For over thirty years, Mr. Bissett has been an appellate lawyer and has handled in excess of 130 appeals before the Florida Supreme Court, all five districts courts of appeal and the U.S. 11th Circuit Court of Appeals.  These cases have involved a broad range of civil litigation issues, as well as substantive issues of statewide importance.

Mr. Bissett has additionally assisted clients in resolving coverage disputes, and he provides trial support from the beginning to the end of significant exposure cases.

For the past twelve years, Mr. Bissett has authored the Florida Law Section of the nationally published Tort Law Desk Reference:  A Fifty State Compendium (Aspen Publishers).

Areas of Practice:  

- Appellate and Insurance Coverage

- Premises Liability

- Professional Liability

- Intentional Torts

- Business Torts

- Automobile

- Claims Administration and Bad Faith

- Construction Defects

- Medical Malpractice

- Products Liability

- First Party Insurance Claims

Certification/Specialties:

- Civil Circuit Mediator, Florida

- Certified Continuing Education Instructor, State of Florida

Bar Admissions:

- 1997, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Florida

- 1987, U.S. Supreme Court

- 1981, U.S. Court of Appeals 11th Circuit

- 1980, U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida

- 1980, U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida

- 1980, State of Florida

Education:

- University of Miami School of Law, Coral Gables, FL (J.D., 1979)

- University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida (B.A., cum laude, 1975)

   Honors: Honors Program;  Florida Blue Key; Student Senate; Omicron Delta Kappa

Representative Cases:

- Petty v. Florida Ins. Guaranty Assoc., _ So.3d_ (Fla. 2012)

- Wong v. Crown Equipment Corp., 676 So.2d 981 (Fla. 3d DCA 1996)

- Tire Kingdom Inc. v. Morgan Tire & Auto, Inc., 915 F.Supp 360 (S.D. Fla 1996)

- Airport Rent-A-Car, Inc. v. Prevost, 660 So.2d 628 (amicus) (Fla. 1995)

- Interamerican Car Rental, Inc. v. Gonzalez, 638 So.2d 89 (Fla. 3d DCA 1994)

- Perez v. National Presto Industries, Inc., 431 So.2d 466 (Fla. 3d DCA 1993)

- Grant v. New Hampshire Ins. Co., 613 So.2d 466 (Fla. 1993)

- Casa Clara Condominium Assoc., Inc. v. Charley Toppino & Sons, Inc., 620 So.2d 1244 (amicus) (Fla. 1993)

- Firestone Tire & Rubber Co. v. Acosta, 612 So.2d 1361 (Fla. 1992)

- Nateman v. Hartford Casualty Insurance Co., 544 So.2d 1026 (Fla. 3d DCA 1989)

- Koperwas v. Publix Supermarkets, Inc., 534 So.2d 872 (Fla. 3d DCA 1988)

- Derrer v. Georgia Electric Co., 537 So.2d 593 (Fla. 3d DCA 1988)

- Jimenez v. National Presto Industries, Inc., 458 So.2d 58 (Fla. 3d DCA 1984)

- Cardounel v. Shell Oil Company, 397 So.2d 328 (Fla. 3d DCA 1981)

- Nelson v. Shell Oil Company, 396 So.2d 752 (Fla. 3d DCA 1981)

- Hennis v. City Tropics Bistro, 1 So.3d 1152 (Fla. 5th DCA 2009)

- Peach State v. 2224 South Trail Corp., 3 So.3d 442 (Fla. 2d DCA 2009)

Published Works:

          - Tort Law Desk Reference: A Fifty State Compendium (Aspen
             Publishers, 2000 through 2012 ed.) Florida Law Section

Special Awards and Recognitions:

- 2000, Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers

- Rated "AV Preeminent" by Martindale Hubbell

Classes and Seminars Presented:

- "We're Cookin' Now - The Key Ingredients for a Proper Assessment, Strong Defense and Favorable

           Resolution of a Construction Defect Case, Kubicki Draper, Claims Management Conference, 2012

- "Florida Coverage" MC Construction Defect and Insurance Coverage Conference, 2012

- "Construction Defects & Proposals for Settlements", Travelers Insurance Seminar, 2012

- "Construction Defects", Builders Insurance Seminar, 2012

- "Construction: Chinese Drywall, Preclusion of Stigma Damages In Construction Defect Cases and a Sampling

           of Florida", Kubicki Draper, Claims Management Conference, 2010

        - "Premises Liability: Slippin', Trippin', Sippin' and Gettin' Mugged and By the Way, Where Am I?", Kubicki

   Draper, Claims Management Conference, 2009

- "Coverage Issues & Appellate Hot Topics", Kubicki Draper, Claims Management Conference, 2009

- "Construction Defects Insurance Coverage Issues", Kubicki Draper, Claims Management Conference, 2008

- "Checking It Out Before Checking In: An Overview of Hotel/Motel Liability", Kubicki Draper, Claims

           Management Conference, 2007 

 

Professional Associations and Memberships:

- Florida Bar, 1980 - Present
- Florida Defense Lawyers Association

- Eagle Scout and Order of the Arrow

- Dade County Bar, 1983 - 1986,

   Board of Directors

- Dade County Bar Association, 1985 - 1986

  Executive Committee

- Florida Bar Association, 1994 - 1995,

  Appellate Rules Liaison Committee

- Florida Bar, 1994 - 1995,

  Appellate Court Committee

- Florida Bar, 1994 - 1995,   

  Insurance Law Committee

- Southern District Digest, 1983 - 1986, 

  Board of Editors

 

Fraternities/Sororities:

- Phi Delta Theta