JACKSONVILLE, Fla., Aug. 20, 2020 – Coker Law is honored to announce the inclusion of attorneys Howard Coker, Dan Iracki, Matthew Posgay, Jake Schickel, Charles Sorenson, Steve Watrel, Rufus Pennington III, Fraz Ahmed, Chelsea Harris, Janeen Kirch, Chase Sorenson, Aaron Sprague, David Thompson, and Lindsay Tygart in the 2021 listing of The Best Lawyers in America. The Best Lawyers in America is one of the oldest, most well-respected attorney ranking services in the United States, and to be included in the publication is a great reflection of the dedication these fourteen legal professionals have to practicing law.
Howard C. Coker (2011)*
Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs
This marks the 21st year for Howard Coker, founding shareholder and president of Coker Law to be recognized in The Best Lawyers in America for his work in the category of Personal Injury Litigation. He is board certified by The Florida Bar in Civil Trial Law and has demonstrated tireless service and consistent commitment to both professional and community organizations. Coker has received numerous significant awards and honors throughout his years of dedication. Recognized by his peers as a prominent Florida trial attorney, Coker is a passionate and active advocate. In the pursuit of justice, he has tried over 350 jury trials to conclusion and handled thousands of mediated settlements.
Matthew Posgay (2021)
Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs
Shareholder Matthew Posgay is board certified by The Florida Bar in Civil Trial Law and in Civil Trial Advocacy by the National Board of Trial Advocates. He has tried over 70 civil cases, with more than 60 to verdict. Posgay has a lengthy history of involvement in professional, fraternal and civic organizations, serving in leadership positions for many of them. He also volunteers much of his time to the improvement of the legal profession and the community, as both a speaker in The Florida Bar’s Justice Teaching Program, and as a coach and Sunday School teacher.
Rufus Pennington III (2011)
Medical Malpractice Law – Plaintiffs
Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs
Of Counsel Rufus Pennington III is board certified by The Florida Bar in Civil Trial Law. Having served as trial counsel in litigation throughout our country’s state and federal courts for more than 30 years, Pennington has been recognized eleven times by The Best Lawyers in America for his work in the categories of Medical Malpractice Law and Personal Injury Litigation. Highly honored, Pennington keeps pro bono work an integral part of his practice, devoting hours each week to those who need legal help but cannot afford to hire an attorney.
Daniel A. Iracki (2016)
Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs
Shareholder Daniel Iracki may be the youngest named shareholder in Coker Law’s 40-year history and one of the youngest Board-Certified Civil Trial Lawyers in the state, but his dedication and work ethic shine through in his combined total judgments and verdicts of over $70 million. He plays a critical role within the firm, guiding strategy and decision making, and mentoring associate attorneys. Iracki has been recognized for his work in the category of Personal Injury Litigation by The Best Lawyers in America for the past six years.
Charles Sorenson (2018)
Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs
Board Certified in Civil Trial Law, Of Counsel Charles Sorenson has dedicated his career to representing seriously injured plaintiffs and their families in complex personal injury and wrongful death cases. His unyielding focus has resulted in the successful conclusion of thousands of cases. Sorenson’s work on behalf of his clients, as well as the advancement of legal professionalism, has garnered him multiple honors. This year marks the third year Sorenson has been recognized by The Best Lawyers in America for his work in the category of Personal Injury Litigation.
Fraz Ahmed (2021)
Litigation – Insurance
Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs
Product Liability Litigation – Plaintiffs
Shareholder and Board-Certified Civil Trial attorney Fraz Ahmed has successfully taken the knowledge of how insurance companies defend and evaluate claims and used it for the greater good of representing injured victims. He has tried dozens of cases to verdict, the vast majority resulting in multi-million-dollar outcomes for his clients.
Chelsea Harris (2021)
Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs
Attorney Chelsea Harris has practiced law in Duval County for 13 years, trying more than 40 cases to verdict, and focusing on personal injury-plaintiff, bodily injury, automobile crashes and premises liability. Harris is AV-rated, is a member of the Florida Justice Association (FJA and is the vice-chair of the Law Week Committee for the Jacksonville Bar Association (JBA).
