Valerie A. Dondero

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overview

Valerie Dondero specializes in all aspects of first and third party insurance defense litigation including fraud/SIU matters with a strong focus on insurance coverage, personal and commercial property claims, premises liability, product liability, trucking, environmental and toxic torts, and other special lines claims.   

Valerie also represents several insurers throughout Florida on their electronic signature challenges and has assisted insurers in developing and creating their online application processes. Additionally, she handles broker and agency liability claims, ATV and other recreational vehicles claims, and marina operator and vessel claims.

Valerie is the co-chair and frequent lecturer for the firm's First Party Practice Group and has presented to Florida and London market insurers on topics ranging from Uninsured Motorist claims, bad faith, marina operators liability and the defense of traumatic brain injury claims.

Practice Areas
Credentials

Education

  • St. Thomas University, Miami, FL (J.D., 1988)
    Who's Who in American Colleges & Universities, St. Thomas University; School of Law (1986-1987); American Jurisprudence Book; Award, Bankruptcy (1987); American Jurisprudence Book; Award, Law & the Aging (1987
  • Immaculata College, Immaculata, PA (B.A., 1983)

Admissions

  • State of Florida, 1990
  • U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida

Professional Associations and Memberships

  • Kubicki Draper Auto Glass Practice Group, Member
  • Kubicki Draper First Party Practice Group, Co-Chair
  • Florida Bar Association
  • Dade County Bar Association
  • Dade County Defense Bar Association
  • Florida Association of Women Lawyers
  • American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA)

Certifications / Specialties

  • Certified Continuing Education Instructor, State of Florida

Special Awards and Recognitions

  • United States Who's Who of Executives & Professionals (2006 -2007)
Presentations

Speaking Engagements / Presentations

  • "The Two Point Conversion – Utilizing the Two Step Concurrent Causation Defense," Kubicki Draper Webinar, 2023
  • "Fighting Fraud in Late Reported Homeowners Claims," FIFEC, 2023
  • "Florida 4-Hour Law and Ethics Update," Kubicki Draper Webinar, 2023
  • "Post-Trial Motions and Dispositive Motions," Frontline, 2022
  • "Combating Fraudulent and/or Excessive Attorneys Fee Demands," Frontline, 2022
  • "Assignment of Benefits: Defense Against Water Mitigation and Current Legal Issues Involving the Concurrent Cause Doctrine," Frontline, 2022
  • "SB76 Became Effective July 1, 2021, What Now?," Frontline, 2022
  • "Defending Against Inflated Estimates in First Party Homeowners Claims," Homeowners Choice, 2020
  • "Applying Florida's Concurrent Cause Doctrine to First Party Property Claims," Frontline, 2019
  • "Florida 5-Hour Law and Ethics Update," Progressive, 2019
  • "Playing Roulette with Policy Conditions," Kubicki Draper, Go All In for KD’s Claim Game – First Party Property Conference, 2019
  • "Collateral Sources, Set Offs and Liens," Progressive, 2019
  • "Bad Faith Fees in Insurance Litigation," Bench and Bar by American Inns of Court, 2019
  • "Uninsured Motorist/Underinsured Motorist," Farmers, 2018
  • "Fraud in Hurricane Irma Roof Leak Claims," Florida Insurance Fraud Education Committee (FIFEC), 2018
  • "How to Handle Wind and Water Damage Claims," Frontline, 2018
  • "Cost Effective Ways of Resolving Plaintiff Fees and Costs and Navigating through the Jones Act," CJW, 2017
  • "Liar, Liar: Proving Material Misrepresentation and Fraud in Florida," Kubicki Draper, A Day at the First Party Property Oscars, 2017
  • "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde: The Two Faces of the Concurrent Cause Doctrine," Kubicki Draper, A Day at the First Party Property Oscars, 2017
  • "Best Practices to Prevent E&O Claims," Windhaven, 2017
  • “Best Practices to Prevent E&O Claims," Windhaven, 2017
  • "UM and Medicare Liens," Direct General, 2016
  • "UM/UIM and Medicare," National General, 2016
  • "Assignment of Benefits," Lloyds of London, 2016
  • “Agent Errors and Omissions and Best Practices," Windhaven, 2016
  • “Uninsured Motorist Coverage – A Detailed Analysis,” Progressive, 2016
  • “Florida 5-Hour Law and Ethics Update,” MAPFRE, 2016
  • “Arson Mock Trial Presentation,” Florida Insurance Fraud Education Committee (FIFEC), 2016
  • “Fire Origin and Burn Stages Explained,” Kubicki Draper Earth, Wind and Fire: Music of Property Claims First Party Claims Conference, 2016
  • "Defending Against Fraud: Litigation Strategies," Florida Insurance Fraud Education Committee (FIFEC), 2015
  • "Florida 5 - Hour Law and Ethics Update," United Automobile, 2014
  • "Mediation Techniques," GEICO, 2013
  • "Advanced Medical Issues in Personal Injury Cases," Florida Defense Lawyers Association (FDLA), 2012
  • "Defending Traumatic Brain Injury Claims in Cruise Ship Litigation," South Florida Cruise Ship Industries, 2012
  • "Uninsured Motorist Coverage: An Overview," Progressive, 2011
  • "Traumatic Brain Injury," Florida Defense Lawyers Association (FDLA), 2011
  • "Defending Traumatic Brain Injury," London Market, 2011
  • "Settlement and Negotiation Strategies," Allstate, 2010
  • "Marina Operator's Liability," Chubb Group, 2008
  • "Florida Tort Reform," London Market Briefing, 2009
  • "Insurer's Bad Faith," Chubb, 2008
  • "The Life of a Coverage Suit," Progressive Regional Mentor Program, 2003
  • "How to Successfully Litigate Declaratory Relief Actions," Progressive Regional In-House Training Program, 2002
  • "Uninsured Motorist Claims," Progressive Miami In-House Training Program, 2001
Authorships

