Michael L. Lundy ~ Founding Partner: Marital and Family Law
mlundy@olderlundylaw.com
Michael Lundy earned his B.A. from Yale University in 1996 and his J.D., magna cum laude, from the University of Miami School of Law in 1999. While at the University of Miami School of Law, Mr. Lundy was an Associate Editor of the University of Miami Law Review and earned the honor of becoming a member of the Order of the Coif. Mr. Lundy is a member of the Florida, New York and Georgia bars. Also, Mr. Lundy is proficient in Spanish.
Mr. Lundy has been practicing law since 1999 and practices primarily in the areas of marital and family law. Mr. Lundy’s clients find that he demonstrates a great balance of aggressive representation and common sense, and that he is family-oriented, personable and almost always available to provide sound advice and counsel, even after regular business hours and on the weekends. Several of the firm’s clients have commented on Mr. Lundy’s availability, work ethic and compassion, which perhaps is why so many of the firm’s clients refer their friends and family members to him. Perhaps more importantly, Mr. Lundy has a strong belief that most family law matters, especially those concerning children, are best resolved by families, instead of by courts. However, when those situations arise that require court intervention, Mr. Lundy is as tenacious as any of his opponents.
Before founding Older & Lundy with co-founder Benjamin Older, Mr. Lundy was an associate with Alston & Bird LLP in New York City, where he worked on public and private securities transactions, mergers and acquisitions and provided general corporate counsel to both public and private companies. Mr. Lundy still provides some legal services to a select few small business clients of the firm. Prior to joining Alston & Bird in 2000, Mr. Lundy worked at Lord Bissell & Brook, where he practiced in the areas of complex commercial and insurance litigation.
Mr. Lundy is a member of the Hillsborough County Bar Association, the Family Law Sections of the Florida Bar and the Hillsborough County Bar Association, and a sitting member of the Executive Council of the Family Law Section of the Hillsborough County Bar Association. He also is a member of the Family Law Inn of Court in Hillsborough County. Mr. Lundy serves on the Board of Directors as and Treasurer of Speak Up Tampa Bay Public Access Television, Inc., which is the non-profit agency charged with managing the facility, equipment and training for Tampa Bay Community Network. Mr. Lundy has been named one of the Top 40 Under 40 Young Professionals on the Gulf Coast by the Gulf Coast Business Review and Tampa Bay Review, he has delivered multiple continuing legal education seminars on family law issues and has been a contributing author to The Lawyer Magazine’s family law column for the past two years.
Benjamin C. Older ~ Founding Partner: Marital and Family Law
bolder@olderlundylaw.com
Mr. Older received his B.A. from the University of Southern California in Los Angeles in 1993, and his J.D. from the University of Miami School of Law in 1999. Mr. Older is fluent in conversational Spanish.
Mr. Older practices almost exclusively in the area of marital and family law, but also handles a select few general civil matters. Clients, peers and friends of the firm often comment on Mr. Older’s responsiveness, work ethic, integrity, negotiation skills, and preparedness. Mr. Older consistently uses these traits to maintain the highest level of service to his clients while never compromising his tenacity or his results-oriented approach to his clients’ cases. Mr. Older’s approach to the delicate issues that arise in marital and family law is to remain empathetic and understanding toward each individual client, and to never lose sight of his oath to zealously represent his clients’ best interests.
Mr. Older is an active member of the Hillsborough County Bar Association, as well as the Family Law Section and Family Law Inn of Court in Hillsborough County. He was recently selected as the youngest member ever of the Hillsborough County Family Law Bench Bar Committee. Mr. Older and his partner, Michael Lundy, have co-authored numerous articles featured in Lawyer Magazine. Mr. Older is also an active member of the Tampa community as he serves on the Board of Directors of the National Council of Addiction of Drug Dependence. Mr. Older has been featured in Tampa Bay Illustrated Magazine, Cultural Affairs Magazine, and SOHO Magazine for his philanthropic and professional endeavors. Mr. Older has been invited to speak on numerous panels related to his law practice and his charitable pursuits. Messrs. Older and Lundy have been featured in Tampa Bay Business Review in an article entitled &Law School Chums Reunite, Form Firm.&
Mr. Older is Chairman of the Florida Bar Grievance Committee.
