Tag: Spinner Law

Spinner Law Firm Celebrates 20 Years & Hosts A Pickleball Tourney

*The staff of the Spinner Law Firm at the firm’s 20th anniversary party on Oct. 5. (All photos by Charmaine George)*

As the owner of a hyperlocal business that will celebrate its 30th anniversary in February of next year, I have seen a lot of businesses come and go over the years and celebrated many anniversaries with dozens of those businesses.

One of the companies I feel particularly close to is the Spinner Law Firm, headed by Charles S. (“Charlie”) Spinner, Esq., which celebrated its 20th anniversary of serving the New Tampa and Wesley Chapel communities on Oct. 5.

*North Tampa Bay Chamber president Hope Kennedy presents a Chamber Proclamation to Charlie Spinner.*

In addition to a North Tampa Bay Chamber ribbon cutting, the event included a proclamation given to Spinner by Chamber president & CEO Hope Kennedy, a short video created by Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel president (and local videographer) David Alvarez, a red carpet for Charlie and his staff, an appearance by a Pasco County Sheriff’s Office K9 therapy dog, free drinks and a huge crudité table…and something that hit a lot closer to home for yours truly.

Charlie talked about meeting his first employee, office administrator Vicki Portfolio, when both were walking their dogs in a park in early 2003. Vicki was in charge of the “Beer School” at the Busch Gardens Hospitality House at the time. Charlie was working for an insurance defense firm in downtown Tampa and told Vicki he was considering branching out on his own one day. Vicki told him that when he did start his own firm, “I want you to hire me as your legal assistant.”

“OK, what are your qualifications?,” Charlie replied.

“I don’t have any. I teach Beer School.”

*Attorney Charles Spinner and his firm’s first employee, Vicki Portfolio.*

But, when Charlie did start his firm in New Tampa, where he lived with his then-wife-to-be Carrie, he immediately took out his first ad in the Neighborhood News and, “The first call I got from that ad was from Vicki, asking me ‘When do I start?’ The rest is history.”

Jannah and I were among at least 100 people in attendance at the 20th anniversary event, so I got to hear that story, for the first time, in person, and I acknowledged that not only had Charlie been advertising continuously with us ever since, he definitely “helped send (my) kids to college,” as he quipped during his short speech.

Charlie thanked every member of his now-much-larger staff, as well as Carrie and the couple’s five kids, the Chamber and the local community.

Hope said that the Chamber was on hand when Charlie cut the ribbon at his new Wesley Chapel office five years ago, but noted that, “We wanted to do something better, something more deserving, to celebrate your 20 years of service to the community.”

The proclamation read that “Through the years, Spinner Law Firm has been committed to unwavering dedication and perseverance, making it a true pillar of our community…We commend Spinner Law Firm for this outstanding achievement, exceptional leadership and continuous growth.”

*Charlie Spinner with his wife Carrie and three of the couple’s five children.*

Spinner then thanked every member of his outstanding staff, including community outreach director Jennie Yingling, who organized the event. He went on to thank Carrie and all of his children before watching Alvarez’s video on one of fellow Rotarian Troy Stevenson’s mobile billboard trucks.

“When I created Spinner Law Firm, I wanted to make a real connection with my clients, and with the community,” Charlie said during the video. That was followed by a number of clients and organizations who said the firm had helped them, all giving testimonials, including coaches from both Wiregrass Ranch and Cypress Creek high schools and Lisa Michaelangelo from the Emerald M Therapeutic Riding Center, all of whom thanked Charlie and his firm for helping them.

Pickleball Tournament

Eight days after the 20th anniversary party, the Spinner Law Firm hosted the Spinner 20th Anniversary Pickleball Tournament at the Land O’Lakes Recreation Center.

Although I wasn’t in attendance at the tournament, and had not yet received a recap of who played and won the various awards, I do know that Charlie and his brother John, as well as Spinner Law Firm attorney Patrick Barnes all played in the tournament and, according to our photographer Charmaine George, a great time was clearly had by all.

The Spinner Law Firm, located at 2418 Cypress Glen Dr., in the Cypress Glen Professional Park, specializes in family estate planning and personal injury law. For more information, call (813) 991-5115, visit SpinnerLawFirm.com.

