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Jennifer Cates Lester

Jennifer is Board Certified in Civil Trial Law by The Florida Bar Board of Legal Specialization. Jennifer’s practice involves personal injury litigation, professional malpractice and fiduciary litigation. Jennifer’s background in civil litigation and insurance gives her special insight into insurance fraud cases, estate and trust litigation and professional malpractice cases.

Jennifer additionally devotes time to improving the legal profession and has served as the chairperson for the Eighth Circuit Grievance Committee, on the Bench and Bar Committee and has conducted multiple seminars on trial practice. Jennifer has served as moderator of a seminar entitled, As Judges See It: Top Mistakes Attorneys Make in Civil Litigation, in 2012 and 2013. She was honored to be a presenter at the ABOTA Masters in Trial Series offered by the Northern District of Florida and the Tallahassee Chapter of ABOTA in 2013.

Jennifer enjoys working with law students and has been an adjunct professor of Trial Practice at the University of Florida College of Law. In the past, she has also served as an adjunct professor in Mediation Law, and volunteers as a speaker in Pretrial Practice.

Jennifer strongly believes in giving back to the community and has been a certified Guardian Ad Litem since the early 1990s. She performs pro bono services for the Eighth Circuit Court Guardian Ad Litem program.

In her spare time, Jennifer, and her children, Robby and Katie Rose, enjoy traveling, skiing and hiking with their dogs.

Areas of Practice

  • Business Litigation
  • Civil Litigation
  • Personal Injury
  • Real Estate Litigation
  • Trust and Estate Litigation
  • Fiduciary Litigation
  • Professional Malpractice
  • Appeals

Litigation Percentage

  • 100% of Practice Devoted to Litigation

Certified Legal Specialties

  • Board Certified in Civil Trial Law, Florida Bar

Bar Admissions

  • Florida, 1992
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of Florida, 1994
  • U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida, 1994
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit, 1994

Education

  • Bachelors of Arts in Sociology – University of Florida
  • Juris Doctor – University of Florida, with Honors

Honors and Awards

  • Book Award, Civil Procedure
  • Book Award, Property Law
  • Teaching Assistant, Legal Research and Writing

Professional Associations and Memberships

  • Civil Trial Law Board Certification Committee, 2020-present
  • American Board of Trial Advocates, North Florida Chapter, President
  • Trial Lawyers Section of the Florida Bar
  • Appellate Lawyers Section of the Florida Bar
  • Bennett Inn of Court, Treasurer
  • First District Court of Appeal Inn of Court
  • Eighth Judicial Circuit Bar Association, Past-President
  • Eighth Judicial Circuit Young Lawyers Association, Past-President
  • Eighth Judicial Circuit, Grievance Committee, 2017-2020
  • International Society of Barrister, 2020-present

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