Introduction
Donna Greenspan Solomon, Esq., handles state and federal appeals, and serves as a mediator and arbitrator. Donna is a Florida Supreme Court Qualified Arbitrator, a FINRA Chair-Approved Arbitrator, and a Chair-Approved Member of the American Arbitration Association’s Roster of Arbitrators (Commercial Panel). She is a Diplomate Member of the National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals. Donna is also a Certified Circuit, Appellate, and Family Mediator.

Donna was the first attorney to be dual-certified by The Florida Bar as both Appellate Specialist and Business Litigator. Donna currently serves as Chair of The Florida Supreme Court Committee on Standard Jury Instructions (Contract and Business Cases). She is a former Chair of The Florida Bar’s Business Litigation Certification Committee.

Donna is a member of the Palm Beach County Bar Association’s Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee and publishes periodic Arbitration Case Law Updates in the ADR Corner of the Association’s Bulletin. Donna is a frequent speaker on appellate and ADR issues

After graduating No. 1 from the Shepard Broad Law Center at Nova Southeastern University, Donna clerked at the Fourth District Court of Appeal for the Hon. Barbara J. Pariente (ret). Following her clerkship, Donna was with a national law firm for twelve years before opening her own firm, Solomon Appeals, Mediation & Arbitration, in 2011.

Before becoming a lawyer, Donna was a CPA with an MBA in finance. Donna worked for Price Waterhouse in New York City and later became a Manager of Accounting and Financial Reporting for Penn Central Corporation. After moving to Florida, Donna became an Assistant Vice President/Manager of Financial Reporting for Intercontinental Bank in Miami, and then performed financial systems analysis for American Express before entering law school.

Licenses, Certifications & Recognitions

  • Florida Bar, 1995
  • Admitted to practice in the United States Supreme Court (2005), the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit (1997), and the United States District Court for the Southern (1998), Northern (1998), and Middle (1997) Districts of Florida
  • Florida Supreme Court Qualified Arbitrator
  • FINRA Chair-Approved Arbitrator
  • Florida Supreme Court Certified Circuit Mediator
  • Florida Supreme Court Certified Appellate Mediator
  • Florida Supreme Court Certified Family Mediator
  • Rated AV® Preeminent™ by Martindale Hubbell
  • Florida Super Lawyer (2014-Present)
  • Former Certified Public Accountant (NY & FL)
  • Florida Bar Certified Appellate Specialist (2003-Present)
  • Florida Bar Certified Business Litigator (2007-Present)
  • AAA Chair-Approved Arbitrator

Legal Experience

2011-Present  –  Solomon Appeals, Mediation & Arbitration
      Appellate Services

  • State and federal appeals;
  • Final and interlocutory appeals;
  • Extraordinary writs;
  • Trial support, including:
    • Drafting of jury instructions and verdict form
    • Preservation of record for appeal;
    • Post-trial/judgment motions;
  • Pre-trial assistance, including:
    • Handling of all aspects of discovery, from requests through production;
    • Thorough analysis of documents and deposition transcripts, including preparation of detailed chronologies;
    • Identification of legal and factual issues;
    • Drafting of substantive motions and memoranda;
    • Legal research.

       Mediation Services

  • Circuit-Civil, including insurance coverage, contract disputes, professional liability, and other business-related disputes;
  • Family; and Appellate.

       Arbitration Services

  • Investment, employment law and other business-related disputes.

2009-2011  –  Schwarzberg & Associates – Partner

  • Chairperson of firm’s Appellate Practice Group.
  • Counseled and represented clients in complex commercial litigation in state and federal courts at both trial court and appellate court levels.
  • Handled wide variety of business disputes including contract disputes, real estate litigation, employment law, breaches of non-compete agreements, trade secrets, trademark and copyright litigation, insurance coverage disputes and bad faith, and probate litigation.
  • Handled all aspects of litigation, including client relations, issue spotting and strategy, research and analysis, pleadings, discovery, dispositive motions, mediation, and resolution by settlement or trial.
  • Supervised and provided training and mentoring to junior associates.

1997-2009  –  Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge – Counsel

  • Lead EAPD attorney for insurer in seminal construction defect coverage case, U.S. Fire v. JSUB, 979 So. 2d 871, 878 (Fla. 2007), where Florida Supreme Court considered applicability of commercial general liability policy to faulty work of subcontractor.
  • As lead attorney for one of insurers in Liberty Mutual Ins. Co. v. Lone Star Industries, 290 Conn. 767 (Conn. 2009), argued to Connecticut Supreme Court the applicability of pollution exclusion to asbestos and silicosis claims.
  • Represented insurer in dioxin contamination coverage dispute involving Florida Department of Environmental Protection.
  • Advised and represented insurers in bad faith litigation and coverage disputes involving environmental issues, construction defects, commercial general liability, and professional liability in state and federal courts, at both the trial court and appellate court levels.
  • Presented seminars for CLE for insurer clients on coverage and bad faith topics.

1995-1997  –  Fourth District Court of Appeal – Law Clerk

  • Staff Attorney at the Fourth District Court of Appeal to the Honorable Barbara J. Pariente, now a Florida Supreme Court Justice.
  • Reviewed record and appellate briefs; researched issues; prepared comprehensive bench memoranda with recommendations.
  • Drafted and edited opinions.

