Lawyers
Christopher Chapaneri is the managing partner for our offices in Texas and Oklahoma and the founding partner of our Dallas office. Christopher is a strategic, results-oriented litigator obtaining favorable settlements where appropriate and trying cases before a judge or jury when needed, including first and second chair jury trial experience in state and federal courts. Christopher intuitively anticipates litigation methods pursued by all parties in a lawsuit, allowing him the ability to engage in “outside the box” strategies where appropriate.
Christopher is experienced in and enjoys practicing in a wide array of cases involving commercial litigation, wrongful death/survivor actions, products liability, premises liability, construction defect, catastrophic injury, transportation matters, employment litigation, commercial landlord-tenant disputes, professional liability for engineers, amusement park law, and environmental law. Moreover, Christopher has handled a variety of appellate matters to the Texas Supreme Court and the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.
Christopher has taught the following Lydecker U courses “Handling Complex Litigation in Amusement Park Industry in Texas” and “Enforcement of Arbitration & Pre-Injury Waivers Against Minors in Texas” for CE/CLE credit.
Mr. Clouser is an Associate Attorney in the Lydecker Miami office. Mr. Clouser began his career in the legal field in 2021 working as a law clerk for a prominent law firm based in Miami, Florida, where he gained an integral and fundamental understanding of the complex issues and processes surrounding civil litigation in Florida. Upon graduation from Capital University Law School in May 2023, Mr. Clouser sat for the Florida bar in July 2023. After passing the bar, Mr. Clouser was admitted to practice as a licensed attorney in the State of Florida in September 2023.
Following bar admission, Mr. Clouser began his career as an attorney working for a national full service law firm based out of Miami, Florida, where he handled a variety of complex civil litigation cases prior to joining Lydecker.
Prior to joining Lydecker, Laura was a partner at an insurance defense firm in Tampa for 12 years.
After receiving her Bachelor’s degree from the University of The South (Sewanee), Laura returned to her home state of Florida and graduated from Stetson University College of Law.
Mr. Conto is a Partner at the firm’s Boca Raton Office. Mr. Conto began his career in law representing corporations in legal matters concerning maritime law. Mr. Conto then joined a well-known litigation defense firm with offices throughout Florida. There he focused his practice on defending corporations in construction defect matters, premises liability matters and negligent security matters involving claims of wrongful death. He also represented insurance companies in high exposure first-party property disputes.
At Lydecker Mr. Conto is concentrating his practice on defending developers, general contractors, subcontractors, design professionals, environmental consultants, product manufacturers and insurance carriers in a variety of contexts arising from the construction and use of real property. Mr. Conto has successfully represented clients in all phases of litigation including trials, summary judgment proceedings and mediations.
Mr. Costa is an Associate Attorney at Lydecker, handling matters throughout the State of Florida, in both State and Federal Courts. He engages in a wide variety of insurance defense and commercial litigation areas, including general bodily injury and casualty. He also handles labor and employment matters and various other civil litigation matters.
Prior to joining Lydecker, Mr. Costa handled civil rights claims, labor and employment claims, personal injury claims, and workers’ compensation claims. Mr. Costa obtained trial experience as first chair in multiple jury trials prior to joining Lydecker, and had received favorable judgments on behalf of his clients.
Felipe Curiel is an associate in Lydecker’s Los Angeles office, where he defends policy holders in personal injury, premises liability, product liability, and employer liability claims.
A native of the Inland Empire (Ontario, California), Mr. Curiel attended the University of California at Irvine before pursuing his Juris Doctor at The University of Alabama (Tuscaloosa, AL). He enjoys reading, traveling, and spending time outdoors.
Mr. Darmanin is Of Counsel based in Lydecker’s Miami office. Mr. Darmanin’s practice primarily includes first- and third-party property claims, including bad faith litigation, and spans across various types of property claims. Within his practice he is responsible for handling matters throughout the entire claims process beginning pre-suit and extending all the way through trial.
Mr. Darmanin has experience handling hundreds of cases within his practice, which includes casework for high exposure commercial losses. Mr. Darmanin has extensive experience litigating cases in both State and Federal court within his current practice as well as prior litigation practices.
