ATLANTA- Ford & Harrison LLP, a national labor and employment law firm, is pleased to announce that five of the firm’s Florida based attorneys were named to Florida Trend’s “Florida Legal Elite.” Thomas C. Garwood, Jr. (Orlando), Elizabeth M. Rodriguez (Miami) and Aaron L. Zandy (Orlando) were selected as leaders in the labor and employment practice area, while Rene F. Ruiz (Miami) and Kevin D. Smith (Miami) were named "Up-and-Coming Legal Elite."
Florida Trend’s "Florida Legal Elite" features outstanding attorneys selected by their peers in 28 areas of practice. These attorneys represent the top 1.5% of the 59,481 Florida Bar members who practice in the state.
Tom Garwood has practiced traditional labor and employment law on behalf of management for 35 years. He currently serves as the General Counsel to the Employers Association of Florida, Inc., the General Counsel to the Orlando/Orange County Convention Visitors Bureau and as a member of the Board of Directors of the Goodwill Industries of Central Florida. Tom is AV® Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell and Board Certified by the Florida Bar as a Specialist in Labor and Employment Law. This is the second consecutive year that he has been named to this list. Tom received his J.D. from the Stetson University School of Law, where he served as the Managing Editor of the Stetson Law Review from 1970-1971.
Elizabeth Rodriguez represents both private and public sector employers in all areas of employment law. Her practice focuses on employment litigation, including counseling and representation in federal and state trial and appellate courts, as well as before federal, state, and local administrative agencies. Elizabeth is a member of the Florida Bar and its Appellate Practice and Advocacy Section, the Dade County Bar Association, the Defense Research Institute, the Florida Association of Women Lawyers and the Cuban American Bar Association. This is the second consecutive year that she has been named to this list. Elizabeth received her J.D. from the University of Miami School of Law.
Aaron Zandy advises and represents employers in all areas of traditional labor and employment law. His practice encompasses all areas relating to the counseling and representation of management clients in federal and state courts, as well as before federal, state, and local administrative agencies. As a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) by the Human Resource Certification Institute, he provides proactive counseling and legal advice to employers and management regarding human resource issues and related statutory and regulatory compliance. He is a board certified specialist in Labor and Employment law by the Florida Bar and is AV® Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell. This is the fourth consecutive year that he has been recognized by Florida Trend magazine’s “Florida Legal Elite.” Aaron received his J.D. from the Ohio Northern University College of Law.
Rene Ruiz concentrates his practice on employment litigation and advice, including harassment and discrimination cases. He also advises clients regarding compliance with the Fair Labor Standards Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act, Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act, and state and federal whistleblower statutes. Rene has extensive experience in federal and state courts, as well as numerous federal and state administrative agencies. He received his J.D. from the University of Miami School of Law where he served on the editorial board of the University of Miami Law Review.
Kevin Smith focuses his practice on defending employers in employment discrimination litigation in federal and state courts. Kevin also counsels employers concerning local, state, and federal employment laws, and assists employers in responding to charges of discrimination filed with administrative agencies, including the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Florida Commission on Human Relations. Kevin received his law degree from the Georgetown University Law Center where he served as the Administrative Editor of the Georgetown Journal on Poverty Law and Policy.