Stewart, Jennifer K.

Education

Michele S. Stephan graduated from the University of South Florida, College of Humanities, in 1989. She graduated from Stetson University College of Law in 1996 and was admitted to the Florida Bar the same year. While attending Stetson University College of Law, Ms. Stephan was granted a Public Service Fellowship by the Florida Bar Foundation, developed a program to provide legal services to persons of modest means and volunteered time at pro-bono legal clinics. Ms. Stephan was awarded the William F. Blews Pro Bono Service Award in 1996.

Experience

Michele S. Stephan has successfully litigated matters involving personal injury as well as matters involving the violation of nursing home resident’s rights, defective products, defective medical devices, Federal civil rights violations, international child abduction under the Hague Convention and international matters involving civil theft and fraud. She is admitted to practice in all of the Florida State Courts, the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida and the Federal Tax Court. In addition to her trial experience, Ms. Stephan also handles appellate matters before the Second District Court of Appeal.

Activities, Associations and Awards

Ms. Stephan is a past president of the Sarasota County Chapter of the Florida Association for Women Lawyers, a past editor of the Sarasota County Bar Association legal newspaper “The Docket”, is a Master Emeritus of the Judge John M. Scheb American Inn of Court, is a member of the Manasota Trial Board, The Florida Justice Association and the Sarasota County Bar Association. Ms. Stephan was awarded the Member of the Year for the Sarasota County Chapter of the Florida Association for Women Lawyers in 2008 and was recognized by the Supreme Court of Florida in 2007 for outstanding pro-bono service. Ms. Stephan is a volunteer judge for Teen Court of Sarasota County, volunteers her time to the Resurrection House to host a legal clinic for the homeless and is onthe Board of Diretors for the Suncoast Partnership to End Homelessness.