Published Works

  • Overview
  • Practice Areas
  • Credentials
  • Presentations
  • Authorships

locations

Miami

Miami Office

9100 South Dadeland Blvd., Suite 1800
Miami, FL 33156

T: 305.374.1212 F: 305.374.7846

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Miami-Dade

Key West

Key West Office

402 Applerouth Lane, Suite 2C
Key West, FL 33040

T: 305.509.7300 F: 305.374.7846

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Monroe
Ft. Lauderdale

Ft. Lauderdale Office

110 East Broward Blvd., Suite 1400
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301

T: 954.768.0011 F: 954.768.0514

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Broward
West Palm Beach

West Palm Beach Office

1700 Palm Beach Lakes Blvd., Suite 800
West Palm Beach, FL 33401

T: 561.640.0303 F: 561.640.0524

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Indian River | Martin | Okeechobee | Palm Beach | Saint Lucie

Tampa

Tampa Office

400 North Ashley Drive, Suite 1200
Tampa, FL 33602

T: 813.204.9776 F: 813.204.9660

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Hernando | Hillsborough | Manatee | Pasco | Pinellas | Polk | Sarasota
Orlando

Orlando Office

201 South Orange Avenue, Suite 475
Orlando, FL 32801

T: 407.245.3630 F: 407.245.7685

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Brevard | Highlands | Orange | Osceola | Seminole
Ocala

Ocala Office

1396 NE 20th Avenue, #500
Ocala, FL 34470

T: 352.622.4222 F: 352.622.9122

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Alachua | Citrus | Dixie | Gilchrist | Lake | Levy | Marion | Putnam | Sumter | Volusia
Jacksonville

Jacksonville Office

1 Independent Drive, Suite 1601
Jacksonville, FL 32202

T: 904.396.0062 F: 904.396.0380

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Baker | Bradford | Clay | Columbia | Duval | Flagler | Hamilton | Nassau | Saint Johns | Union
Pensacola

Pensacola Office

125 West Romana Street, Suite 550
Pensacola, FL 32502

T: 850.434.0003 F: 850.434.0223

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Escambia | Holmes | Okaloosa | Santa Rosa | Walton

Tallahassee

Tallahassee Office

1705 Metropolitan Boulevard, Suite 202
Tallahassee, FL 32308

T: 850.222.5188 F: 850.222.5108

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Bay | Calhoun | Franklin | Gadsden | Gulf | Jackson | Jefferson | Leon | Liberty | Wakulla | Washington | Madison | Lafayette | Taylor 

Ft. Myers

Ft. Myers Office

13350 Metro Parkway, Suite 201
Fort Myers, FL 33966

T: 239.334.8403 F: 239.939.0700

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Charlotte | Collier | DeSoto | Glades | Hardee | Hendry | Lee

Mobile

Mobile Office

11 North Water Street, Suite 10290
Mobile, AL 36602

T: 251.308.3351 F: 251.287.1624

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Baldwin | Washington | Clarke | Escambia | Covington | Geneva | Houston | Henry |  Dale | Coffee | Barbour | Pike |Crenshaw | Butler  | Monroe | Clarke | Choctaw | Wilcox | Bullock | Russell

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Our Firm

our hi(story)

In 1963, Gene Kubicki founded the firm based on dedication to excellence. The same high standards have been maintained for over five decades -- years which have seen the firm’s ranks swell to over 200 attorneys.

ourattorneys

Our team knows return clients are the life blood of any law firm and this is why we ensure client satisfaction by an exacting attention to service and quality.  Client service coupled with a spectacular work ethic, makes our team hard to beat.

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ourDIVERSITY

Kubicki Draper is committed to fostering an environment of equal opportunity for success and believes diversity is not only a moral imperative, but is also sound business practice.

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ourPractices

In response to the growing needs of its clients, the firm began expanding in the early 1980's and today is a diverse full-service law firm providing trial, appellate, coverage, commercial and real estate transaction services.

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ourresults

Kubicki Draper enjoys a national reputation for expertise in the handling of complex, high stakes litigation matters, as well as, appellate, general commercial and real estate practice.

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ourreach

With a dozen offices throughout the State of Florida and other key points in the southern parts of Georgia, Alabama, and Mississipi, our firm is familiar to every venue statewide and will never get home-teamed.

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