Troy also advises clients in Directors & Officers (D&O) condominium litigation, where he counsels boards of directors, property managers, and insurers in navigating disputes involving governance challenges, coverage questions, and liability claims. His experience in this area allows him to anticipate issues unique to condominium associations and deliver efficient, practical solutions for his clients.
Known for his results-driven approach, Troy has successfully resolved matters through both trial and negotiated settlements, protecting his clients’ interests while minimizing risk exposure.
Eliz Demren is an Associate in the Products Liability department of Lydecker’s Miami office. Prior to working at Lydecker, Ms. Demren was an associate at a boutique complex civil litigation firm. She earned her Bachelor of Arts from the Honors College at Florida International University and her Juris Doctor from the University of Miami School of Law.
During law school, Eliz received the Dean’s Certificate of Achievement Award and CALI Excellence for the Future Award for receiving the top grades in her courses. She also competed in Moot Court, interned for Circuit Court Judge Spencer Eig, and externed for Chief U.S. Magistrate Judge John J. O’Sullivan. While earning her Juris Doctor, Eliz completed several internships at various law firms to fully maximize her time in law school before beginning to practice as an attorney.
Anoop Desai is an associate in Lydecker’s Orlando office, where his practice is focused on construction defect litigation and complex civil matters. These representations include construction and design defect disputes, construction transactions, construction contract/payment disputes, environmental/pollution claims and construction accident claims.
Mr. Desai handles matters involving construction and design defects, construction delay claims, payment and lien disputes, breach of contract, professional liability, and regulatory issues. He is known for his practical, detail-oriented approach and commitment to achieving efficient, results-driven outcomes for his clients throughout all phases of litigation, including pre-suit resolution, mediation, arbitration, and trial.
Anoop earned his J.D. from Barry University School of Law and his B.S. from the University of Miami. While in law school, he served on the Executive Board of Phi Alpha Delta and gained valuable experience that informs his strategic approach to complex litigation.
Amanda DeVito is an associate in Lydecker’s Jersey City office. Amanda is a 2023 graduate of New York Law School and a member of the New York and New Jersey Bar. Prior to joining Lydecker, Amanda worked in-house at an entertainment media company. Amanda also worked at a commercial real estate and environmental law firm.
Ms. Diefendorf is an associate attorney at the firm’s Orlando Office. Ms. Diefendorf earned her J.D. from Barry University School of Law in 2022. While in Law School, Ms. Diefendorf interned with the Public Defender’s Office in the Seventh Judicial Circuit, located in Daytona Beach, where she assisted with research and drafting pre-trial motions.
During her third year of law school, Ms. Diefendorf was a Certified Legal Intern for the State Attorney’s Office in the Seventh Judicial Circuit, located in Daytona Beach, where she assisted the Misdemeanor and Felony Divisions with preparing cases for trial.
Ms. Diefendorf was admitted to practice in the State of Florida in 2023 and is an active member of the Florida Bar.
Mrs. Diverio is a shareholding partner at Lydecker’s Miami office and is the chair of the property practice group. She is a trial and appellate attorney for first and third party lawsuits. She handles bad faith claims, third party claims nationally, fire/theft/fraud investigations, windstorm coverage insurance defense, personal injury, general liability, subrogation claims, fraud investigations, and all types of property damage claims.
In addition to her broad insurance coverage practice, Ms. Diverio has significant experience in Directors & Officers (D&O) condominium litigation, where she represents boards, associations, and insurers in matters involving governance disputes, fiduciary duty claims, and coverage issues. Her work in this area provides clients with strategic counsel on both preventative risk management and litigation defense.
Mrs. Diverio litigates insurance disputes involving high exposure commercial and personal lines in both State and Federal court. Mrs. Diverio’s practice group handles claims from pre-suit investigations through trials and appeals.
Mrs. Diverio has handled a multitude of appellate and trial matters and has been first-handedly involved in changing and upholding Florida Statutes on significant current insurance defense issues.
Most importantly, Mrs. Diverio’s strength lies in client relations and professionalism. She maintains an open line of communication with her clients during all phases of litigation, settlement of a dispute, and works in conjunction with her adjusters to quickly and efficiently resolve claims.
