Caryn L. Bellus is a board certified appellate lawyer whose practice spans all aspects of the firm’s legal work. She specializes in the areas of civil appeals, complex litigation support and insurance coverage. Caryn’s extensive appellate experience includes appearances before the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, the Florida Supreme Court and all six Florida District Courts of Appeal. In the areas of insurance coverage and bad faith, she is highly regarded for her expertise in coverage analysis and litigating insurance policy interpretation.

A leader in her field, Caryn is a Past Chair of The Appellate Practice Section of The Florida Bar and a member of the Appellate Court Rules Committee. She also previously served as Chair of the Florida Defense Lawyers Association’s (FDLA) Amicus Curiae Committee, further demonstrating her dedication to advancing the field of appellate law.

Caryn’s contributions to appellate practice have earned her widespread recognition and numerous accolades. She has been consistently honored as a “Super Lawyer” by Florida Super Lawyer Magazine, included in Best Lawyers in America for both Appellate Practice and Commercial Litigation, and recognized by Best Lawyers Women in the Law. Additionally, she has been repeatedly named one of Florida Trend’s “Legal Elite” and consistently recognized as a “Top Lawyer” in Appellate and Insurance Coverage by the South Florida Legal Guide.

Before joining the firm, Caryn gained invaluable experience as a law clerk to the Honorable Gisela Cardonne-Ely at the Eleventh Judicial Circuit Court for Miami-Dade County, Florida.

• Appellate Practice and Litigation Support/Consulting
• Attorney Fees Expert
• Bad Faith and Claims Handling Assistance
• Hospitality and Retail
• Insurance Coverage
• Premises Liability
• Presuit Settlement Assistance

Education

• University of Florida (J.D., 1995)
• University of Central Florida (B.A., 1991)

• State of Florida 1995
• United States Supreme Court
• U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida
• U.S., District Court, Southern District of Florida
• U.S. Court of Appeals, 11th Circuit

• Kubicki Draper Appellate and Coverage Practice Group, Co-Chair
• Kubicki Draper Hospitality, Retail, and Premises Liability Practice Group, Co-Chair
• Kubicki Draper Construction Practice Group, Member
• Kubicki Draper First Party Practice Group, Member
• Kubicki Draper PIP / SIU Practice Group, Member
• Kubicki Draper Pre-Suit Practice Group, Member
• The Florida Bar, Appellate Practice Section (1996-Present): Appellate Court Rules Committee (Former); Executive Council (2000 – Present); Immediate Past Chair (2014 – 2015); Chair (2013-2014); Chair-Elect (2012-2013); Vice Chair (2011-2012); Secretary/Treasurer (2010-2011); Chair, Publications Committee (2006 – 2010); Editor, The Guide (2002 – 2006); Member, Publications Committee (2001 – Present); Assistant Editor, The Guide (2001-2002); Chair, Programs Committee (1999-2001); Vice Chair, Programs Committee (1998 – 1999)
• Claims and Litigation Management Alliance (CLM), Member Dade County Bar Association (1995 – Present); Dade County Appellate Court Committee (2001-Present)
• Dade County Defense Bar (1995 – Present)
• Defense Research Institute
• Florida Defense Lawyers Association, Chair, Amicus Curiae Committee (2007 – Present)
• Florida Association for Women Lawyers, Miami-Dade Chapter
• Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel
• Junior Achievement, Dade County, Board of Directors (Past)
• National Association of Women Judges, Friends Committee (2011 – 2012)
• The Rosemary Barkett Appellate American Inn of Court

• Florida Bar Board Certified – Appellate Practice
• Certified Continuing Education Instructor, State of Florida

• Best Lawyers, Best Lawyers in America, Appellate Practice (2018-2026); Commercial Litigation (2017)
• Super Lawyers Magazine, Super Lawyers (2006-2025)
• Best Lawyers, South Florida’s Best Lawyers (2022)
• Best Lawyers, Women in the Law, Appellate Practice (2017-2020, 2024)
• Best Lawyers, Florida’s Best Lawyers, Appellate Practice (2013-2017)
• South Florida Legal Guide, Top Lawyer (2005-2020)
• Super Lawyers Business Edition (2011, 2014, 2023)
• Florida Trend Magazine, Florida Legal Elite, Appellate Practice Area (2009-2011, 2016)
• FDLA’s Annual Amicus Award (2009, 2011)
• “AV Preeminent” by Martindale Hubbell