Prior to his career as an attorney, Mr. Older was a professional musician. He has traveled extensively and has lived in Switzerland, Argentina, Costa Rica and Paraguay.
Gary Weisman ~ Partner: Personal Injury Law, Insurance Bad Faith, Insurance Coverage, & Disability Insurance Claims
gweisman@olderlundylaw.com
Gary Weisman primarily practices in the areas of catastrophic personal injury, insurance coverage, and disability insurance claims. Mr. Weisman combines real-world sensibilities and extensive legal expertise to maximize his clients’ recoveries. He finds tremendous satisfaction in assisting his clients through complex situations involving personal injuries or doing battle with insurance companies who fail to honor their obligations to policyholders. Mr. Weisman is proud to have developed his practice primarily through former client and professional referrals. People work with Mr. Weisman because they trust him.
Before becoming the leader of our personal injury and insurance coverage practice, Mr. Weisman practiced statewide, also focusing on catastrophic injury claims and insurance coverage issues. He was previously employed at Fowler White Boggs Banker and Swope, Rodante, P.A. Mr. Weisman has served as lead counsel and co-counsel on numerous insurance bad faith, wrongful death and catastrophic injury matters. He also has represented both corporations and individuals against insurance companies that wrongfully denied claims.
Mr. Weisman routinely presents continuing legal education lectures throughout the state in the areas of insurance coverage, insurance bad faith, personal injury litigation, ethics, closing arguments, and negotiation. Mr. Weisman is a member of the Hillsborough County Bar Association, Tampa Bay Trial Lawyers Association, the Florida Justice Association, and currently serves on the Florida Bar Association’s Consumer Protection Committee. Mr. Weisman previously served on the Board of Directors of the Tampa Bay Trial Lawyers Association and also on the Florida Justice Association Insurance Task Force. He participates in law education programs in the Hillsborough County School District, including having coached several high school mock trial teams. Mr. Weisman has served as a volunteer with the Big Brothers/Big Sisters program, the American Cancer Society, and the American Diabetes Association. He also works with the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay.
Mr. Weisman received his Juris Doctorate from Florida State University’s College of Law in 1999. While at the Florida State University, Mr. Weisman was a member of both the Moot Court and Mock Trial teams. He also participated in Oxford University’s summer law program. While in law school, Mr. Weisman was appointed as a legislative intern in Florida’s House of Representatives. Mr. Weisman earned his Bachelor of Arts from The George Washington University in 1996 with a major in political communication and minor in journalism.
Jessica M. Felix ~ Partner: Marital and Family Law
jfelix@olderlundylaw.com
Jessica Felix earned a B.A. in psychology from Emory University in 1998. While working toward her undergraduate degree at Emory, she worked at a research preschool devoted to developing effective teaching techniques for use with autistic children. Ms. Felix went on to receive her J.D., cum laude, from the Florida State University College of Law in 2002. While at Florida State University, Ms. Felix was one of the members of the competitive Mock Trial Team, and she went on to win the Wayne Hogan Trial Advocacy Competition in 2000. She also was elected Treasurer of the Student Bar Association during her second year of law school. Ms. Felix is admitted to practice in Florida.
After graduating from law school, Ms. Felix joined the law firm of Swope, Rodante P.A., where she gained valuable litigation experience practicing in the areas of insurance coverage, insurance bad faith, personal injury, and product liability. Ms. Felix then decided that she wanted to practice in an area that better suited her litigation strengths, and so she decided to join a firm that focused its practice largely on family law matters. In early 2006, she came to Older, Lundy & Weisman. In January, 2009 Ms. Felix was made a partner of the law firm and continues to practice exclusively in the areas of marital and family law. To further expand the benefits she can offer to our family law clients, in 2010 Ms. Felix received training in collaborative law, which very few family law attorneys in the Tamp Bay area have completed.
