Perez, Chastity

Paul F. Penichet, was admitted to The Florida Bar in September, 1991 and established the law firm of Paul F. Penichet, P.A. in March, 1994. Since 1991 his practice has included civil and criminal litigation in Federal and State Courts in the state of Florida.

His current practice

In 1995, Mr. Penichet decided to focused his practice in the area of employment law. He has represented both employees and management in various types of employment matters, such as, employment contract disputes, non-compete disputes, severance agreements, employment discrimination and harassment lawsuits, whistle blowing cases, retaliatory discharge cases, and wage disputes.

Mr. Penichet is admitted to practice in the United States District Courts for the Southern and Middle Districts of Florida, and in the United States Court of Appeals, for the Eleventh Circuit, in addition to Florida state courts.

For the over ten consecutive years, Mr. Penichet has earned an "AV Preeminent" rating in Martindale Hubbell's Law Directory, which is the publication's highest possible peer review rating in legal ability and ethical standards.

Legal Associations and Committees

Mr. Penichet has been active in The Florida Bar. He has served on several Florida Bar standing committees, including The Federal Court Practice Committee, as its Vice Chairman, the Pre-paid Legal Services Committee, as its Vice Chairman, and as Director of the Florida Lawyers Legal Insurance Corporation. Mr. Penichet also served as a member of Committee on Local Rules and Procedure for the United States District Court, Southern District of
Florida.

He is a member of the Florida Labor and Employment Section, and the National Employment Lawyers Association, Florida Chapter.

Background

Mr. Penichet was born and raised in Glen Ridge, New Jersey. He graduated from the University of Vermont where he earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1985. After traveling throughout Europe in the summer of 1985, Mr. Penichet moved to Miami, where he has built his home and career. He graduated Nova Southeastern University, Shepard Broad Law Center in 1991, where he made the Dean's list multiple times, and was a senior staff editor
of the law school's law review journal; a position reserved for top students.

Mr. Penichet began his practical legal training before graduating from law school. He was selected to participate in an internship with the Honorable Kenneth L. Ryskamp, U.S. District Judge, Southern District of Florida. In his final semester, Mr. Penichet participated in another internship with the Miami-Dade County Public Defender's Office. In that internship he was permitted to try second and third degree felony jury trials with supervision of a licensed lawyer. Before graduating law school, Mr. Penichet had taken over a hundred police and witness depositions, wrote and argued many motions before the court, and tried several felony jury trials.

After being admitted into The Florida Bar, Mr. Penichet joined the law firm of James McGuirk, P.A., which focused its practice in complex criminal and civil litigation in Federal and State court. At that law firm, Mr. Penichet continued to try criminal cases and honed his litigation and trial practice skills. In March, 1994 Mr. Penichet opened his own law firm, which has gained a reputation for being a well respected employment litigation law firm.

In 2003, Mr. Penichet became certified by The Florida Supreme Court as a county and circuit mediator. He joined Biscayne Mediation, where he mediated all types of civil cases, including personal injury cases, medical malpractice cases, contracts, real estate cases, and of course, employment law cases. Mr. Penichet now has his own mediation practice, and is available to mediate in Spanish if desired.

Mr. Penichet and his staff speak Spanish for those who prefer to communicate in that language.