*The Spinner Law Firm group at the 20th Anniversary Pickleball Tournament on Oct. 13. Spinner Law Firm attorneys Charlie Spinner and Patrick Barnes played each other during the tournament.*

Spinner Law In Wesley Chapel: Even Better Than The Big Firms

*(l.-r.) Attorneys Charlie Spinner, Patrick Barnes and Anissa Morris offer top-notch personal injury representation right here in Wesley Chapel.* ***(Photo courtesy of Charlie Spinner)***

When it comes to recovering from an accident or any kind of personal injury, it can take a lot to restore a person back to wholeness. Big firms advertise their big resources, but personal injury attorney Charlie Spinner says not to be deceived by their slick advertising.

He and his team of experienced attorneys at the Spinner Law Firm will fight just as hard, but you get the benefit of working with a small firm that feels like family, right here in Wesley Chapel.

And while the firm has a comfortable, familiar feel, it has three experienced attorneys who work together to ensure that clients get top-notch representation that can go up against any insurance company, person or organization that has caused your injury.

Charles Spinner, Esq., originally established his firm in New Tampa in 2003. Its main office is now located in the Cypress Glen Professional Park off S.R. 56, just east of I-75.

Spinner graduated from the University of Dayton in Ohio, and then received his Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from the University of Toledo College of Law, in Toledo, OH, in 1996. He worked for several years as a civil trial and insurance defense attorney before opening his own private practice.

Attorney Anissa Morris joined the firm in 2011, and fellow attorney Patrick Barnes joined in 2020. Both bring years of experience and complementary skill sets to Spinner Law.

Morris is a certified Circuit-Civil Mediator, as well as a Family Law Mediator. Mediators are neutral parties who facilitate conversations to mediate between the parties in a lawsuit instead of going to a jury trial. While she doesn’t currently work as a mediator, Morris gained an incredible amount of experience through her training and required observations, where she went behind closed doors to see both sides of mediations as they were happening.

“It gives you a much better understanding of the process, so we are better able to prepare our clients to go into mediation,” she explains.

Her undergraduate degree is in public relations and communication arts from Xavier University in Cincinnati and she earned her J.D. degree at Salmon P. Chase College of Law at Northern Kentucky University in Highland Heights.

More than a decade ago, Morris opened a private practice after being a stay-at-home mom and raising her children in New Tampa. She started out renting space from Charlie and helping with his family law cases, which was her area of specialty at the time.

The two had a great synergy and Morris found that she wasn’t enjoying the family law cases, so she joined Charlie’s team working on personal injury cases instead.

“When you hire Spinner, you’re hiring a small family firm, so you talk to an attorney the very first day,” Morris explains. “You have access to us any time you want to. At a bigger firm, you might only talk to a case manager.”

Barnes grew up in Florida and came home to be near his family when his kids were born. Like Morris, he started out working for himself, but met Spinner and found that the two worked well together, so he, too, joined the firm.

SPINNER

Continued from pg. 28

Barnes went to Florida State University in Tallahassee and earned a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology in 2009. He then received his J.D. degree from Florida Coastal University in Jacksonville in 2012. He practiced in Denver before moving back to Florida.

Many years ago, Barnes realized that he and others in his field were deeply affected by all the trauma their clients have dealt with, and started researching how trauma affects both clients and the professionals in the field of law who help them.

“We deal with traumatic material constantly and represent those who have been traumatized,” Barnes says, “so I’m doing my best to shed light on it and bring it to the forefront.”

He says he never talked about being “trauma-informed” during his undergrad or graduate schooling, but that conversations with his dad, who is a licensed mental health counselor, led him to understand the idea and want to bring it to his profession.

Now, he has written articles on the topic and spoken about it at bar associations and other organizations. He’ll be speaking at a national conference in St. Louis later this year.

While trauma-informed practice is fairly new to the law world, it’s well established in the medical field and other areas.

“It is all about changing the way you practice to be more supportive of your traumatized client, to be sure not to re-traumatize them, and to become aware of how you as a lawyer and your staff as a support team can becoming secondarily traumatized by dealing with (these) issues all the time.”

He says being trauma-informed can help a legal team see a “difficult client” very differently. If you have a client who has memory issues, or is easily agitated or is hyper-vigilant, those can be protective defense mechanisms. Instead of viewing the client as “just” a difficult person, when you realize that they’ve been traumatized, it makes you more patient and more empathetic, and not take the behavior personally.

Barnes says he likes working for Spinner Law because it’s a “good mix” of high-level legal expertise and an approachable feel.