Ms. Felix is a member of the Florida Bar, the Middle District of Florida, the Hillsborough County Bar Association, the Family Law Section of the Hillsborough County Bar Association, the Family Law Inn of Court in Hillsborough County, the Family Law Section of the Florida Bar, and the Junior League of Tampa.
Michelle Ralat ~ Marital and Family Law and Appellate Practice
mralat@olderlundylaw.com
Michelle Ralat earned her B.S. in psychology from the University of Florida with Honors in 1998, and her J.D. degree from the University of Florida with Honors in 2002. During law school, she served as a certified legal intern for the Alachua County State Attorneys Office in the domestic violence division. She was also a member of the Justice Campbell Thornal Moot Court Team, where she served on the Executive Committee as Vice Chair. Upon graduation, she was selected by her colleagues and teammates as a member of the Order of the Barristers, a National Moot Court Honor Society.
Ms. Ralat completed one year of service with the AmeriCorps National Service Organization as a team leader at DeSoto Elementary School in Tampa, Florida during the 1998-1999 school year, where she worked with children and parents on education and family issues.
After law school, Ms. Ralat practiced civil litigation at a statewide insurance defense firm in the casualty department, where she gained valuable litigation and trial experience. Subsequently, Ms. Ralat practiced business and commercial litigation and family law at Williams Schifino Mangione & Steady, P.A. Ms. Ralat decided to focus her practice exclusively on marital and family law, and she joined Older, Lundy & Weisman in 2008. Since joining the firm, Ms. Ralat has started the firm’s family law appellate practice and was named a partner in the firm in early 2010. More recently, she received training in collaborative law, which very few family law attorneys in the Tamp Bay area have completed.
Ms. Ralat is a member of the Florida Bar and is admitted to practice in all state courts and the federal court of the Middle District of Florida. She is a member of the Hillsborough County Bar Association and serves on the board of directors of the Hillsborough County Bar Association Young Lawyers Division’s. She is also a member of the Family Law Inn of Court. Ms. Ralat regularly devotes pro bono service hours to the Family Law Forms Clinic at the Hillsborough County Courthouse.
Christina Anton ~ Marital and Family Law
canton@olderlundylaw.com
Christina Anton earned a B.S. in Criminology, summa cum laude, and a B.A. in Psychology, cum laude, from The University of Florida in 2003. She earned her J.D. from the University of Florida Levin College of Law in 2006. While in law school, Ms. Anton was the president of the Student Recruitment Team for the admissions office and was selected to travel to Chicago, Boston, and Miami to represent the school at various legal forums. Ms. Anton also served as Vice President of the Criminal Law Society and earned a Pro Bono Certificate in 2004 for her contributions to the local community and legal profession. Before completing law school, Ms. Anton spent a semester in Spain and completed coursework in international law.
Immediately prior to entering law school, Ms. Anton worked for a United States Senator in Washington, D.C. While in law school she worked for the Florida State Attorney’s Office in the Juvenile Division, the Tampa City Attorney’s Office, and the law firm of Hurley Rogner, P.A.
Ms. Anton joined Older, Lundy & Weisman in 2007. She practices exclusively in the area of marital and family law. She is a native to Tampa and has always been actively involved in the Tampa Bay community. In 2009, Ms. Anton was a finalist for the South Tampa Chamber of Commerce’s award for Young Lawyer of the Year. She currently holds a position on the Tampa Public Safety Council, the Greater Tampa Chamber Public Policy Council, is a chair of Emerge Tampa Bay’s Voice segment, and is an active member of the Junior League of Tampa. Ms. Anton also is a member of the Tampa Gator Alumni Association, the Hillsborough County Family Law Inn of Court, the Business Transition Council, the Hillsborough County Bar Association, the American Bar Association, and serves as a liaison between Older, Lundy & Weisman and the Crisis Center of Tampa, for whom the firm has been a corporate sponsor for several years. She also serves on various committees with the Hillsborough County Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Division.
