- for Academy Members Only , presented by the Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers, September 1999, attendee.

ATLA 1999 Annual Convention , presented by the American Trial Lawyers Association, San Francisco, California, June 1999, attendee.

“Advanced Trial Skills,” presented by the Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers, June 1999, attendee.

“Medical Malpractice,” presented by the Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers, April 1999, moderator/speaker.

“State of Florida v. Big Tobacco,” an associate’s perspective, lecture presented at Stetson University College of Law, St. Petersburg, March 1999, speaker.

Insurance Seminar - AFTL Members Only , presented by the American Trial Lawyers Association, September 1998, attendee.

“Direct and Cross Examination of Experts,” presented by the Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers, October 1997, attendee.

ATLA 1997 Annual Convention , presented by the American Trial Lawyers Association, San Diego, California, June 1997, attendee.

“Collateral Sources Seminar ,” presented by the Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers, March 1997, attendee.

“Psychological Injury Claims,” presented Med Psych Corporation, Peter B. Silvain, Ph.D., June 1996, attendee.

Florida Medical Malpractice Claims Committee Annual Seminar , presented by the FMMCC, Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, September 1995, attendee.

“Mild Traumatic Brain injury: Diagnosis and Treatment,” presented by the Claims Analysis Center for Brain Injury and Mental Disorders, Michael E. Howard, Ph.D., August 1995, attendee.

Community Service:

The Academy of Holy Names , Elementary Parent-Teacher coordinator, 2003-2004.

Tampa Bay SMA , Benefactor/Patron, 2001-present.

Junior League of Central Florida , Member, 1996-1998; Crisis Nursery Volunteer, 1997-1998; Walt Disney Cancer Center Volunteer, 1996 -1997.

Meals on Wheels , Volunteer, 1994 -1997.

Habitat for Humanity , Volunteer, 1999-2000.

Orange County Bar Association , Mediator, Citizens Dispute Resolution, 1995-1997, 2000.