• “Winning the Appeal Before It Starts: Preserving the Record With Appellate Counsel,” KD Webinar, 2025
• “To Appeal or Not Appeal: What’s Appealable and When,” KD Webinar, 2025
• “Coverage Considerations in Construction Defect Claims,” NARS, 2025
• “From Start to Finish: How Appellate Lawyers Strengthen Your Case ,” FIGA, 2025
• “The Role of Coverage in the Construction Puzzle,” Kubicki Draper Construction Conference, 2024
• “Navigating Pre-Suit Notice Statutes,” Appellate Practice Section, The Florida Bar Webcast, 2024
• “Florida Construction Coverage and Legal Update,” Kubicki Draper Construction Conference, 2023
• “Seeing Through Fraud in Auto Glass Litigation,” Kubicki Draper Webinar, 2023
• “OSHA: Investigation, Findings, Application and Detection of Fraud in First Party Property Damage Estimates and Admissibility of OSHA requirements at Trial,” FIFEC, 2023
• “Florida Tort Reform and PIP Litigation – What Changed? and ABC’s and XYZ’s Regarding EUO’s,” GEICO, 2023
• “Seeing Through Fraud in Auto Glass Litigation,” Pearl Holding Group, 2023
• “Top 10 Ways Your Appellate Lawyer Can Help You,” Heritage, 2023
• “Top 10 Ways Your Appellate Lawyer Can Help You,” Kubicki Draper Webinar, 2023
• “Keeping Up with Construction Coverage: An Overview of Florida Law,” Kubicki Draper Construction Conference, 2022
• “Making Auto Glass Litigation Transparent,” National General, 2022
• “Preserving the Record on Appeal: Objecting During Litigation,” Kubicki Draper Webinar, 2022
• “Making Auto Glass Litigation Transparent,” Kubicki Draper Webinar, 2022
• “Florida 4-Hour Law and Ethics Update,” FIFEC, 2022
• “SB76 Became Effective July 1, 2021, What Now?,” Heritage, 2022
• “Florida 4-Hour Law and Ethics Update,” Kubicki Draper Webinar, 2022
• The More the Merrier: Risk Transfer,” Kubicki Draper Webinar, 2022
• “What’s New with You? Florida’s Amended Summary Judgment Standard,” Kubicki Draper Webinar, 2021
• “Construction Defect Coverage Issues,” Kubicki Draper Construction Conference, 2021
• “The General Specifics on Liability for Injuries on Adjacent Properties,” Kubicki Draper Webinar, 2021
• “Proposals for Settlement,” Gainsco, 2020
• “Coverage Considerations in Construction Defect Claims,” Kubicki Draper Webinar, 2020
• “Coronavirus (Covid-19) and Business Interruptionâ¦What’s Covered?,” Kubicki Draper Webinar, 2020
• “Florida 5-Hour Law and Ethics Update,” Kubicki Draper Webinar, 2020
• “Florida 5-Hour Law and Ethics Update,” Kubicki Draper Webinar, 2020
• “Florida 5-Hour Law and Ethics Update,” James River, 2020
• “Florida’s Good Faith, Bad Faith and How to Avoid the Ugly in Claims Handling,” RLI Insurance, 2020
• “Civility Matters: Managing and Resisting the Temptation Toward Aggressive and Bad Behavior in Practice,” ABA Annual Insurance Coverage Conference, 2020
• “Florida Hold ‘Em Poker: Evaluating and Defending Attorney Fee Claims,” Kubicki Draper, Go All In for KD’s Claim Game – First Party Property Conference, 2019
• “Appellate and Post Trial Issues and Interlocutory Appeals – Writs and Appeals from Non-Final Orders,” GEICO, 2018
• “Managing the Catastrophic Claim,” GEICO, 2018
• “Assessing Homeowners’ Claims for Fraud Involving Airbnb or Home-Sharing Arrangements,” Florida Insurance Fraud Education Committee (FIFEC), 2018
• “Managing the Catastrophic Claim,” Windhaven, 2018
• “Managing the Catastrophic/Complex Case from Coverage to Conclusion,” American Bar Association, 2018
