Stephen M. Cozart

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overview
Steve Cozart's practice is concentrated on complex civil litigation with a particular focus on construction, large property losses, products liability claims and catastrophic personal injury claims.

While a favorable settlement is often a successful outcome, Steve understands that some cases have to be taken all the way through trial. As a veteran trial attorney, Steve has tried numerous cases in State and Federal Courts throughout the Southeastern United States. His clients have ranged from Fortune 500 Companies to small business owners and Steve has earned praise for his ability to help each of these clients relate to jurors in diverse venues.

Steve is a native of Santa Rosa County, Florida. After graduating from Jay High School, he received his undergraduate degree from the University of Alabama and his law degree from Mississippi College School of Law. Steve is licensed to practice in Florida, Alabama and Mississippi and he maintains an active practice in all three States. His has been awarded an “AV Preeminent” rating by Martindale-Hubbell, which represents the highest ethical and quality rating bestowed by his peers.

In addition to his active trial practice, Steve is a frequent lecturer. He has presented numerous seminars for claims professionals as well as continuing education classes for attorneys. He remains active in the community by serving as Chairman of the Santa Rosa County Emergency Services Advisory Committee (ESAC) and by acting as the Town Attorney for his hometown of Jay, Florida. In his free time, Steve enjoys sailing and spending as much time as possible in the outdoors.

Practice Areas
Credentials

Education

  • Mississippi College School of Law, Jackson, MS (J.D., 1995)
    Law Review, Comment Editor; Moot Court Board
  • University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL (B.A., 1992)

Admissions

  • State of Mississippi, 1995
  • State of Florida, 1998
  • State of Alabama, 2004
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, 11th Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, 5th Circuit
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of Florida
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of Alabama
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of Mississippi
  • U.S. District Court, Southern District of Mississippi

Professional Associations and Memberships

  • Gulf Coast Association of Insurance Professionals, President
  • Kubicki Draper Hospitality, Retail, and Premises Liability Practice Group, Member
  • Escambia-Santa Rosa Bar Association
  • Florida Bar Association
  • Mississippi Bar Association
  • Alabama Bar Association
  • Mobile Claims Association
  • American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA), Northwest Florida Chapter

Certifications / Specialties

  • Certified Continuing Education Instructor, State of Florida

Special Awards and Recognitions

  • “AV Preeminent” Rated by Martindale-Hubbell
  • Martindale-Hubbell 
Presentations

Speaking Engagements / Presentations

  • "Florida 4-Hour Law and Ethics," National General, 2022
  • "Litigating Construction Roadway Claims," Kubicki Draper Webinar, 2021
  • "Alabama Case Law Update," Kubicki Draper Webinar, 2021
  • "Florida 5-Hour Law and Ethics Update," Kubicki Draper Webinar, 2020
  • "Bugs, Drugs and Thieves," Kubicki Draper Webinar, 2020
  • "Florida 5-Hour Law and Ethics Update," CNA Webinar, 2020
  • "Florida 5-Hour Law and Ethics Update," GEICO Webinar, 2020
  • "Florida 5-Hour Law and Ethics Update," FIFEC Webinar, 2020
  • "Covenants Not To Compete in Florida," Gulf Coast Claims Association of Insurance Professionals, 2019
  • "Florida 5-Hour Law and Ethics Update," CNA, 2019
  • "Managing the Catastrophic Claim," GEICO, 2018
  • "Medicare Liens and Set Asides," CNA, 2018
  • "Florida 5 - Hour Law and Ethics Update," Rimkus Consulting Group, Inc. - Pensacola 12th Annual CE Event, 2018
  • "Legal Issues and Contractor Abuses in Assignment of Benefits Claims," GHD, 2018
  • "Florida 5-Hour Law and Ethics Update," ServPro of Pensacola, 2017
  • "The Good (Faith), the Bad (Faith), and (How to Avoid), the Ugly…in Claims Handling;" Kubicki Draper, A Day at the First Party Property Oscars, 2017
  • "Punitive Damages in Alabama," CNA, 2017
  • "Alcohol, Cell Phones and the Law," Gulf Coast Claims Association of Insurance Professionals, 2016
  • "Florida 5 - Hour Law and Ethics Update," FCCI, 2016
  • “The Verdict: Was it Arson or Was it an Accident,” Florida Insurance Fraud Education Committee (FIFEC), 2016
  • "First Party First Rate Defense," Rimkus, 2016
  • "Bad Faith: Top Ten Pitfalls to Avoid," Gulf Coast Association for Insurance Professionals, 2015
  • "Balcony Collapse: Understanding the Pitfalls & Limiting Exposure," Property & Liability Resource Bureau (PLBR), 2015
  • "Florida 5 - Hour Law & Ethics Update," GEICO, 2015
  • "Ethics for the Claims Professional," Gulf Coast Association for Insurance Professionals, 2014
  • "Florida 5 - Hour Law & Ethics Update," FCCI, 2014
  • "Case Law Update: Defending Percutaneous Discectomies," Sedgwick, 2014
  • "Proposals for Settlement, Utilization of Motions and Production on Documents," Gainsco, 2013
  • "Set Offs in Personal Injury Cases," GEICO, 2013
  • "Mediation Techniques," GEICO, 2013
  • "Construction Defects," Travelers, 2012
  • "A Case Study in Settlements and Releases," Auto Owners, 2012
  • "SIU Tips and Tactics," Rimkus, 2012
  • "Ethics for the Claims Professional," Rimkus, 2012
  • "PIP and BI," Mendota, 2011
  • "Medicare Super-Liens, Set Asides and Notice Provisions," Nationwide, 2011
  • "Litigating Insurance Coverage Claims: From Start to Finish," Pensacola, FL 2011
  • "Tactics for Handling Claims Involving MRSA," Sarasota, FL 2010
  • "Uninsured Motorist Benefits Coverage: A Survey of Florida Law," Orlando, FL 2010
  • "Ethical Considerations for Claims Adjusting in Florida (or – How to Keep your Job)," Lake Mary, FL 2009
  • "Florida Law Update," Birmingham, AL 2007
  • "Things you 'Auto' Know about Handling UM and BI Claims," Ft. Lauderdale & Orlando, FL 2005
  • "Basic Comparison of Legal Issues in Alabama and Mississippi," Tampa, FL 2005
  • "A Practical Refresher on Litigating the Mississippi Auto Injury Case," Jackson, MS 2004
Authorships

Published Works

  • Through the Eyes of the Debtor: Mississippi Reexamines the Breach of the Peace Exception to Uniform Commercial Code Section 9-503, 15 Miss. C.L. Rev. 145 (1994)
  • 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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