Matthew L. Felix ~ Marital and Family Law
mfelix@olderlundylaw.com
Matthew L. Felix earned a B.S. in Political Science and Multinational Business from Florida State University in 1999. While at Florida State, Mr. Felix served as Student Body President. He received his J.D. from the Florida State University College of Law in 2002. Additionally, Mr. Felix earned his MBA from the Florida State University College of Business, where he served as a founding member and Editor-in-Chief of the Florida State University Business Review.
Before joining Older, Lundy & Weisman, Mr. Felix was working as an associate with Marshall, Dennehey, Warner, Coleman and Goggin in the casualty defense department. His practiced included defending all manner of tort claims, including auto accidents, slip and falls, products liability and nursing home defense. Before Marshall Dennehey, Mr. Felix worked with a boutique defense firm and had the opportunity to service the legal needs of small business. Currently, Mr. Felix practices primarily in the areas of marital and family and general civil litigation. Mr. Felix is a member of the Hillsborough County Bar Association, and the Family Law Section of the Hillsborough County Bar Association.
He also is a member of the Family Law Inn of Court in Hillsborough County. Matthew L. Felix was named as a 2010 Rising Star in the area of Family Law in the 2010 Florida Super Lawyers Magazine. Also, in early 2010, he was named a partner in the firm.
Mr. Felix is fluent in conversational Mandarin Chinese.
Lisa-Anne Haidermota ~ Probate, Guardianship, Wills & Trusts, Durable Power of Attorney, Living Wills
lhaidermota@olderlundylaw.com
Lisa Anne Haidermota earned her B.A. in English from Stetson University in 1990, and her J.D. from the Walter F. George School of Law in 1993. Ms. Haidermota also earned an LL.M. in estate tax planning from the University of Miami School of Law in 1999.
Ms. Haidermota has been practicing law since 1993 and practices exclusively in the areas of wills, trusts, estate tax planning, probate administration, and guardianship law. Before joining Older & Lundy, Ms. Haidermota worked with two law firms specializing in probate and guardianship law in the South Florida area. In October of 2000, Ms. Haidermota moved to Tampa and shortly thereafter opened her own practice. Over the years, Ms. Haidermota has worked with hundred of individuals and families regarding their wills, trusts, estate tax planning, probate administration and guardianship cases.
Ms. Haidermota is a member of the Florida Bar.
Matthew Lundy ~ Marital and Family Law
mattlundy@olderlundylaw.com
Matthew Lundy earned his B.A. in political science from Duke University in 2005 and his J.D., with honors, from the University of Florida, Levin College of Law in 2008. While at the University of Florida, Mr. Lundy worked as a teaching assistant in Legal Research and Writing and Appellate Advocacy, and as a research assistant, focusing his research on ethics in the legal profession. He also earned a commendation for being the top student in Trial Advocacy.
Mr. Lundy is the head of Older, Lundy & Weisman’s Qualified Domestic Relations Order (QDRO) practice, in which he is responsible for handling issues surrounding the division of retirement assets pursuant to state law, the Internal Revenue Code (”IRC“), and the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (”ERISA“). This typically includes the drafting of QDROs and other orders directed to third party administrators of retirement plans. In his first couple of years of practice, Mr. Lundy has developed a great deal of expertise in analyzing and dividing retirement assets, which is crucial to any family law practice. In Mr. Lundy’s QDRO practice, he works not only with the firm’s individual clients, but also as a consultant to other family law attorneys, who engage Mr. Lundy for the purpose of drafting and seeking plan approval and entry of QDROs for their clients.
Before joining Older, Lundy & Weisman as a full-time associate in 2008, Mr. Lundy spent three summers clerking with the firm, as well as one summer working as a summer associate with the firm of Becker & Poliakoff, P.A. in their commercial litigation department. Mr. Lundy is a member of the Florida Bar, the Hillsborough County Bar Association, the Family Law Section of the Hillsborough County Bar Association and the Family Law Inn of Court in Hillsborough County. Mr. Lundy also is a member of the Duke University Alumni Admissions Advisory Committee of Tampa Bay.of the Duke University Alumni Admissions Advisory Committee of Tampa Bay.
