Orlando Law Firm Gierach & Gierach, P.A. Profiles
Read more about our experienced estate planning and probate law firm by clicking on the names below.
| Attorneys | Legal Support |
20 Year Anniversary Award
John R. Gierach
20 Year Anniversary Award
Admitted
- Florida and U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida, 1974
Education
- Florida State University
- B.S., 1972
- J.D., with Honors, 1974
- Law Clerk to the Industrial Relations Commission, 1973
Publications and speaking engagements
- Author: "Evaluating Job Searches and Earnings in a Self-Employment Setting," News and 440 Report (Summer, 1988)
- "Wage Loss Under the New Worker's Compensation Statute," 63 Florida Bar Journal 10 (November 1989)
- Guest Speaker, "The 1989 Legislative Changes Concerning Workers' Compensation," South Florida Risk and Insurance Management Society (February 1990)
- Instructor, State of Florida approved for Adjuster Continuing Legal Education, 1991
Memberships
- Orange County Bar Association
- American Bar Association
- The Florida Bar
- Member, Worker's Compensation Section
- The Association of Trial Lawyers of America
- Board Certified Workers' Compensation Lawyer, Florida Bar Board of Legal Specialization and Education
Awards and achievements
- AV® Preeminent™ Peer Review RatedSM by Martindale-Hubbell®
- Recipient of the 20 year anniversary award of being AV rated
Reported cases
- Publix Supermarkets v. Finocchi, 650 So. 2d 1122 (Fla. 1st DCA 1995)
Practice areas
|
|
Alita S. Chappell
Associate
Areas of Practice:
- Workers' Compensation
- Social Security
- Family Law
Bar Admissions:
- Florida, 1992
Education:
- Florida State University College of Law, Tallahassee, Florida, 1991 J.D.
- Auburn University, Montgomery, Alabama 1988 B.S. Cum Laude
- Honors: Dean's List
- Awards: Merit Scholar Recipient 1986-1988; Government Student of the Year 1987-1988
- Major: Government/Political Science
- Minor: Biology
- Troy State University, Troy, Alabama 1981 A.S.N.
- Honors: Gamma Beta Phi 1979-1981
Representative Cases:
- Crum & Forster/U.S. Fire Ins. Co. v. Wilson, 982 So.2d 1180 (Table) (Fla. 1st DCA 2008) (Appellee prevailed, Unpublished Opinion)
- RC Cola Bottling/AceUsa v. Levinsky, 965 So.2d 128 (Table) (Fla. 1st DCA 2007) (Appellee prevailed, Unpublished Opinion)
- Gaines v. Department of Children & Families, 711 So.2d 190 (Fla. 5th DCA 1998)
Professional Associations and Memberships:
- Florida Bar: Workers Compensation Section, Member
- Orange County Bar Association
- Florida State University College of Law Women’s Law Symposium 1989-1991, Treasurer 1990
- Registered Nurse: Alabama 1981-1988; Florida 1988 - Present
Prior Experience:
- State of Florida, Department of Children & Families (formerly Department of Health & Rehabilitative Services), 1992 - 1998
Birth Information: Montgomery, Alabama
Elroy J. Gierach, 1921–1999
Founding partner
Attorney Elroy J. Gierach was admitted to practice law in the state of Florida in 1955 and was an established practitioner in two (2) predecessor law firms prior to the establishment of Gierach & Gierach, P.A. on May 1, 1986. The principal partners in the then-established law firm of Gierach and Gierach, P. A. were Elroy J. Gierach and John R. Gierach which firm celebrated its 25th anniversary on May 1, 2011. Attorney Elroy J. Gierach's primary areas of legal expertise were in Wills, Estate Planning and Probate in addition to Real Estate and Workers’ Compensation Law thereby laying the established foundation for the firm's current practice. In his career, Mr. Gierach drafted thousands and thousands of wills for Florida residents, many of which are archived in the firm's Orlando office. Mr. Gierach's son, John Gierach, also became an established practitioner in the Wills, Estate Planning and Probate practice to maintain his father's legacy in these fields of expertise.
It is also noteworthy that Elroy J. Gierach was a decorated World War II veteran who served as a captain and pilot-in-command of a B-17 Flying Fortress before he returned from the war and put himself through college and law school. His credo and principles upon which this law firm was founded continue to be the foundational cornerstones that continue to be practiced on a daily basis, to wit: HONESTY, INTEGRITY and PERSONAL SERVICE!
Yvette J. Albin
Certified Paralegal, Florida Registered Paralegal
Yvette J. Albin joined the Law Offices of Gierach and Gierach, P.A. as a paralegal in June 1992. Ms. Albin is a Certified Paralegal as well as a Florida Registered Paralegal. She assists Attorney John Gierach and Attorney Alita Chappell in the areas of Wills, Estates, Probates, Personal Injury and Workers Compensation Claims. She has over eighteen years experience working as a legal assistant and paralegal in Central Florida. She holds an Associate Degree from Southern College and graduated Magna Cum Laude, an American Bar Association accredited Paralegal Program in Orlando, Florida. She is a member of the National Association of Legal Assistants, Inc.
Gail D. Bowman
Office Manager/Legal Administrative Assistant
Gail D. Bowman joined the Law Office of Gierach and Gierach, P.A. as a legal administrative assistant in November 1981. In 1987 Ms. Bowman became Office Manager and also continued her legal administrative assistant duties. She handles the administrative operations of the firm including human resource issues, the firm’s budget and finances and vendor relations. She also works closely with Attorney John Gierach and Attorney Alita Chappell in the area of workers’ compensation claims. She has 30 years experience working in the areas of Workers’ Compensation, Wills and Probate, Personal Injury and Real Estate.
Lisa A. Jackson
Florida Registered Paralegal
Lisa A. Jackson joined the Law Firm of Gierach & Gierach, P.A. as a Legal Assistant in January 1997 and registered with the Florida Bar as a Florida Registered Paralegal in 2009. She works closely with attorneys John R. Gierach and Alita S. Chappell in the areas of workers’ compensation claims and appeals. Lisa is the appellate paralegal and assists the attorneys in the handling of appellate matters with the First District Court of Appeal in Tallahassee. She also handles the legal billing for the firm. Lisa has over 24 years experience working as a Legal Assistant in the areas of Workers’ Compensation, Appellate, Medical Malpractice, Insurance Defense, Special Disability Trust Fund, Family Law and Criminal Law.
Corlis D. Lewis
Receptionist/File Clerk
Corlis D. Lewis joined the Law Offices of Gierach and Gierach, P.A. in 2000, serving as both the receptionist and file clerk. Ms. Lewis manages the front desk taking care of the phones and all visitors, guests and vendors and other professionals while simultaneously performing all of the day-to-day job duties including filing, document scanning, supply ordering, file indexing, managing records/file retention program, and various other job duties.
