CHARLES P. PILLANS, III received both his Bachelor of Arts and law degrees from the University of Florida. While in law school, he was Executive Editor of the Law Review and a member with his partner, John DeVault, of the Moot Court team. He graduated with honors and with an appointment to the Order of the Coif and membership in Phi Beta Phi. Mr. Pillans joined the Bedell firm in 1966, and then in 1970, joined the State Attorney's Office as a member of the Special Prosecution Unit to investigate and prosecute organized and other complex crimes. He returned to the firm in 1972. Mr. Pillans is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, an Emeritus of the Bench of The Chester Bedell Inn of Court, an Associate of the American Board of Trial Advocates, and the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. He served on the Florida Board of Bar Examiners from 1979-85 and was Chairman in 1984-85. Additionally, he was a member of the Judicial Nominating Commission for the First District Court of Appeal from 1988-92 and was its chairman in 1990-91. He was a member of the Professional Ethics Committee of The Florida Bar from 1995-2002, and was Chairman in 1998-99. He served on The Florida Bar's Special Committee to review ABA Model Rules (2002). He was a member of the Supreme Court Committee on Standard Jury Instructions in Civil Cases (1999-2004). He was a Trustee of the University of Florida Law Center Association from 2000-04. He has been listed in the business litigation, criminal defense, and bet-the-company litigation sections of The Best Lawyers in America, in Chambers USA as one of the leading lawyers in Florida in General Commercial Litigation, and in Florida Super Lawyers. Mr. Pillans concentrates his practice on complex litigation involving financial transactions, contracts and agreements, financing, trust and probate, securities, as well as white collar criminal defense.