“You don’t lose any of the firepower because we’re smaller, but you’re gaining more communication and knowing who you’re going to work with,” he says. “If you’re experiencing trauma, to feel safe, you need to know who’s going to answer the phone and who’s going to help you. That’s huge.”

Candy Sandford has experienced that kind of trauma, being involved in two different life-changing car accidents in the last decade. The first time, she was rear ended on Bruce B. Downs Blvd. At the time, she went to a chiropractor who recommended Spinner Law.

“Charlie and his staff were more than just a lawyer,” Sandford says. “They became like family and friends. They worked so well with us to make things easier during a very difficult time.”

She says she balked when Charlie suggested going to trial, but she eventually agreed, and is glad she did.

“When Charlie is in the courtroom, he’s incredibly focused and professional,” she says. “But, he also has a really fun, friendly, comforting side to him.”

Sandford says Spinner called her personally one morning to say his wife was giving birth to their fifth child and Morris would be in the courtroom with her instead of him. “Anissa came and handled everything that day,” Sandford says. “It was so smooth. She’s amazing, too. I can’t even find enough words to explain how happy I am with them.”

Then, two years ago, Sandford was hit by a Frito-Lay truck, and immediately went back to Spinner. Again, she says, the entire staff was helpful during a difficult time. And this time, he was able to negotiate a favorable outcome for her without having to go to trial.

“It took him a lot of work to accomplish what he did,” Sandford says. “Charlie was willing to take a lot of the burden off of me. He loves representing his clients and doing his best for them.”

She says she’s also impressed with the generosity of how they support the community, from the ways they see Spinner Law donating both time and money to local charities, to the firm’s generous response when they asked for support for the Knights of Columbus, of which her husband is a member.

“It’s more than marketing,” Sandford says. “It’s genuine.”

Spinner Law Firm offers a comprehensive consultation for all legal matters at no charge. The firm is located at 2418 Cypress Glen Dr. For more information, call (813) 991-5099 or visit SpinnerLawFirm.com.

Spinner Law

Spinner Law Is Area’s Powerhouse Neighborhood Firm

As Spinner Law Firm approaches nearly two decades of serving the community, it continues to make its mark helping people.

Charles Spinner, Esq., originally established his firm in New Tampa in 2003. Its main office is now located in the Cypress Glen Professional Park off S.R. 56, just east of I-75.

The practice is led by Spinner, together with attorneys Anissa Morris, who joined the firm in 2011, and Patrick Barnes, who joined in 2020.

Spinner says that when it comes to personal injury, insurance disputes, and estate law, locals have access to a highly accredited, experienced and aggressive law firm, without having to leave Wesley Chapel. In fact, all of the attorneys and the 10-person staff live in or near the immediate area.

“Our (personal injury) caseload covers everything from relatively minor car accidents to complex cases resulting in catastrophic injuries and death,” he says.

Before opening his private practice, Spinner worked for several years as a civil trial and insurance defense attorney. Prior to that, he graduated from the University of Dayton in Ohio, and then received his Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from the University of Toledo College of Law, in Toledo, OH, in 1996.

Spinner is peer-rated “AV Preeminent” by Martindale-Hubbell for personal injury law, which is the highest possible rating for professional excellence, legal ability and adherence to professional standards of ethics.

And, unlike at larger firms, which may assign your case to an inexperienced attorney or case manager, all of the attorneys at Spinner Law Firm have practiced for many years, and also collaborate together.

“We have three highly experienced attorneys, and we work as a team, so each client gets the benefit of our collective experience,” Spinner says.

He adds that there’s a big push on television ads right now where law firms emphasize how huge they are.

“The biggest measure of our success is not size,” he says, “but the way that we care for our clients and their families, and the results that we achieve.”

That often means walking with clients every step of the way through a devastating motor vehicle accident or the loss of a loved one. “It means being there for our clients all the way through, with a level of caring and service you’re not likely to receive from a larger law firm,” where, he adds, you’re more likely to deal with young and inexperienced lawyers and case managers.

“We take it personally when a member of our community is injured in a crash because of someone’s carelessness on our roads,” says Spinner. “This is not only where we work, but also where we live and raise our children. We fully appreciate how dangerous these roads can be. They’re the same roads we travel to go out to dinner, to the doctor and to take our kids to school.”

