Tampa Bay Florida Lawyer - Attorney at Law -Florida & Federal Mediator - Tampa Bay Law Firm

General Counsel with over twenty years of domestic/international experience in planning and achieving legal, business and technology goals for Odell Associates (an international architectural firm), and Shriners Hospitals For Children. ~Expertise in: Managing an international legal department, negotiating complex multi-million dollar contracts, implementing technology/process enhancements, and motivating employees to achieve high productivity. Possess a unique ability to assess operational situations in a timely and cost-effective manner. Proven track record in conflict resolution, reducing operating cost, crisis management, providing client satisfaction, and instituting continuous quality improvement efforts. Additional strengths include:

• Written/Verbal & Presentation Skills

• AV Rated Attorney (Licensed in Florida)

• Knowledge of the IRS/Former IRS Agent

• Ability to Grasp and Utilize New Technology

• Skilled Negotiator

• Multiple Project Management

• High Standards of Ethics & Integrity

• Ability to Articulate Complex Issues Effectively

• Managed Shriners Office of the Genera] Counsel for eighteen years providing complete legal services for 22 hospitals and corporate headquarters.  Staff consisted of 30 employees.  Areas covered, Estate planning Probate and Trust, Contracts, Corporate, Intellectual property, Oil and Gas, Real Estate, Construction, Labor and Medical Malpractice.

• Probate and Trust responsibilities included auditing and monitoring of approximately 6,000 estates and trusts valued at over $100 million annually without incident or controversy for eighteen years.

• Shriners Hospitals has over 5000 employees in 17 States.  Each hospital had a huge cadre of volunteers. The headquarters was in Tampa and it consisted of approximately 250 staff members Worked with the Director of Human Resources to constantly review the employee manual, hiring procedures (drug testing), labor unions and employee pension and welfare benefits. Provided legal review of all terminations at all hospitals and the headquarters including impaired physician issues.

• Managed all legal issues on the hospital side of the organization, this would include medical malpractice claims and lawsuits in any of 17 jurisdictions, Certificate of Need, ICAHO, Credentialing committees, Impaired Physicians, Peer Review and Medical Malpractice. Specifically worked with outside counsel who represented Shriners in medical malpractice claims. Outside counsel, along with in-house counsel, were evaluated as to the effective management of their cases.  I would evaluate their thoroughness in developing legal theories, timeliness in prosecuting their caseload, cost control, and effective use of support staff, together with outcomes measurement.

• Spearheaded changes in 1999, which proved instrumental in increasing profits and improving teamwork to Odell Corporation's project delivery system. As a result, single project budgets were created that eliminated the costly and time consuming need for budgeting individual disciplines.

• Directed Year 2000 compliance committee for Shriners Hospitals. This $50 million project addressed extremely complex facility issues as well as all health care devices, which could create life safety issues.  Negotiated complex contracts for development of customized application software.

• Appointed by the Board of Directors for Shriners Hospitals as the primary contact with the Internal Revenue Service for a Coordinated Examination Program (CEP), audit by IRS, this examination involved eight on-site IRS agents during a thirty-month period. As a result, Shriners received a "no change letter" which accepted the original returns as filed. The only one ever issued since the program started.

• Successfully implemented in 1999, a new project management and financial/accounting program for Odell Associates. Met an aggressive Y2K compliant schedule, and converted 100 active projects including all financial records to the new program, which permitted uninterrupted invoicing during the transition.

• Designed and successfully installed a “state-of-the-art” computer system with custom software features that positioned the Shriners General Counsel Office for growth through the Year 2005. This system included document management, imaging of active and closed files for prompt electronic retrieval, and connectivity to an interactive Internet interface.

• Developed intellectual property policy for Shriners Hospitals protecting the organization’s patent, copyright and trademark rights.

• Represented and negotiated for Shriners Hospitals in their affiliation agreements with major universities, service and support contracts, medical staff issues, hospital regulations, and compliance matters.

• Negotiated and drafted all contracts with architects and contractors for the construction of eighteen hospitals over a 14-year period at a cost of $600 million. Subsequently, only one lawsuit was ever filed during this period and Shriners won that suit.

• Developed for the Material Management department standardized contracts and buying procedures, which were adopted by all Shriners hospitals for the evaluation and purchase of approximately $115 million a year in capital equipment and services. Program saved 5% the first year and 10% the following year.

• AV rated attorney by Martindale Hubbell
• Certified Mediator American Bar Association Florida Bar Association  and Certified Federal Mediator
• Clearwater, Florida Bar Association
• Hillsborough, Florida Bar Association
• National Health Lawyers