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Hi, we’re Brandon Cathey and Stephanie Miles, the firm's co-founders and the lead trial attorneys on all cases.

After succeeding together at a law firm in Tampa for three decades, we started our own firm in 2022 in St. Petersburg where we live.
Our greatest strength is helping personal injury lawyers overcome liability insurance and litigation challenges in major injury cases in Florida and Georgia.
Having co-counseled on hundreds of personal injury cases over our combined 39 years, we have seen a wide array of roadblocks and have consistently found a successful path forward, even when it meant cutting a new one.

Whether we serve as your coverage, bad faith, trial, or appellate counsel, our results speak for themselves.
We love talking to plaintiff’s lawyers, defense lawyers, and clients about their personal injury cases, so please contact us with your questions today!

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Initial consultations are free.

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First Name

Last Name

Role

Co-founder, CEO, and Lead Trial Lawyer

About

Brandon is known for achieving exceptional results in catastrophic injury cases. He lives for the moment when a client’s face lights up, realizing their life is about to take a remarkable turn for the better, thanks to a lawsuit’s outcome.

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Reported Decisions

Brandon has been at the forefront of landmark legal issues, in both Florida and Georgia, establishing himself as an accomplished appellate advocate in the federal and state courts of appeal for Florida and Georgia.

Brink v. Direct General

38 F.4th 917 (11th Cir. 2022)

Ellison v. Willoughby

No. 2D19-1961 (Fla. 2d DCA 2021)

Martinez v. Lobster Haven, LLC

320 So. 3d 873 (Fla. 2d DCA 2021)

Harmon Parker, P.A. v. Santek Mgmt., LLC

311 So. 3d 213 (Fla. 2d DCA 2020)

Hughes v. Mid-Continent Cas. Co.

264 So. 3d 1053 (Fla. 3d DCA 2019)

Gray v. AHCA

288 So. 3d 95 (Fla. 1st DCA 2019)

First Acceptance Co. of Ga., Inc. v. Hughes

826 S.E. 2d 71 (Ga. 2019)

Hughes v. First Acceptance Ins. Co. of Ga., Inc.

836 S.E. 2d 634 (Ga. App. 2019)

Moxley v. U-Haul Company of Florida

308 So. 3d 91 (Fla. 2d DCA 2019)

USAA v. Lynch

255 So. 3d 818 (Fla. 2d DCA 2018)

Moxley v. Infinity Indem. Inc. Co.

Case No. 2D16-3973 (Fla. 2d DCA 2018)

Ray v. Fowler White

Case No. 2D17-2697 (Fla. 2d DCA 2018)

Hughes v. First Acceptance Co. of Ga., Inc.

808 S.E. 2d 103 (Ga. App. 2017)

Willoughby v. AHCA

212 So. 3d 516 (Fla. 2d DCA 2017)

Allstate v. Schlichting

174 So. 3d 1000 (Fla. 2d DCA 2015)

Belizaire v. Gray

173 So. 3d 969 (Fla. 3d DCA 2015)

New Hampshire Indem. Co. v. Gray

177 So. 3d 56 (Fla. 1st DCA 2015)

Gray v. Belizaire

146 So. 3d 1175 (Fla. 1st DCA 2014)

Lydacker Lee et al v. Brown

156 So. 3d 1092 (Fla. 2d DCA 2014)

Camacho v. Nationwide Mut. Ins. Co.

13 F. Supp. 3d 1343 (N.D. Ga. 2014)

Moxley v. U-Haul Co. of Fla.

148 So. 3d 132 (Fla. 2d DCA 2014)

Markel Am. Ins. Co. v. Baker

152 So. 3d 86 (Fla. 5th DCA 2014)

Roman v. Bogle

113 So. 3d 1011 (Fla. 5th DCA 2013)

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2018-2019

Served as the President of the Tampa Bay Trial Lawyers Association, improving the quality of its educational seminars, social events, and judicial engagement.

2017-2018

Served as the President of the Florida State College of Law Alumni Association, initiating the creation of a national and statewide network of local FSU Law alumni associations.

