Kenneth C. Steel, III
Partner

JACKSONVILLE OFFICE
Email: ksteel@vbwr.com
904-355-1700 phone
904-355-1797 fax
Secretary: Phyllis Jackson
pjackson@vbwr.com

EXPERIENCE
Kenneth “Casey” Steel has represented clients in commercial and civil litigation matters before both state and federal courts, handling both trial and appellate matters. Mr. Steel brings a wide variety of experience and expertise to the representation of our clients, having served as former in-house counsel at Universal Studios Florida and as an assistant state attorney handling criminal prosecutions, and having represented both plaintiffs and defendants in complex personal injury, insurance coverage, and insurance bad faith matters. Having tried numerous cases to verdict, Mr. Steel provides our clients with aggressive representation that seeks to resolve their matters efficiently, while always preparing to present their case to a jury if necessary.

PRACTICE AREAS
Mr. Steel represents businesses, insurance companies, and individual clients in business and commercial disputes, with a special emphasis on insurance coverage, insurance bad faith, commercial and consumer finance matters, construction litigation and administrative proceedings.  Mr. Steel also represents self-insured companies in the defense of personal injury matters.

NOTABLE CLIENT WORK

• Successfully represented business and business owner clients in an insurance coverage dispute, obtaining payment of amounts in excess of the policy limits, despite the existence of a controlling policy exclusion, for resolution of a personal injury claim against clients.
  
  
• Successfully represented business and business owner clients in claims against insurance agent for failure to obtain appropriate coverage for personal injury claim against clients.
  
  
• Obtained summary judgment in favor of hospital client in litigation against an insurance broker for the alleged aiding and abetting of placement of insurance policies with an unauthorized (and now insolvent) insurer to recover unpaid return premium.  Matter subsequently settled for seven figure amount.
  
  
• Favorably resolved potential bad faith claim against insurance company preventing institution of litigation regarding the handling of claims arising from a multi-fatality automobile accident.   Final settlement amount was 25% of low-limit policy, and far less than the potential six to seven figure exposure arising from the death of an eighteen year old decedent.
  
  
• Successfully defended and resolved claims for damages and injunctive relief brought against a managing general agent by liquidator of insolvent insurer.

BAR ADMISSIONS

• Florida, 1993
• Georgia, 2001
• U.S. District Court Northern District of Florida, 1997
• U.S. District Court Middle District of Florida, 1997
• U.S. District Court Southern District of Florida, 1997
• U.S. Court of Appeals 11th Circuit, 1998

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

• Jacksonville Bar Association
• Jacksonville Association of Defense Counsel
• The Florida Bar
• State Bar of Georgia

PRESENTATIONS

• August 2002. Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Law in Florida, CLE Seminar, Jacksonville, Florida
• October 2002. Insurance Bad Faith Claims in Florida, CLE Seminar, Jacksonville, Florida
• June 2003. "Selected Topics in Professional Liability" in Identifying and Addressing Common Business Problems, CLE Seminar, Jacksonville, Florida
• July 2003. Bad Faith Litigation in Florida, CLE Seminar, Jacksonville, Florida
• October 2003. Insurance Bad Faith Claims in Florida, CLE Seminar, Jacksonville, Florida