With sadness, the firm announces the passing of Philip J. Mandina in 2021.
Phil Mandina was a graduate of the University of Miami with a Bachelor of Business Administration, and additional major in psychology. He attended law school at the University of Miami which he completed in two and a half years and became a member of the Florida Bar immediately thereafter. He had been in active practice of law ever since as a trial lawyer. Phil’s background included but was not limited to over 400 cases representing insurance companies and other defendants and additional 600 cases representing plaintiffs who have been injured through some form of negligence. As a result of his continue varied background in litigation itself, he had been in litigation in the courts of California, Colorado, New York, North Carolina and others. He was rated “AV”, by Martindale Hubble representing the highest category for ability and professionalism in the law as well as ethics.
He had been a member of the Federal Trial Bar ever since he became a member of the Florida Bar. Phil has been involved in appellate practice since the very beginning of his career with “law changing” appellate cases.
On the pro-bono side of Phil’s career he was a magistrate with a Chief Judge of the Monroe County Circuit Court, the honorable Richard Payne for three years, handling all of the pre-trials for the courts. In additional he has been general counsel pro-bono for the Martin Luther King Memorial Hospital. Phil is a certified law enforcement officer; he has over the past 20 years devoted much of his time in pro-bono work for various departments and agencies. He holds a commercial pilots license and has held Real Estate Licenses in several states including North Carolina.
As a commercial pilot and law enforcement professional, he was the first police officer to be a part of Miami Fire Departments first search and rescue team formed as one of the first in the country. In addition, he has searched many areas in Florida for missing persons over the years.
Phil retired in 2013, but has remained active as a trial strategist to Mr. Ginsberg.