2015-2021

Advocated for Florida’s insured customers, testifying in legislative committees and meeting with elected officials in Tallahassee about insurance bad faith issues.

Since 2004

Brandon has been an Eagle member of the Florida Justice Association since graduating from law school.

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"The Mammal: Letting Love Lead the Way in Plaintiff's Case-In-Chief"

Tampa Bay Trial Lawyers Association

May 2024

”Closing Argument Demonstration”

FJA Al. J. Cone Trial Advocacy Institute

August 2023

“Jury Selection: Civil Cases”

Hillsborough County Bar Association State Court Trial Seminar

June 2023

“Why Do I Need to File a Civil Remedy Notice: Violations by the UM Insurer”

FJA Civil Remedies Webinar

December 2022

“Jury Selection”

Hillsborough County Bar Association State Court Trial Seminar

June 2022

Guest Lecturer in Insurance Law

Stetson Law

October 2021, 2022, 2023

“The Mammal: Letting Love Lead the Way in Plaintiff’s Direct”

FJA Annual Convention Advanced Trial Skills

June 2022

Demonstration of Direct of a Lay Witness

FJA Al. J. Cone Trial Advocacy Institute

October 2022

“Why Do I Need a Civil Remedy Notice?”

FJA Civil Remedies Webinar

December 2021

“Million Dollar Mistakes in Auto Cases”

FJA Masters of Justice: Auto

September 2021

“Multiple Claimant Cases”

FJA Masters of Justice: Insurance & Bad Faith.

September 2019

“Mediation Magic: Getting the Adjuster to Go All In”

FJA Annual Convention

June 2018

Guest Lecturer on Mediation at University of Tampa

Mediation University of Tampa’s Negotiation Class

2015, 2018, 2019

“How Do We Get There? The State of the Law on Coblentz Agreement”

FJA Masters of Justice: Bad Faith

October 2017

“Bad Faith Law in Florida”

Tampa Bay Inn of Court

October 2017

“Corporate Greed: How to Find It, How to Prove It in Bad Faith Cases”

FJA Annual Convention

June 2017

“Bad Faith 101”

FJA Personal Injury Bootcamp Webinar Series

April 2017

“The Traps that Kill Great UM Bad Faith Cases”

FJA Workhorse Seminar

March 2016

“Don’t Let Slippery Insurance Issues Jackknife Your Case”

FJA Masters of Justice: Trucking

September 2016

“Insurance Bad Faith Legislative Update”

FJA Annual Convention

June 2015

Professional
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Best Lawyers in America

2016 - Present

Florida Super Lawyer

2010 - Present

Florida Legal Elite, Florida Trend Magazine

2018

National Trial Lawyers Top 100

2018

“Preeminent” AV Rating, Martindale-Hubbell

2012 - Present

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In 2004, Brandon graduated from the Florida State College of Law, where he was a member of the Moot Court Team, awarded Best Brief among first-year law students who competed to join the moot court team, and chosen to present his oral argument before the Florida Supreme Court as a member of the prestigious “Final Four.”

He was also a Co-Champion of the American Bar Association, FSU College of Law Negotiation Competition and was awarded the Distinguished Pro Bono Service Award for his efforts to assist the wrongly convicted through the Florida Innocence Project.
In 2000, he earned his bachelor’s degree, with double majors in English and History, from the University of South Florida.

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First Name

Last Name

Role

Co-founder and Lead Trial Lawyer

About. Stephanie is known for

If a person was measured by how many units of their life they gave for the benefit of others, Stephanie would beat Mother Teresa. She just happens to be a world-class trial lawyer instead of a nun.

Stephanie is the absence of pretentiousness. She is an incredible listener, has an amazing memory, and is astoundingly resourceful. She doesn’t judge; she’s quick to understand and forgive; and those (family, friends, colleagues, clients) who share a bond with her know how her immense powers have improved their lives.

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Who is She?

