The Firm is pleased to announce that Michael Ruel, James Morris, Benjamin Zimmern and Kellie Caggiano have been named Directors of the firm, effective January 1, 2016.
Michael Ruel is a Director in the firm’s Tampa, Florida office. Michael’s practice is concentrated on general liability defense, including insurance defense, personal injury, products liability, premises liability, construction defect, bad faith, first-party insurance and subrogation. Michael earned his B.A. from the University of West Florida and his J.D. from Southern Illinois University School of Law. Prior to embarking on a legal career, Michael served in the United States Air Force as a member of the 55th Special Operations Squadron at Hurlburt Field, Florida. In addition to his military service, Michael brings real-world knowledge and experience from the automotive, retail sales, and banking industries.
James “Jay” Morris is a Director in the firm’s St. Louis office. Jay defends individuals and businesses against liability claims and guides small and medium-sized businesses in the transactions and legal considerations inherent in business. To his law practice he brings the perspective of a former business owner and executive and the wisdom of lessons learned through litigating his clients’ difficult situations. Jay defends complex coverage claims made against casualty and liability insurers. He handles catastrophic injury, wrongful death, premises, property, products liability, construction defect and workers’ compensation claims as well as general commercial litigation matters. Jay graduated from the University of Alabama School of Law where he earned the CALI Excellence for the Future Award for Health Law and the George LeMaistre Scholarship. Jay is licensed to practice in Missouri and Alabama.
Benjamin Zimmern is a Director in the firm’s Pensacola, Florida office. Ben’s practice area focuses primarily on liability defense and first party insurance coverage work. His liability cases generally consist of personal injury defense, construction defects, general maritime law, automotive and trucking litigation, and employers’ liability cases. Although working primarily in Pensacola, he also works from the Firm’s Tampa and Mobile, Alabama offices to handle cases throughout Florida and Southern Alabama. Ben received a B.A. from Vanderbilt University and his J.D. from Cumberland School of Law. He is admitted to practice in Florida and Alabama.
Kellie Caggiano is a Director in the firm’s Pensacola, Florida office. Kellie joined the Pensacola office of Galloway Johnson after spending over 11 years practicing law with some of the largest insurance defense firms in the state of Florida. Kellie’s practice areas include liability defense, consisting mostly of: construction defect litigation; wrongful death defense; personal injury defense; automotive and trucking litigation; premises liability and employers’ liability cases, as well as first party insurance defense and coverage work. Kellie received a B.A. from the University of Florida and her J.D. from Wake Forest University School of Law.