Christopher Chapaneri is the managing partner for our offices in Texas and Oklahoma and the founding partner of our Dallas office. Christopher is a strategic, results-oriented litigator obtaining favorable settlements where appropriate and trying cases before a judge or jury when needed, including first and second chair jury trial experience in state and federal courts. Christopher intuitively anticipates litigation methods pursued by all parties in a lawsuit, allowing him the ability to engage in “outside the box” strategies where appropriate.
Christopher is experienced in and enjoys practicing in a wide array of cases involving commercial litigation, wrongful death/survivor actions, products liability, premises liability, construction defect, catastrophic injury, transportation matters, employment litigation, commercial landlord-tenant disputes, professional liability for engineers, amusement park law, and environmental law. Moreover, Christopher has handled a variety of appellate matters to the Texas Supreme Court and the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.
Christopher has taught the following Lydecker U courses “Handling Complex Litigation in Amusement Park Industry in Texas” and “Enforcement of Arbitration & Pre-Injury Waivers Against Minors in Texas” for CE/CLE credit.
Mr. Clouser is an Associate Attorney in the Lydecker Miami office. Mr. Clouser began his career in the legal field in 2021 working as a law clerk for a prominent law firm based in Miami, Florida, where he gained an integral and fundamental understanding of the complex issues and processes surrounding civil litigation in Florida. Upon graduation from Capital University Law School in May 2023, Mr. Clouser sat for the Florida bar in July 2023. After passing the bar, Mr. Clouser was admitted to practice as a licensed attorney in the State of Florida in September 2023.
Following bar admission, Mr. Clouser began his career as an attorney working for a national full service law firm based out of Miami, Florida, where he handled a variety of complex civil litigation cases prior to joining Lydecker.
Prior to joining Lydecker, Laura was a partner at an insurance defense firm in Tampa for 12 years.
After receiving her Bachelor’s degree from the University of The South (Sewanee), Laura returned to her home state of Florida and graduated from Stetson University College of Law.
Mr. Conto is a Partner at the firm’s Boca Raton Office. Mr. Conto began his career in law representing corporations in legal matters concerning maritime law. Mr. Conto then joined a well-known litigation defense firm with offices throughout Florida. There he focused his practice on defending corporations in construction defect matters, premises liability matters and negligent security matters involving claims of wrongful death. He also represented insurance companies in high exposure first-party property disputes.
At Lydecker Mr. Conto is concentrating his practice on defending developers, general contractors, subcontractors, design professionals, environmental consultants, product manufacturers and insurance carriers in a variety of contexts arising from the construction and use of real property. Mr. Conto has successfully represented clients in all phases of litigation including trials, summary judgment proceedings and mediations.
Mr. Costa is an Associate Attorney at Lydecker, handling matters throughout the State of Florida, in both State and Federal Courts. He engages in a wide variety of insurance defense and commercial litigation areas, including general bodily injury and casualty. He also handles labor and employment matters and various other civil litigation matters.
Prior to joining Lydecker, Mr. Costa handled civil rights claims, labor and employment claims, personal injury claims, and workers’ compensation claims. Mr. Costa obtained trial experience as first chair in multiple jury trials prior to joining Lydecker, and had received favorable judgments on behalf of his clients.
Felipe Curiel is an associate in Lydecker’s Los Angeles office, where he defends policy holders in personal injury, premises liability, product liability, and employer liability claims.
A native of the Inland Empire (Ontario, California), Mr. Curiel attended the University of California at Irvine before pursuing his Juris Doctor at The University of Alabama (Tuscaloosa, AL). He enjoys reading, traveling, and spending time outdoors.
Mr. Darmanin is Of Counsel based in Lydecker’s Miami office. Mr. Darmanin’s practice primarily includes first- and third-party property claims, including bad faith litigation, and spans across various types of property claims. Within his practice he is responsible for handling matters throughout the entire claims process beginning pre-suit and extending all the way through trial.
Mr. Darmanin has experience handling hundreds of cases within his practice, which includes casework for high exposure commercial losses. Mr. Darmanin has extensive experience litigating cases in both State and Federal court within his current practice as well as prior litigation practices.