Stephanie has built great cases from scratch, turned brand new law grads into skilled trial lawyers, and won repeatedly for her clients when she has been the only attorney facing dozens of defence lawyers in cases against heavy industry, insurance companies, and hospitals. During trials, she enjoys a reputation for being the last to bed and the first to rise, even if it means sleeping on the couch in her office. If the job needs to be done, it will get done because of Stephanie.
Stephanie has handled a wide variety of high-stakes cases arising from sports injuries, defective products, car accidents, medical malpractice, and insurance bad faith. She has tried bad faith and catastrophic personal injury cases in federal and state courts in Tampa, Miami, Jacksonville, Naples, and Deland. Recently, recovered $10 million for a young man who was paralyzed at a summer football camp. She was also part of the appellate team that convinced Florida’s Supreme Court to hold insurance companies liable for attorney’s fees that result from unaccepted proposals for settlement.

Reported Decisions

Some of Stephanie’s Reported Decisions:

Brink v. Direct General

38 F.4th 917 (11th Cir. 2022)

Milling v. Travelers Home & Marine Ins. Co.

311 So. 3d 289 (Fla. 2d DCA 2020)

Ellis v. Trevino

Case No. 2D20-458 (Fla. 2d DCA 2020)

Bove Grand, Inc. v. Diamond

Case No. 2D17-4955 (Fla. 2d DCA 2019)

Bove Grand, Inc. v. Diamond

243 So. 3d 350 (Fla. 2d DCA 2018)

USAA v. Lynch

255 So. 3d 818 (Fla. 2d DCA 2018)

GEICO v. Macedo

228 So. 3d 1111 (Fla. 2017)

Bottini v. GEICO

859 F. 3d 987 (11th Cir. 2017)

Belizaire v. Gray

173 So. 3d 969 (Fla. 3d DCA 2015)

New Hampshire Indem. Co. v. Gray

177 So. 3d 56 (Fla. 1st DCA 2015)

Gray v. Belizaire

146 So. 3d 1175 (Fla. 1st DCA 2014)

Ortiz v. Regalado

113 So. 3d 57 (Fla. 2d DCA 2013)

Claudio v. Regalado

116 So. 3d 451 (Fla. 3d DCA 2013)

New Hampshire Indem. Co. v. Scott

910 F. Supp. 2d 1341 (M.D. Fla. Dec. 13, 2012)

Kearney v. Auto-Owners Ins. Co.

Case No. 8:06-cv-595-T-24 TGW (M.D. Fla. Apr. 21, 2011)

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She serves on the Standard Jury Instruction Committee (Civil), having been appointed by Florida’s Supreme Court in 2019. Stephanie’s passion and determination also extend beyond trial lawyering. For more than a decade, Stephanie contributed 100+ pro bono hours annually, advocating for neglected children in Hillsborough County as an attorney ad litem and guardian ad litem.
Stephanie is also the repeat female Champion of the American Lung Association’s Tampa Climb for Air, beating hundreds of competitors, and still holds the record for the fastest female to climb the 42 floors of Tampa’s Bank of America building with a time of 6 minutes, 5 seconds. She also volunteers as a Co-Troop Leader for the Girl Scouts.

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Stephanie has been recognized by Martindale with an AV Preeminent Rating, the highest available. Many of the exceptional peer reviews she received came from courtroom opponents she has faced over the years.
Back in 2013, one adversary wrote:

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“Our defense team estimated Ms. Miles trial experience well beyond her actual experience. She is an excellent trial attorney, always prepared and quick on her feet.”

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Presentations

Stephanie has guest lectured law students in upper-level insurance law at Stetson College of Law for the last 7 years.

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Stephanie served as the Research Editor for the Stetson Law Review and graduated cum laude from Stetson Law in 2005.
She graduated magna cum laude from the University of Pittsburgh in 2002 where she was a University Scholar. Stephanie grew up in Wampum, Pennsylvania, where she was a salutatorian in her high school class of more than 200.

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Mailing Address:

P.O. Box 2005
St. Petersburg, FL 33731
Offices: Pinellas County

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Cathey & Miles Trial Lawyers