Ms. Bellus is a Board Certified Appellate Lawyer whose practice encompasses all areas of civil law.  Her extensive appellate experience includes appearances before the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, the Florida Supreme Court and all five Florida District Courts of Appeal.  In addition, in the areas of insurance coverage and bad faith, Ms. Bellus is experienced in providing coverage analysis and litigating the interpretation of insurance policies.

Ms. Bellus is currently the Chair of the Publications Committee for the Appellate Practice Section of the Florida Bar and Chair of the Florida Defense Lawyers Association's Amicus Curiae Committee.

Each year, Ms. Bellus develops and presents educational seminars to the firm's clients on topics including insurance coverage, bad faith and recent developments in Florida law.  In addition, she serves on the Board of Directors of Junior Achievement of Dade County.

Prior to joining Kubicki Draper, Ms. Bellus served as a law clerk for the Honorable Gisela Cardone-Ely at the Eleventh Judicial Circuit Court for Miami-Dade County, Florida.

Areas of Practice:

Appellate and Insurance Coverage

Claims Administration and Bad Faith

Bar Admissions:

Florida, 1995

U.S. District Court Southern District of Florida

U.S. District Court Middle District of Florida

U.S. Court of Appeals 11th Circuit

Education:

University of Florida College of Law, Gainesville, FL , 1995
J.D.

University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida, 1991
B.A.

Honors and Awards:

Named Florida "Super Lawyer" in Appellate Practice, Law & Politics Magazine - an honor awarded to only the top 5% of the attorneys in Florida; 2006, 2007, 2008

Top Lawyers in South Florida - Top Up and Comer, Appellate and Insurance Coverage, South Florida Legal Guide; 2006, 2007, 2008

Rated "AV" by Martindale Hubbell

Professional Associations and Memberships:

The Florida Bar, Appellate Practice Section, 2006 - Present

Chair, Publications Committee

The Florida Bar, Appellate Practice Section, 2002 - 2006

Editor, The Guide

The Florida Bar, Appellate Practice Section, 2001 - Present

Publications Committee

The Florida Bar, Appellate Practice Section, 2001 - 2002

Assistant Editor, The Guide

The Florida Bar, Appellate Practice Section, 2000 - Present

Executive Council

The Florida Bar, Appellate Practice Section, 1999 - 2001

Chair, Programs Committee

The Florida Bar, Appellate Practice Section, 1998 - 1999

Vice-Chair, Programs Committee

The Florida Bar, Appellate Practice Section, 1996 - Present

Member

Dade County Bar Association, 1995 - Present

Member

Dade County Bar Association, 2001 - Present

Dade County Appellate Court Committee

Dade County Defense Bar, 1995 - Present

Member

Defense Research Institute

Member

Florida Defense Lawyer Association, 2007 - Present

Chair, Amicus Curiae committee

Florida Defense Lawyer Association

Member

Junior Achievement, Dade County

Member, Board of Directors

Temple Beth Am, Miami, Florida

Committee of 100

Past Employment Positions:

Hon. Gisella Cardonne, Eleventh Judicial Circuit Court Judge, Law Clerk

Birth Information:

July 7, 1968, Skokie, Illinois, United States of America