Troy also advises clients in Directors & Officers (D&O) condominium litigation, where he counsels boards of directors, property managers, and insurers in navigating disputes involving governance challenges, coverage questions, and liability claims. His experience in this area allows him to anticipate issues unique to condominium associations and deliver efficient, practical solutions for his clients.
Known for his results-driven approach, Troy has successfully resolved matters through both trial and negotiated settlements, protecting his clients’ interests while minimizing risk exposure.
Eliz Demren is an Associate in the Products Liability department of Lydecker’s Miami office. Prior to working at Lydecker, Ms. Demren was an associate at a boutique complex civil litigation firm. She earned her Bachelor of Arts from the Honors College at Florida International University and her Juris Doctor from the University of Miami School of Law.
During law school, Eliz received the Dean’s Certificate of Achievement Award and CALI Excellence for the Future Award for receiving the top grades in her courses. She also competed in Moot Court, interned for Circuit Court Judge Spencer Eig, and externed for Chief U.S. Magistrate Judge John J. O’Sullivan. While earning her Juris Doctor, Eliz completed several internships at various law firms to fully maximize her time in law school before beginning to practice as an attorney.
Anoop Desai is an associate in Lydecker’s Orlando office, where his practice is focused on construction defect litigation and complex civil matters. These representations include construction and design defect disputes, construction transactions, construction contract/payment disputes, environmental/pollution claims and construction accident claims.
Mr. Desai handles matters involving construction and design defects, construction delay claims, payment and lien disputes, breach of contract, professional liability, and regulatory issues. He is known for his practical, detail-oriented approach and commitment to achieving efficient, results-driven outcomes for his clients throughout all phases of litigation, including pre-suit resolution, mediation, arbitration, and trial.
Anoop earned his J.D. from Barry University School of Law and his B.S. from the University of Miami. While in law school, he served on the Executive Board of Phi Alpha Delta and gained valuable experience that informs his strategic approach to complex litigation.
Amanda DeVito is an associate in Lydecker’s Jersey City office. Amanda is a 2023 graduate of New York Law School and a member of the New York and New Jersey Bar. Prior to joining Lydecker, Amanda worked in-house at an entertainment media company. Amanda also worked at a commercial real estate and environmental law firm.
Ms. Diefendorf is an associate attorney at the firm’s Orlando Office. Ms. Diefendorf earned her J.D. from Barry University School of Law in 2022. While in Law School, Ms. Diefendorf interned with the Public Defender’s Office in the Seventh Judicial Circuit, located in Daytona Beach, where she assisted with research and drafting pre-trial motions.
During her third year of law school, Ms. Diefendorf was a Certified Legal Intern for the State Attorney’s Office in the Seventh Judicial Circuit, located in Daytona Beach, where she assisted the Misdemeanor and Felony Divisions with preparing cases for trial.
Ms. Diefendorf was admitted to practice in the State of Florida in 2023 and is an active member of the Florida Bar.
Mrs. Diverio is a shareholding partner at Lydecker’s Miami office and is the chair of the property practice group. She is a trial and appellate attorney for first and third party lawsuits. She handles bad faith claims, third party claims nationally, fire/theft/fraud investigations, windstorm coverage insurance defense, personal injury, general liability, subrogation claims, fraud investigations, and all types of property damage claims.
In addition to her broad insurance coverage practice, Ms. Diverio has significant experience in Directors & Officers (D&O) condominium litigation, where she represents boards, associations, and insurers in matters involving governance disputes, fiduciary duty claims, and coverage issues. Her work in this area provides clients with strategic counsel on both preventative risk management and litigation defense.
Mrs. Diverio litigates insurance disputes involving high exposure commercial and personal lines in both State and Federal court. Mrs. Diverio’s practice group handles claims from pre-suit investigations through trials and appeals.
Mrs. Diverio has handled a multitude of appellate and trial matters and has been first-handedly involved in changing and upholding Florida Statutes on significant current insurance defense issues.
Most importantly, Mrs. Diverio’s strength lies in client relations and professionalism. She maintains an open line of communication with her clients during all phases of litigation, settlement of a dispute, and works in conjunction with her adjusters to quickly and efficiently resolve claims.
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