Spinner and his team — including fellow attorneys Patrick Barnes (front row, 2nd from the left) and Anissa Morris (front row, third from the left) — all live in the local community, and give back to it with hundreds of volunteer hours each year.

Community-Minded

He also says that being “small but impactful” extends from helping clients to helping the people in and around Wesley Chapel with community service, too. “What makes us so unique is that we schedule time to get out into our community,” Spinner says.

The firm’s attorneys and staff members volunteer hundreds of hours every year in the community. Marketing director Jennie Yingling says they provide dinner each month for local fire stations, support local high school athletics, youth sports leagues and charitable organizations, provide snacks for the staffs at local high schools, volunteer with the Wesley Chapel Rotary Club and Habitat for Humanity, and more.

In fact, you may see Yingling driving around Wesley Chapel in the firm’s new “community outreach vehicle,” a Ford F-150 pickup truck with a lift kit that is expected to be used to lead graduation parades this year, something that Spinner himself participated in last year and he is planning to do again this year.

“We’re putting plans in place to have large participation with a graduation parade and excited to show off the truck,” says Spinner. “It’s an attention-grabber, and we get lots of positive feedback on it. Jennie is always driving around the area, reaching out to our fire fighters, Sheriff’s Office, schools and sports organizations.”

Impacts of Covid-19

Spinner says that the Covid-19 pandemic has changed the way all firms practice law, especially in the use of video conferencing for everything from client meetings to depositions and mediations and the use of electronic document processing software.

Also, because courts across the country were shut down for so long, he says, “there is a huge backlog of cases that has piled up, which has dramatically slowed the pace of litigation.”

He admits that this is a source of frustration for clients, but Spinner and his staff are committed to being patient and persistent, knowing that it’s a system-wide problem that will eventually be resolved. He says his firm also is committed to constant communication with the client to ensure they know exactly what’s happening with their cases and how they will move forward.

Despite those delays, some clients say they’re thrilled with how quickly Spinner Law Firm was able to help them resolve their cases.

Eric Young was hit head-on last March, in an accident that required him to have back surgery.

“Charlie got me the maximum amount anyone could have gotten, in the quickest amount of time I could have imagined,” says Young. “From the time of the accident and surgery to receiving funding was less than a year, and this was during the pandemic.”

He says the firm’s communication with him was great and the staff would even call to check on his well-being.

“It’s like a big city attorney (who is)no-holds-barred and takes care of business,” says Eric, “but also a small town feel where you walk in and everyone knows you and cares about you.”

Spinner Law

Spinner Law Firm Serves Community In More Ways Than One

When people find themselves in need of a personal injury attorney, it’s often one of the most difficult times of their lives. Whether suffering from an injury due to a car accident or another reason, their lives are often marked by pain, confusion, and feeling of being overwhelmed.

Charles Spinner, Esq., is determined that anyone in this situation who calls Spinner Law Firm will experience both excellent legal representation and compassionate, personal service.

“We try to make some very unpleasant legal matters as pleasant as we can,” he says.

The practice was established by Spinner in New Tampa in 2003 but its main office is now located in the Cypress Glen Professional Park off S.R. 56 near I-75.

Now, almost 18 years later, he says that Spinner Law is one of the most established firms in the New Tampa and Wesley Chapel area.

“It means that people who are injured as the result of someone else’s carelessness don’t have to go downtown to get access to a highly accredited, experienced and aggressive law firm,” he says.

Before he opened his private practice, Spinner worked for several years as a civil trial and insurance defense attorney. Prior to that, he graduated from the University of Dayton in Ohio, and then received his Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from the University of Toledo College of Law, in Toledo, OH, in 1996.

Since 2017, Spinner has been peer rated AV Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell for personal injury law, which is the highest possible rating for professional excellence and legal ability and adherence to professional standards of ethics.

Originally, he shared a small office in New Tampa with a local accountant, alternating time in the office with office administrator Vicki Portfolio, because the space was only large enough for one person.

Vicki is still Spinner Law’s office administrator, and the practice has grown through the years, with the addition of two attorneys and ten staff members.

“Our case load covers everything from relatively minor car accidents to complex cases resulting in catastrophic injuries and death,” Spinner says. “We collaborate as a firm, and we welcome and invite everyone’s input. Our cases are about strategy and details. Having three highly experienced attorneys, and three sets of eyes instead of just one, that’s the advantage.”