• “Florida 5-Hour Law and Ethics Update,” GEICO, 2018
• “Let the Wookie Write: Friend-of-the-Court Briefs,” The Florida Bar, Appellate Practice Section, 2017
• “Deciding Whether to Jump into the the Ring of Fire or Just Walk Away – To Appeal or Not to Appeal?,” CLM Annual Conference, 2017
• “Attorney’s Fees,” GEICO, 2016
• “Teaching ‘Good Faith’ to prevent ‘Bad Faith,” CLM Annual Conference, 2016
• “Sharing the Misery: The Defects with Construction Defect Coverage in Insurance Policies,” CLM National Construction Claims Conference, 2016
• “Risk Allocation: Contractual Indemnification, “Insured Contract” Coverage and “Additional Insured” Coverage & Restaurant and Fast Food Liability,” CJW, 2015
• “Indemnity Clauses in Construction,” Builders, 2015
• “PIP Hot Topics,” GEICO, 2014
• “Bad Faith: Top Ten Pitfalls,” Gainsco, 2014
• “Bad Faith Hot Topics,” Windhaven, 2014
• “Ethics for the Claims Professional,” Gainsco, 2013
• The Florida Bar Leadership Academy Program, 2013
• “We’ve Got You Covered! Hot Topics in Florida Insurance Coverage Law,” Kubicki Draper Claims Management Conference, 2012
• “First Party Bad Faith, Ethics for the Insurance Claims Professionals, Spoliation, Insurance Coverage,” First Protective, 2012
• “Investigating Staged Accidents, Liens & Set Offs,” GEICO, 2011
• “Claims Handling Mediation Strategy Issues,” First Protective/Front Line, 2011
• “Florida Statute (6)(b) Defense,” Nationwide, 2011
• “Coverage/Setting Aside Defaults,” Kubicki Draper Claims Management Conference, 2010
• “Case Law Update for Trial Lawyers,” American Board of Trial Advocates, Florida Chapter (FLABOTA), 2010
• “Case Law and Legislative Update,” Florida Liability Claims Conference, 2010
• “Adjuster Ethics: An Overview of Applicable Regulations and Relevant Considerations,” Kubicki Draper Claims Management Conference, 2009
• “Set Offs and Liens,” Kubicki Draper Claims Management Conference, 2009
• “Defending and Evaluating Mold Claims,” Kubicki Draper Claims Management Conference, 2008
• “Premises Liability Law and Defenses,” Kubicki Draper Claims Management Conference, 2007
• “Indemnity Agreements, Premises Liability, Proposals for Settlement, Civil Remedies Statute,” Travelers, 2006
• “The Life of a Declaratory Judgment Coverage Action,” GEICO, 2005
• “Motions for Summary Judgment, Proposals for Settlement, Wrongful Death Issues, Bad Faith, The Life of a Declaratory Judgment Coverage Action” Zurich, 2005
• “Florida Court System, Tort and Insurance Statutes, Case Law,” FCCI, 2003
• “Florida Court System,” GEICO, 2003
• “Florida Court System, Tort and Insurance Statutes, Tort Reform, Case Law,” C.N.A., 2002
• “Florida Case Law,” Hanover, 2002
• “Florida Court System, Tort and Insurance Statutes, Case Law,” GEICO, 2002
• “Florida Court System, Tort and Insurance Statutes, Case Law,” Liberty Mutual, 2001

• Hon. Gisela Cardonne-Ely, Eleventh Judicial Circuit Court Judge Law Clerk

• To Presuit or Not to Presuit, That is the Question– Is it Medical Malpractice or Premises Liability? KD Winter Quarterly, 2020
• Co-author of ” Droning On…Technology Based Construction Risk Management” published as part of West Coast Casualty Construction Seminar materials, May 2017
• Parting Thoughts – A View Upon Leaving The Bench – Justice Raoul G. Cantero, The Appellate Practice Section of the Florida Bar