Legal Services Section

Mission

The Legal Services Section is committed to continuing its diligent representation of the Receiver by serving as a legal advisor, providing informed understanding of the Receiver’s legal rights and obligations and, as an advocate, zealously asserting the Receiver’s position under the rules of the adversary system.

Program Responsibilities of the Section

The Legal Services Section is responsible for the initiation of receivership proceedings in the Leon County Circuit Court.  This Section is also responsible for representing the Receiver in all courts for all matters relating to the administration of receivership estates.

  The responsibilities of the Legal Services Section are to:

• Prepare, file, and present pleadings required to initiate receivership proceedings.

• Represent the division/receiver in the various courts concerning all aspects of pending receiverships.

• Provide advice and assistance to receivership staff concerning estate administration and internal matters.

• Represent the division/receiver in mediations and arbitrations.

• Supervise, monitor, and coordinate the efforts of outside counsel under contract to the division/receiver.

• Supervise, monitor, and coordinate the contractual relationships with outside providers under contract to the division/receiver.

Accomplishments in the 2006-2007 Fiscal Year

In the 2006-2007 Fiscal Year, the Legal Services Section received judgment and settlement recoveries in several highly contested cases, including approximately $18 million in the Caduceus estate and approximately $7 million in the Aries estate.  The Section continues to pursue multimillion-dollar assessments and other causes of action on behalf of many estates, and it also assists the Asset Recovery and Management Section’s other collection efforts.  The Legal Services Section devoted a significant amount of resources to the receiverships of Florida Preferred Property Insurance Company, Southern Family Insurance Company and Atlantic Preferred Insurance Company. These efforts included representing the Receiver before the Receivership Court, the Federal District Court, and the Federal Bankruptcy Court,  as well as assisting in the on-site operations of these companies.  The Legal Section also devoted a significant amount of resources to the Florida Select receivership and obtained court approval for a Plan of Transition in this receivership.

Goals

• Continue to coordinate the ongoing legal activities required for estates currently in rehabilitation in order to assist the Receiver’s efforts to restore the financial viability of each company.

• Continue to coordinate the ongoing legal activities required for estates currently in liquidation in order to assist the Receiver’s efforts to marshal assets, convert assets into cash, and distribute the cash to the claimants of each company.

• Continue to participate in the Division’s training program by conducting Division-wide training on current legal issues relevant to the Division.

Staff and Contact Information