Buerkett, Lorilea

With more than 20 years of experience, Russell Buhite focuses his practice on life, health and disability insurance coverage litigation, as well as myriad ERISA matters. Russell also focuses a large part of his practice on professional liability defense of agents, brokers, attorneys, appraisers, engineers and other professionals in alleged errors and omissions claims, in both the state and federal courts.
 
A former chair of the Health & Disability Insurance Committee of the Tort, Trial and Insurance Practice Section of the American Bar Association, in 2010, Russell was named to the Health Care Reform Task Force. In addition to Russell’s admission to the bar in Florida, he is also admitted to practice in Missouri, as well as the U.S. Court of Appeals, Tenth and Eleventh Circuits, and all federal district courts in the state of Florida.

Russell is recognized as AV peer review rated by Martindale-Hubbell and has been named to the 2011 and 2012 editions of The Best Lawyers in America®

Significant Representative Matters

• Lawrence v. Pioneer Plastics, Middle District of Fla. ERISA matter. Bench trial verdict for defense.
  
  
• Weiss v. Western-Southern Life Ins. Co., Mid-FL., summary judgment for the defense in ERISA disability case.
  
  
• McDaniel v. AIG Life Ins. Co., Hillsborough County Circuit Court. Jury verdict for defense in occupational accident disability case.
  
  
• Lee v. Labiner, Broward Co., FL Cir. Ct., representation of attorney in defense of alleged malpractice.
  
  
• Hamilton Risk Mgmt. v. John M. Kennedy et al, S.D. FL, represented insurance broker regarding claims of misrepresentation in sale of health coverage.
  
  
• Joblove v. Miller, Lowell, representation of registered reps in FINRA arbitration.
  
  
• Sherwood v. RBC, representation of company regarding ERISA and common law claims in FINRA arbitration.
  
  
• Roer v. John Hancock, S.D. FL., summary judgment for defendant in life insurance case