Janeen Kirch (2021)
Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs
Attorney Janeen Kirch began her career as a prosecutor in Jacksonville, trying more than 100 jury trials with the State Attorney’s Office. Her experience as a trial attorney, and devotion to helping people, make Kirch a strong force in the courtroom. She is a fearless advocate dedicated to enhancing gender equity in the legal profession and working tirelessly to bring her clients the best results.
Chase Sorenson (2021)
Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs
A Jacksonville native, Shareholder Chase Sorenson grew up around Coker Law, working at the office in various roles since the age of 15. His experience shaped a lifelong appreciation for justice and set a strong foundation for his legal career. After graduating from law school, Sorenson spent two years as an assistant public defender in Jacksonville, honing his courtroom skills and developing a passion for representing the underdog. He now uses his passion to fight for the just compensation of his clients in the area of personal injury litigation.
Aaron Sprague (2021)
Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs
Shareholder Aaron Sprague represents Coker Law clients in all phases of the litigation process, from pre-suit demands through mediation and trial. He has tried several cases to juries in both state and federal courts and has consistently obtained positive results for his clients.
David Thompson (2021)
Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs
Attorney David Thompson represents clients throughout the litigation process, from pre-suit demands through trial. He has tried several cases throughout the circuit courts of the state with consistently positive results for his clients. Thompson joined Coker Law as an associate attorney in 2018, using his knowledge of how insurance companies operate and evaluate cases to help his clients who have been injured due to the negligence of others.
Lindsay L. Tygart (2021)
Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs
Attorney Lindsay Tygart, a senior member of Coker Law’s medical malpractice division, has more than a decade of experience handling personal injury, medical malpractice, neglect, wrongful death and catastrophic injury cases. Tygart’s talent and commitment to the profession have been well recognized within the industry, including receiving the honor of the JWLA Woman Lawyer of the Year for 2020.
Jake Schickel (2021)
Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs
Of Counsel Board-Certified in Workers Compensation and Board-Certified Civil Trial attorney Jake Schickel’s decorated career could be considered the benchmark for success in the legal community. In addition to multiple professional leadership positions, he has been highly active in supporting legal professionalism and the cause of justice. Schickel’s passion for justice is matched only by his long-term commitment to the community. He has served the Jacksonville community on several executive, strategic, economic, and planning committees, including leadership positions with nonprofit and civic organizations.
Steve Watrel (2021)
Nursing Home and Assisted Living Abuse and Neglect Litigation- Plaintiff
Shareholder Steve Watrel is a tenacious and passionate attorney, practicing law in the Jacksonville area for 25 years after graduating with his J.D. from Syracuse University. Watrel’s primary areas of practice are nursing home and assisted living abuse and neglect. He is a Martindale-Hubbell AV-rated civil trial lawyer – a legal expert designation marking the highest level of competence and expertise. Recognized as one of the leading trial lawyers in the field of nursing home and assisted living facility litigation, Watrel has achieved numerous 6- and 7-figure results for clients throughout the past 25 years.
*(Year) Indicates the first year the lawyer was listed in any practice area.
About Coker Law
Coker Law is a personal injury trial law firm in Jacksonville, Florida. Its skilled, 21-attorney team contains nine Florida Bar Board-Certified Lawyers. The firm has tried more than 1,000 cases to verdict since 1976 and has received many honors in the pursuit of justice for their clients. Coker Law celebrates more than 40 years as a Jacksonville trial firm and is committed to continuing to provide extensive volunteer and financial support to a range of charitable initiatives including literacy, cancer research, economic growth, homeownership and child development. For more information on Coker Law, its attorneys, awards, and community involvement, please visit www.cokerlaw.com.
About Best Lawyers
Since it was first published in 1983, Best Lawyers® has become universally regarded as the definitive guide to legal excellence. Best Lawyers lists are compiled based on an exhaustive peer-review evaluation. Almost 87,000 industry-leading lawyers from around the world are eligible to vote, and we have received almost 10 million evaluations on the legal abilities of other lawyers based on their specific practice areas. Lawyers are not required or allowed to pay a fee to be listed; therefore, inclusion in Best Lawyers is considered a singular honor. Corporate Counsel magazine has called Best Lawyers “the most respected referral list of attorneys in practice.”
