Claire D. Hancock

Claire D. Hancock received her law degree from South Texas College of Law in 1991 and was admitted to practice law in Florida in 1991. She is also licensed to practice in the federal courts in the Middle District of Florida. Claire is a member of The Florida Bar, the American Bar Association (ABA), the Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers (AFTL), the Florida Association of Women Lawyers, the Tampa Bay Trial Lawyers Association, the Hillsborough County Bar Association, and the Hillsborough Association of Women Lawyers.

For over eleven years of practicing law, Claire has represented injured individuals in litigation including complex medical malpractice/wrongful death claims, complex commercial litigation involving multi-million dollar contracts, and defective products causing catastrophic injuries and death. She has also handled many common automobile accidents and slip and fall injury cases. Her most gratifying experience is that of working with a member of the trial team representing the State of Florida and former Governor Lawton Chiles in the historical lawsuit against the Tobacco industry on behalf of Florida taxpayers and children, which resulted in the largest civil monetary settlement of its kind, at the time, in the history of the United States, estimated at billions of dollars.

Claire is a native Floridian. She was born in St. Petersburg, Florida, grew up in Treasure Island, Florida, and except for the years attending law school in Houston, Texas, has lived in the Tampa Bay area all her life. Michael and Claire Hancock were married in Tampa in 1987 and enjoy their time away from the office with their wonderful daughters, Hannah and Gracie. Claire volunteers her time away from the office with her daughters at their elementary school and dance studio. The family enjoys many outdoor activities together including fishing, swimming, water skiing, boating, golfing, snow skiing and days together at the beach."

Claire believes in the team approach to practicing law - doing whatever is necessary to throughly investigate and work-up the liability and damage issues in your case. Her mission is to provide a woman's touch to the sometimes callous experience of litigation.

Michael F. Hancock

Michael Hancock received his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Florida in 1983. He received his law degree from South Texas College of Law in 1987, where he represented the law school in both state and national mock trial competitions. He was elected as both an officer and a member of the board of directors to the law school's Board of Advocates. He was selected as a student teacher of the school's advocacy training class, and was elected in 1987 to The Order Of Barristers, a national organization recognizing those who have demonstrated an excellence in advocacy skills. He was admitted to practice law in Texas in 1988 where he spent three years specializing in personal injury and wrongful death cases at both the trial and appellate levels. He was admitted to practice law in the state of Florida in 1991. He is also licensed to practice in the United States federal courts of the Middle District of Florida . Michael is a member the Association of Trial Lawyers of America (ATLA), the American Bar Association (ABA), the Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers (AFTL), the Tampa Bay Trial Lawyers Association, and the Hillsborough County Bar Association.

Michael has lectured on numerous occasions on the subject of personal injury law to the insurance industry and attorneys. Most recently, he has lectured at a Florida Bar approved Continuing Education Seminar entitled "Trying The Soft Tissue Injury Case in Florida", to over fifty attorneys who had come from across central Florida to learn trial skills and tactics used in soft tissue injury cases. Mr. Hancock's topics included effective methods of picking juries, persuasive opening statements and closing arguments, the effective use of demonstrative evidence in the courtroom, effectively presenting the client's claim and the art of cross examination of the defendant's expert witnesses.

Michael has received an "AV" rating from the worldwide legal directory, Martindale-Hubbell, signifying that he has demonstrated the highest level of legal proficiency and ethical standards in his profession- a most distinguished accomplishment. An "AV" rating is awarded to only a small percentage of attorneys. Martindale-Hubbell ratings are considered invaluable when choosing a lawyer. Ratings attest to a lawyers' legal ability and professional ethics, and reflect the confidential opinions of peer attorneys and member of the judiciary.

Michael is pleased to have earned membership into the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, whose membership is limited to attorneys who have won million and multi-million dollar verdicts and settlements. Certification by the Million Dollar Advocates Forum provides national recognition, in an objective and tangible way, of Michael's civil litigation ability and experience to accomplish superior results in complex legal matters.

Michael has also been certified by the Florida Supreme Court as a statewide Circuit Court Mediator. Mediation is a process whereby a neutral third party, called a mediator, acts to encourage and facilitate the disputing parties to reach a settlement in a structured settlement meeting, prior to trial. In the Circuit Court of Hillsborough County, and many courts throughout Florida, the parties are required by court order to attend a mediation of their case prior to being able to move on to trial. Michael believes his training and experience as a certified mediator, by gaining a better understanding of the mediation process, only enhances his effectiveness for his clients.

Michael has limited his practice to personal injury, medical malpractice and wrongful death cases for his entire legal career of fourteen years. He has represented the injured and the families of those who have died due to the negligence of others for the majority of his 14 year legal career. However, Michael also spent six years defending insurance companies and their insureds, and several Fortune 100 and Fortune 500 companies in cases including complex multi-million dollar defective product cases, wrongful death claims and catastrophic injury claims including paralysis, spinal surgeries and traumatic brain injuries. Michael believes that his experience in defending insurance companies, businesses and individuals who have been sued in personal injury and wrongful death claims has provided him with a unique knowledge as to the inner workings of insurance companies and insurance adjusters, which provides an incredible advantage for all of his current clients, by allowing Michael to know and anticipate what the insurance company adjusters and attorneys next step will be.

Michael is a second generation native of Tampa. He is a graduate of Jesuit High School. His community activities include Pro Bono work for the Guardian Ad Litem Program for Hillsborough County, where he has volunteered his legal services representing Guardian Ad Litems who have been appointed by the Court to protect and represent the best interests of children at risk of neglect and abuse. Michael has also been active for many years and even served as Area Chairman for Ducks Unlimited, an international non-profit organization dedicated to wetlands and wildlife conservation. Michael is also active at his children's elementary school, as a co-chairman of the PPA's Dad's Club. He has also been elected and is proud to sit on the Board of the Carrollwood Civic Association, a neighborhood community group committed to enhancing the lives of the families of Original Carrollwood.