Lew, Barbara M.

Education

Bernard F. Walsh graduated from the University of South Florida before receiving his law degree from Cumberland School of Law in 1978. During law school, he was selected to serve as a research clerk and intern for a federal judge and the U.S. Attorney's Office. He was awarded The National Book Awards for Constitutional Law and Professional Responsibility during law school.

Experience

Bernard Walsh devoted the next three years to trial work for the State of Florida. This provided him with the opportunity to concentrate on his trial abilities, with numerous high profile trials concerning serious felony crimes. Since 1982, he has exclusively practiced personal injury law and helped accident victims in and beyond Bradenton and Manatee Counties in Florida.

Mr. Walsh has been listed in Avvo, an attorney rating site, as Superb; Lexis Nexis/Martindale, another attorneys rating publication, rated him as very high legal ability and ethical standards. Mr. Walsh is listed in Top Lawyers of America, National Association of Personal Injury Lawyers, and inducted into Southern Trial Lawyers Association. He has also won the largest playground recovery, one of the top three motorcycle recoveries, and the second largest daycare center recovery in the State of Florida. He is also a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum. The Million Dollar Advocates Forum is a group of attorneys who have achieved career case successes that include million dollar recoveries, settlements and/or verdicts.

Activities, Associations and Awards

Bernard Walsh is firmly committed to community service. He is an active member of the Manatee and Sarasota Sheriff's Advisory Board, the Florida Highway Patrol Advisory Council and the One Hundred Club for Law Enforcement in Manatee and Sarasota. His volunteer efforts to help all levels of law enforcement have benefited both private citizens and law enforcement personnel.

The American Association for Justice has listed Mr. Walsh in the top 100 trial lawyers in the state of Florida. This honor was bestowed on him by a vote of the Board of Directors of the American Association for Justice.

Mr. Walsh was honored by the North Carolina Trial Lawyers for Justice by being invited to give a talk on National Trucking Litigation.

Bernard F. Walsh is Nationally Board Certified in Civil Trial/Trucking Litigation (APITLA).  He is also a member of The National Advisory Board of APITLA. APITLA is The Association of Plaintiff Interstate Trucking Lawyers of America. It is a national association of committed lawyers who have joined together to help eliminate unsafe and illegal interstate trucking practices. Through the combined efforts in learning, litigation and legislation, they are working today to make America's highways a safer place.

As a guest lecturer on the law, he has been asked to make presentations for the Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers, Stetson School of Law, American Inns of Court and Manatee Community College. He has also presented at Southern Trial Lawyers Association and Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers (Florida Justice Association).  These lectures include presentations on how to present evidence to both a jury and insurance companies. Other lectures he presented include Trial Advocacy and Medical Jurisprudence.  Additionally Mr. Walsh has been a moderator for national webcast on trucking litigation.  He is currently named as President and Lecturer of the Manasota Trial Lawyers Board.

Mr. Walsh is a member of The Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers, the Florida Justice Association, American Trial Lawyers Association, American Association of Justice, Southern Trial Lawyers Association, Sarasota County Bar Association, Tampa Bay Trial Lawyers Association, the Florida Bar - Trial Lawyers Section, the American Bar Association, the Manasota Trial Lawyers Board, and The Million Dollar Advocates Forum. The Million Dollar Advocates Forum a group of attorneys who have achieved career case successes that include million dollar recoveries, settlements and/or verdicts.

He is also a member of the Melvin M. Belli Society. The Melvin M. Belli society is a group of lawyers who had distinguished themselves as trial lawyers and who are dedicated to the principles of education on an international basis.  Membership in the Melvin M. Belli society is by invitation only and approval of the board. Only those lawyers who met the criteria established by the board would be invited to join. Its stated purpose is to promote the international exchange of ideas among lawyers through meetings and education.