We will be available to you, work hard for you, and be fair with you.
Our Team
Paul E. Parrish- Old, Sagacious Dude
Mr. Parrish has practiced law for over three decades. He focuses on general commercial litigation with concentrations in complex (and not so complex) insurance coverage litigation, ERISA litigation, and admiralty/maritime litigation. Mr. Parrish has acted as trial counsel in both state and federal courts in lawsuits in each of those areas, in addition to many other types of cases. Mr. Parrish serves his clients in insurance coverage litigation in all manner of insurance disputes, including property, disability, maritime, liability, business loss, casualty, and subrogation. In ERISA matters, he has represented clients on disability litigation, pension litigation, benefits litigation, COBRA litigation, and fiduciary litigation. His representative clients have included insurance companies, third-party administrators, financial companies, consultants, fiduciaries, trustees, employers, participants, and beneficiaries. Paul also represents clients in all aspects of admiralty-related litigation, including Rule C in rem actions, Rule B attachment actions, collisions, allisions, cargo cases, pollution matters, Jones Act and LHWCA actions, limitation of liability petitions, marine insurance, and contract litigation.
· Education
o The University of Florida, B.S. in Engineering (Nuclear) (with honors, 1979)
o University of Pittsburgh School of Law, J.D. (cum laude, 1983)
· Admissions
o Florida
o U.S. Court of Appeals, 11th Circuit
o U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida
o U.S. District Court, Northern District of Florida
o U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida
· Professional Associations & Memberships
o The Florida Bar
o Port of Tampa Maritime Industries Association, Member
· Civic
o The Propeller Club, Port of Tampa, Member
· Awards & Recognitions
o Best Lawyers in America, 2013-2018
o Florida Super Lawyers, 2016
o Av Preeminent rated https://www.martindale.com/ratings-and-reviews/
When Paul isn’t working, he is usually working at his farm in Mims, Florida. He tends to his cattle, pigs, chickens, goats, vegetables, and fruit trees. (If your timing is right, you can pick up free eggs, fruits, or vegetables on a visit to the office.) Paul is also an avid surfer (clients in the know can sometimes get free legal advice when they surf with him in the morning or during lunch). For fun, Paul runs the bulls in Pamplona most years. Paul is a long time Gator fan. Best not try to reach him during games if the Gators are losing. But if they are winning in a blow-out, that’s a really good time to reach him.
Jeffrey P. Bristol - Attorney
Jeff Bristol is a Florida native; born in Tampa, raised in Jacksonville and finished his schooling in Gainesville. After graduating from Gainesville High School, he left Florida to serve in the Army as a linguist. He is a veteran of both the US Army and Navy (don’t ask him who he roots for on a certain weekend in December; that’s privileged information!), serving as an NCO in one and a commissioned officer in the other. He deployed to Afghanistan as a soldier and worked in Iraq as a civilian. This experience gives him the drive to get the mission accomplished, the discipline to see it through and the courage to deal with hard situations and even harder people.
After the military, he decided to switch gears and became an academic, earning his M.A. in Middle Eastern Studies and Ph.D. in Anthropology. He gave lectures both at conferences and in the classroom, taught hundreds of college students and wrote more papers than he cares to remember (some of which even got published, though he doubts anyone ever reads them). This experience honed his reasoning abilities, rhetorical skills and gives him a verbal edge in arguments that is hard to match.
Finally realizing he needed to settle down and make some money, he went to law school at the University of Michigan. Since Michigan was a bit cold, he came back home to Florida to begin his legal career and raise his family near his people who live throughout the southeast, but mostly in Florida and Louisiana. His start in the law was at the Pinellas County Public Defender’s office where he dealt with tough clients, tough cases and occasionally even tougher judges (who can be the trickiest of the three!). Despite all that, he made it through and even helped some people, carrying forward a client-first attitude that inspires confidence and provides comfort in even the tightest legal corner.
Whenever his work and family leave him time, Jeff likes to continue his research as an anthropologist, working as an independent scholar. He’s also an avid sportsman (more of a player than a watcher). He enjoys boxing, rowing and squash as well as outdoor sports.
Nichole M. Perez - FRP/ Paralegal
Nichole Perez is a paralegal with commercial litigation and trial experience. Prior to joining the firm, she worked as a paralegal in Chicago and Dallas. Her over 14 years of experience includes:
• Electronic document/discovery management
• Electronic trial preparation
• Electronic data collection
• Assisting with trial, mediation, arbitration
• Trial support
• Trial evidence presentation
• Document management
• Document review
• Document production
• Deposition preparation
• Drafting and preparing pleadings, as well as other court documents
• Coordinating with clients, opposing counsel, and vendors
• Witness interviews
• Hearing preparation and attendance
Legal Services
• Litigation & Dispute Resolution
• Fiduciary, Trust and Probate Litigation
Education and Honors
• University of Phoenix (B.S., 2011)
• Degree: Criminal Justice Administration
• Alpha Phi Sigma (Member)
Professional and Civic Activities
• Guardian ad Litem (2017-present)
• Florida Bar Grievance Committee Member (2018-present)
When Nichole isn’t working she is active in the foster care community, dependency matters, advocating for children in foster care, and spending time with her children. Spending time at the beach and vacationing at the beach is high on the priority list when time allows.