Former State Representative Danny Burgess (3rd from left), who is now the executive director of the Florida Department of Veterans Affairs, poses for a picture with the attorneys from the Spinner Law Firm (l.-r.) Patrick Barnes, Anissa Morris and Charlie Spinner.

While Spinner Law Firm spends much of its time handling personal injury cases, some clients get help with estate planning, preparation of wills and trusts, probate and trust administration.

Many of those matters are handled by attorney Anissa Morris, who joined the firm in 2011.

In large part because of Morris, Spinner reports that the firm has written more than 1,000 wills for people in the community.

Often, these are for young families who are starting to acquire assets, such as buying their first home, or couples who relocate and need to establish a Florida will, or someone with an elderly parent who needs help putting their affairs in order.

Welcoming…

Attorney Patrick Barnes is the newest member of the team. Barnes joined Spinner Law in February, after working the past seven years in Colorado.

“Patrick worked for two of the most well-established personal injury firms in Colorado, so he brings a fresh perspective,” says Spinner. “He’s very forward- thinking.”

Thanks to Barnes’ influence, Spinner says the firm has improved some of its practices and technology, which has been especially helpful during the Covid-19 crisis.

“We’ve all established at-home workstations with every amenity we have at the office,” Spinner says, “so we’ve been able to make the best of this situation and not miss a step to continue moving our cases forward.”

But, they look forward to getting back to normal, so they can again invite their clients to stop by anytime.

“We have an open door policy,” Spinner says. “Some firms discourage phone calls or coming in to see the lawyer, but we encourage it. Come in and meet with us. We’re always accessible, and our staff is friendly.”

Plus, they’re your neighbors — all of the lawyers and staff members live and work in New Tampa and Wesley Chapel.

“We have a strong foundation, from our kids attending local schools, churches and (participating in) youth sports, to belonging to local service organizations,” says Spinner. “We take great pride in the fact that this is our community.”

Spinner Law Firm supports local high school athletics, youth sports leagues and charitable organizations with both financial contributions and what Spinner calls “boots on the ground” participation.

That includes 145 hours of volunteer work so far in 2020. The team spent an entire day working on a Habitat for Humanity home build project, shortly after putting on a cruise-themed Valentine’s Day party for residents at the Baldomero Lopez State Veterans Nursing Home in Land O’Lakes. Team members also participated in the Wesley Chapel Rotary Club’s Duck Derby and other activities.

Barnes and marketing director Jennie Yingling are both members of the Wesley Chapel Rotary (Spinner himself is a former member) and the firm also is a member of the North Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce.

The attorneys and staff at Spinner Law take their commitment to people seriously, whether it’s through volunteer work or serving clients.

A local resident named Julie, who asked that we only use her first name, was grateful she reached out to Spinner Law Firm when she was injured in a car accident. “If I had to rate them, there’s not enough stars,” she says. “They’re above and beyond.”

She explains that the car accident left her in pain, but it was a while before she realized how serious her injuries were. She went to Spinner, and she says they referred her to a doctor who helped her get the care she needed. Then, her husband was diagnosed with cancer. “My husband died the day after my surgery,” she says. “The Spinner team was there for me when I needed them the most.”

While also handling her personal injury case, Spinner Law Firm also helped Julie get her husband’s affairs in order.

Julie says that at first, she was hesitant to hire an attorney about her injury because she didn’t want to deal with a lawsuit and didn’t know who she could trust. But now, she’s so glad she called Spinner. “They are unbelievable when it comes to caring,” she says. “It’s truly like a family.”

Spinner himself says his goal is for every potential client to have a similar experience. “From making their first phone call to us, we want them to have the best experience possible,” he says. “We want them treated respectfully. Then, we spend time understanding their needs, goals and objectives, getting to know them and how we can best serve them.”

Spinner Law Firm offers a comprehensive consultation for all legal matters at no charge. The firm is located at 2418 Cypress Glen Dr. in Wesley Chapel. For more information, call (813) 991-5099 or visit SpinnerLawFirm.com.

Spinner Law

Tag: Spinner Law

Spinner Law Firm Celebrates 20 Years & Hosts A Pickleball Tourney

Pickleball Tournament

Spinner Law In Wesley Chapel: Even Better Than The Big Firms

Spinner Law Is Area’s Powerhouse Neighborhood Firm

Spinner Law Firm Serves Community In More Ways Than One

Read our Newspaper

Contact us today