Gunster, one of Florida’s oldest and largest full-service business law firms, is pleased to announce the recent acquisition of nine attorneys to the firm statewide.
David George has joined the firm’s West Palm Beach office as an of counsel litigator; Elizabeth Bowers has joined the firm’s Boca Raton and West Palm beach offices as an associate; and Jacquie Thomas has joined the firm’s Jacksonville office also as an associate. Additionally, six from the 2015 summer associate class have returned to the firm as first year associates.
David J. George focuses his practice on labor & employment law and is dedicated to serving as an effective advocate and aggressive litigator. His experience includes both federal and state court claims. For the past 25 years, David has represented individuals, small and large businesses, Fortune 500 Companies and pension funds in a wide variety of matters. Prior to joining Gunster, David spent more than a decade as a senior shareholder in the largest class action firm in the world.
Elizabeth A. Bowers is a probate litigator and estate planner in the private wealth services practice. She has spent her entire legal career in South Florida, practicing exclusively in the areas of fiduciary litigation, estate planning and estate and trust administration. Prior to joining Gunster, Elizabeth served as a federal judicial law clerk to the Honorable Donald M. Middlebrooks of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida.
Jacquelyn A. Thomas focuses her practice on business litigation. Prior to joining Gunster, she served for two years as a law clerk to the Honorable Harvey E. Schlesinger of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida. Jacquie’s past experiences have prepared her to strive to be a focused counselor, litigator, and advocate to her clients.
Ernest “EJ” A. Cox IV is an associate in the firm’s West Palm Beach office and focuses his practice on business litigation. EJ graduated summa cum laude from Florida State University College of Law in 2016, and was a member of the Florida State Law Review and Chief Justice of the Student Government Supreme Court.
S. Kaitlin Dean is an associate in Gunster’s West Palm Beach office and focuses her practice on real property. She received her J.D. from the Florida State University College of Law in 2016, where she graduated magna cum laude. While in law school, Kaitlin served on the executive board of the FSU moot court team, and actively participated as a member of the FSU Law Review.
Jacqueline Z. DerOvanesian is an associate in the firm’s Fort Lauderdale office and focuses her practice onbusiness litigation and dispute resolution. She graduated with honors from the George Washington University Law School and focused on developing her litigation skills by working with the United States Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
J. Anthony Nelson is an associate in Gunster’s West Palm Beach office and focuses his practice on labor and employment law. He graduated magna cum laude from the University of Illinois College of Law, where he competed nationally on the Frederick Green Moot Court team.
John Joseph “ J.J.” Ogilby is an associate in the firm’s Miami office and focuses his practice on corporate law,specifically mergers and acquisitions and corporate governance. J.J. received his J.D. from the University of Florida Levin College of Law where he graduated cum laude. He also served as a legal intern in the office of the general counsel of a publicly traded, multinational corporation.
Kimberly Rivera is an associate in the firm’s Miami office and focuses her practice on business litigation. She received her J.D. from the Florida State University College of Law, where she graduated magna cum laude. During law school, Kimberly represented juvenile clients in criminal matters as a certified legal intern in the Public Defender’s office of the Second Judicial Court. Additionally, she served on the executive board of the Florida State University Law Review as an articles editor, and was a member of the International Arbitration moot court team.
About Gunster
Gunster, Florida’s law firm for business, provides full-service legal counsel to leading organizations and individuals from its 13 offices statewide. Established in 1925, the firm has expanded, diversified and evolved, but always with a singular focus: Florida and its clients’ stake in it. A magnet for business-savvy attorneys who embrace collaboration for the greatest advantage of clients, Gunster’s growth has not been at the expense of personalized service but because of it. The firm serves clients from its offices in Boca Raton Fort Lauderdale, Jacksonville, Miami, Orlando, Palm Beach, Stuart, Tallahassee, Tampa, The Florida Keys, Vero Beach, Winter Park, and its headquarters in West Palm Beach. With more than 180 attorneys and 200 committed support staff, Gunster is ranked among the National Law Journal’s list of the 500 largest law firms and has been recognized as one of the Top 100 Diverse Law Firms by Law360. More information about its practice areas, offices and insider’s view newsletters is available at www.gunster.com.