Summer 1993  –  U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida – Intern

  • Student intern to the Honorable William J. Zloch of the Southern District Court of Florida.
  • Researched and analyzed legal issues arising from civil and criminal cases.
  • Drafted and edited court orders.

Speaking Engagements & Publications

  • Arbitration Case Law Update,” ADR Corner, Palm Beach County Bar Association Bulletin, May 2018.
  • “Building a Successful Arbitration Practice,” ADR Committee presents:  Evolving Trends in ADR: Cooperation, the Key to Agreement, Feb. 12, 2018 (moderator).
  • Arbitration Case Law Update,” ADR Corner, Palm Beach County Bar Association Bulletin, Nov. 2017.
  • “Arbitration-Love it/Hate it Q&A,” ADR Committee presents:  ADR – A Help and Not a Hurdle, Feb. 13, 2017 (moderator).
  • “Arbitration Case Law Update,” ADR Corner, Palm Beach County Bar Association Bulletin, Jan. 2017.
  • “Arbitration Case Law Update,” ADR Corner, Palm Beach County Bar Association Bulletin, Sept. 2016.
  • “Arbitration Under Revised Ch. 682,” ADR Committee presents:  ADR in 2016-Challenging Old Paradigms, Jan. 8, 2016 (speaker).
  • “The Art of Objecting: A Trial Lawyer’s Guide to Preserving Error for Appeal,” The Florida Bar Continuing Legal Education Committee and the Appellate Practice Section, March 14, 2014 (speaker)
  • “Recent Developments in Arbitration-The Revised Florida Arbitration Code and Recent Supreme Court Decisions,” The Florida Bar Continuing Legal Education Committee, the Alternative Dispute Resolution Section, the Appellate Practice Section, and the Real Property, Probate & Trust Law Section, Nov. 18, 2013 (speaker).

Professional Memberships, Committees, & Appointments

  • The Florida Bar:
    • Business Litigation Certification Committee (2013-2016)
    • Alternative Dispute Resolution Section
    • Appellate Practice and Advocacy Section
    • Volunteer Arbitrator for Grievance Mediation and Fee Arbitration Program
  • Palm Beach County Bar Association:
    • Appellate Practice Section
      • Appellate Practice Committee’s Website Subcommittee (2013-2014)
    • Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee (2012-Present)
    • Solo and Small Firm Practitioner’s Committee (2012-2013)
  • Nova Law Alumni, Palm Beach Chapter President (2012-2013)
  • Florida Association for Women Lawyers (FAWL), Palm Beach Chapter President (2001), Vice President (2000), Treasurer (1999)
  • American Inns of Court (Emeritus, 2012-Present); Co-Membership Chair, 2000- 2001; Small Group Leader 1999-2000).
  • The Florida Supreme Court Committee on Standard Jury Instructions (Contract and Business Cases) (2016-Present)

Education
1992 – 1995  –  Juris Doctor
Nova Southeastern University, Shepard Broad Law Center, Ft. Lauderdale, FL

  • Summa cum laude.
  • Class Rank: No. 1 (out of 250).
  • Corpus Juris Secundum (Highest Grade) Awards: Evidence; Legal Research & Writing; Securities Regulation; Corporate Finance; Corporate Tax; Corporate Workshop; Professional Responsibility; Criminal Procedure; Criminal Law.
  • Nova Law Review, Associate Editor.

1982 – 1985  –  Master of Business Administration in Finance
Lubin Graduate School of Business at Pace University, White Plains, NY

  • With Distinction

1975 – 1979  –  Bachelor of Science in Accounting
State University of New York, Binghamton, NY

  • Magna cum laude

Awards Received
2008
First Annual “Shoot for the Stars” Award from Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge LLP.   Presented to those whose “strength of character, courage, grit, vision, collaborative instincts and other admirable qualities . . . make awardee a role model.”

2005
Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County, Florida Supreme Court, and Florida Pro Bono Coordinators Association, Pro Bono Award.

2001
Florida Association for Women Lawyers, Public Service Committee, Battered Women Amicus Project.

2001
AVDA and YWCA National Domestic Violence Awareness Award.
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2000
Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County, “And Justice for All” Pro Bono Award.

Business Experience
1990 – 1992  –  Senior Financial Systems Analyst
American Express, Travel Related Services Co., Inc., Ft. Lauderdale, FL

  • Ensured that new or modified financial systems incorporated all necessary control features and maintained data integrity.
  • Served as liaison between financial staff and systems programmers.

1987 – 1990  –  Assistant Vice President – Manager of Financial Reporting
Intercontinental Bank Miami, FL

  • Designed and implemented comprehensive consolidation and internal reporting system.
  • Prepared financial reports for issuance externally to shareholders and regulatory agencies, including Annual Report, Form 10-K, and Form 10-Q, and internally to senior management.

1983 – 1985  –  Manager of Accounting and Financial Reporting
Penn Central Corporation Greenwich, CT

  • Supervised corporate accounting staff.
  • Performed financial and operational reviews of subsidiaries.

1981 – 1983  –  Staff Auditor
Chicago Pneumatic Tool Company New York, NY

  • Audited various subsidiaries and reported to senior management, analyzing problem areas and recommending improvements.

1979 – 1981  –  Staff Accountant
Price Waterhouse and Co. New York, NY

  • Audited several companies in various industries.