Gonzalez Saggio & Harlan Opens Florida Office as the Firm’s Nationwide Expansion Continues

MILWAUKEE, June 1, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Gonzalez Saggio & Harlan LLP, the nation's largest certified minority-owned law firm, announced today its nationwide growth continues with the opening of a Florida office located in Boca Raton.

Jay Blumenkopf, Partner, and Julie M. Cloney, Of Counsel, join the firm in the Boca Raton office.

"Our office primarily provides litigation services to insurance companies, financial services companies, and other clients in 28 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico," said Jay Blumenkopf. "By joining forces with a large, nationwide, and widely respected firm such as Gonzalez Saggio & Harlan, we're even better able to give our clients the excellent representation they require, wherever that might be."

An experienced litigator and trial attorney, Mr. Blumenkopf focuses his practice on the defense of employment and benefit claims, insurance coverage, and bad faith claims. Among his many professional activities, Mr. Blumenkopf has served on the Advisory Board of the Bureau of National Affairs, Inc., Civil Trial Manual, and taught at New York Law School, the National Institute for Trial Advocacy, and the Hofstra Law School Trial Techniques Program. He has published numerous articles in legal publications.

Mr. Blumenkopf received a LL.M. from New York University; a J.D., cum laude, from Vermont Law School; and a B.A. from the University of Vermont. His background includes practicing at large law firms, including Proskauer Rose LLP. Mr. Blumenkopf is active in civic and charitable organizations, including serving as past president and currently as a director for One Heart World-Wide, which works to save and improve the lives of women and infants in third world countries around the globe.

Julie M. Cloney has extensive experience pursuing and defending first- and third-party insurance claims. She maintains a particular emphasis on defending ERISA benefits and insurance coverage claims, bad faith actions, and general business, commercial and construction litigation.

Ms. Cloney received her J.D., magna cum laude, from the University of MiamiSchool of Law; a MSW from Barry University; and a B.A., cum laude, from Harvard University. She is a Florida Supreme Court Certified Circuit Civil Mediator, a member of the Brevard County Women Lawyers Association and the Brevard County Bar Foundation, and serves as a Pro Bono attorney for Brevard County Legal Aid.

"We are especially pleased to welcome these capable and experienced lawyers to our firm," said Emery Harlan, Managing Partner, Gonzalez Saggio & Harlan, "In particular because they significantly expand our ability to provide litigation services to our clients with operations and interests in the state of Florida."

About Gonzalez Saggio & Harlan

Gonzalez Saggio & Harlan LLP (www.gshllp.com) is a nationwide law firm with 130 attorneys in 18 offices located in Atlanta; Boston; Boca Raton, Fla.; Chicago; Cincinnati; Cleveland; Columbus, Ohio; West Des Moines, Iowa; Indianapolis; Las Vegas; Los Angeles; Milwaukee; Nashville, Tenn.; New York; Phoenix; Stamford, Conn., Washington D.C.; and Wayne, N.J. The firm represents midsized to Fortune 100 companies, governmental entities, and individuals in the areas of litigation, employment, environmental, corporate and transactional, public finance, intellectual property, energy and regulatory, immigration, and estate and asset protection planning. As the nation's largest certified minority-owned law firm, Gonzalez Saggio & Harlan practices law with a commitment to quality, diversity and to the communities it serves.

SOURCE Gonzalez Saggio & Harlan LLP