MIAMI – Hamilton, Miller & Birthisel, LLP welcomes several new Associates to their Miami office, Alexa C. Bontkowski, Jason Hepperly, Kevin G. Gallagher and J. David Atkins.
Alexa Bontkowski
Alexa Bontkowski is an Attorney in the firm’s Fort Lauderdale office, focusing her practice on Third Party Insurance Defense, General Liability & Coverage, Products Liability, Premises Liability, Construction Disputes, Employer Liability, Negligent Security, Automobile and Trucking accidents.
Alexa represents cities, community development districts, property managers, corporations, and employers in a variety of general liability and wrongful death actions. Alexa’s practice area also includes the representation of manufacturers and contractors in numerous products and construction liability cases.
Alexa earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science, with a minor in English Literature, from Florida Atlantic University.
Alexa went on to earn her Juris Doctor Degree, cum laude, from St. Thomas University School of Law, where she ranked in the top 15% of her class. During law school, she served as the Executive Editor of the St. Thomas Journal of Complex Litigation and earned a spot on the Dean’s List for four consecutive semesters.
She was a member of the Moot Court Board, in which she was awarded the Best Brief Award for the Fall 2015 Intramural Competition and was a competitor in the annual Prince Competition. She was honored by the Pro Bono Honor Program for her volunteer work, and earned CALI “Best Student” awards in Appellate Advocacy, Race and the Law and Administrative law.
While attending law school, Alexa served as a Guardian ad Litem for the 17th Judicial Circuit. Alexa also served as a legal intern for the Law office of the Public Defender for Broward County.
Alexa is part of St. Thomas University School of Law’s Young Lawyer’s Division. As an alumni member of the school’s newly established Young Lawyer’s Division Council, she works alongside Dean Tamara Lawson in preparing students for the Florida Bar Exam and their post-graduate legal careers by providing insight and suggestions on matters such as curriculum, bar exam strategy, career development, fundraising, and mentoring.
Jason Hepperly
Mr. Hepperly primarily handles first and third party property defense litigation as well as insurance coverage matters. Mr. Hepperly assists insurers in all aspects of a coverage dispute including pre-suit investigations, responses to civil remedy notices of insurer violations, coverage evaluations, declaratory judgment actions, assignment of benefits and bad faith litigation.
Before joining Hamilton, Miller, Birthisel, Mr. Hepperly began his career practicing family law, bankruptcy, probate, and general commercial litigation at a boutique firm in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Shortly thereafter, Mr. Hepperly relocated down to Miami and transitioned his practice into handling primarily first party property disputes and representing insurance carriers.
Mr. Hepperly completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Tampa where he graduated in 2012 with his Bachelors of Science in Criminology and minor in Government & World Affairs. He went on to receive his Juris Doctor from the University of Miami School of Law.
He is currently a few courses away from finishing his LLM in Environmental Law from Vermont Law School.
Kevin G. Gallagher
Kevin G. Gallagher is a litigation associate here at the firm’s Miami Office and focuses his practice on admiralty and maritime claims, commercial litigation, insurance claims and products liability.
Originally from Pennsylvania, Kevin completed his undergraduate studies at The University of Pittsburgh, where he graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts.
Mr. Gallagher received his Juris Doctorate from Temple University James E. Beasley School of Law in Philadelphia, where he was a recipient of multiple honors, such as the Lenard Signal Memorial Award for Excellence in Criminal Law Studies and a certificate in Trial Advocacy.
While attending law school, Mr. Gallagher served as a legal intern for the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office and the Delaware County District Attorney’s office.
Prior to joining Hamilton, Miller & Birthisel, Mr. Gallagher served as a judicial law clerk for the Honorable Steven C. Tolliver of the Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas in Pennsylvania.
After his clerkship, Mr. Gallagher worked for a prominent regional law firm based out of Philadelphia, and handled matters in all areas involving commercial motor vehicle, maritime & admiralty, insurance coverage, employment relations, and product’s liability.
J. David Atkins
J. David Atkins concentrates his practice primarily on commercial litigation matters regarding claims involving construction, negligent security, premises liability, and product liability and personal injury.
Mr. Atkins completed his undergraduate studies at Florida Atlantic University, where he graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science.
He went on to receive his Juris Doctor with a concentration in International Law from The University of Toledo College of Law. Thereafter, Mr. Atkins attended The New School University’s Milano School of International Affairs in New York, NY where he obtained his Masters of Arts in International Development.
Before joining Hamilton, Miller & Birthisel, Mr. Atkins began his career practicing family law, immigration, real estate, wills, trusts and estates, business development, contract negotiations, and personal injury cases.
Hamilton, Miller & Birthisel, L.L.P. is a specialized boutique law firm practicing in the areas of admiralty and maritime, transportation, commercial litigation, hospitality law, property and casualty, insurance defense and coverage, and personal injury litigation. In addition to its practice in the United States, the firm represents clients throughout the Caribbean through its Jamaica, U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and Bahamas offices.
