Property Practice
Property Practice Attorneys
The attorneys that comprise the Property Practice Group have represented both personal and commercial line carriers, provide legal support throughout the claims investigation process, and serve as defense counsel in state and federal litigation.
We cover the entire spectrum of first-party practice, including the investigation of suspicious claims such as arson, inflated contents or loss of business claims, defending allegations of breach of contract, responding to Consumer Complaints and Civil Remedy Notices of Insurer Violation filed with the Department of Financial Services. In representing these clients, our firm has dealt extensively with issues such as third-party liability claims, hurricane damage, sinkhole, arson and fraud investigation, coverage, regulations regarding the claims handling process and allegations of bad faith.
Our attorneys have served as lead counsel on hundreds of cases surrounding claims of property damage ranging from storm loss to total losses as a result of a fire. Our experience with the daily activities and requirements during the adjustment of a claim of loss allows us to work with our clients in moving forward toward resolution of a claim, or to identify all potential defenses in support of a denial or avoidance of coverage.
Our attorneys are highly experienced in working with our clients in the investigation of suspicious claims, which has served to allow our clients to effectively uncover fraud or material misrepresentations. As part of our Property services to carriers, our Property attorneys regularly handle Civil Remedy Notices of Insurer Violation & Consumer Complaints filed with the Department of Financial Services; Coverage Opinions; Breach of Contract Actions; Declaratory Judgment Actions; Bad Faith & Unfair Claims Handling Practices; Litigation Avoidance Practices.
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Property Practice Team
With a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from St. Thomas University School of Law, Rachelle has honed her skills through years of experience as a Junior Associate Attorney. She has demonstrated a keen ability to navigate complex legal matters with precision and insight, earning the trust and respect of clients and colleagues alike.
Rachelle is deeply committed to upholding the highest standards of professionalism and integrity in every aspect of her practice. She prioritizes clear communication, thorough research, and strategic advocacy to ensure that each case receives personalized, effective representation tailored to its unique needs.
As a valued member of the Lydecker team, Rachelle is poised to continue her tradition of excellence, delivering unparalleled legal counsel and unwavering support to clients across the nation.
Matthew Cassman is Of Counsel in the firm’s Jacksonville office. Mr. Cassman’s practice involves all aspects of general litigation. Mr. Cassman graduated from Florida Coastal School of Law in May of 2015. While attending law school, Mr. Cassman was on the Moot Court team and earned Pro Bono Honors for volunteering more than 125 hours during his time in law school. Additionally, Mr. Cassman was in the inaugural “Fast Track” program, where he earned his Juris Doctorate degree in two years. Upon graduating, Mr. Cassman spent time working on first and third party property insurance claims, as well as personal injury matters.
Ms. Centrone was born and raised in Greenville, South Carolina. She attended Columbia College on their Presidential and Leadership scholarships and was a member of the Honors Program, Student Advisory Committee, and Alpha Lambda Delta National Honor Society. Erin completed her undergraduate studies at the University of South Florida where she was a founding member of the Mock Trial Association and active in Pre-Law Society. Erin is a cum laude graduate of Stetson University College of Law where she earned numerous Honor Roll distinctions as well as four book awards.
Ms. Centrone is a seasoned civil litigator with experience defending clients through agency investigations as well as litigation in administrative, state, and federal courts in Florida. Her practice includes representation in diverse first- and third-party claims, including personal injury, premises liability, professional malpractice, D&O, bad faith actions, labor & employment matters, whistleblower, complex litigation, catastrophic claims, and SIU/fraud matters.
Ms. Centrone has been recognized as The Best Lawyers in America: Ones to Watch in each of its first three years, each year in three distinct areas of practice. She received the Ones to Watch designation for Labor and Employment, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants, and Professional Malpractice for 2021, 2022, and 2023. Most recently, Ms. Centrone was named among The Best Lawyers in America for Personal Injury Litigation – 2024.
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.
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.
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.
Jacqueline Figueroa is a partner in our Miami office. Since 2010, Ms. Figueroa has focused her practice on insurance coverage matters, counseling and representing clients as to insurance coverage determinations and when necessary litigation. Ms. Figueroa has represented national and local insurance carriers in state courts. She assists clients in the investigation of claims involving primarily property claims, provides coverage opinions, and litigates coverage disputes.
Before joining the firm, Ms. Figueroa represented insurance carriers involving first party homeowners insurance claims. Prior to working in Florida, Ms. Figueroa practiced at a New York City firm specializing in litigating personal injury protection matters on behalf of insurance carriers. She has experience assisting carriers in coverage matters including pre-suit fraud investigations, conducting examinations under oath, and providing coverage evaluations of complex insurance claims. She has litigated and defended cases brought against insurers in courts throughout the State of Florida and New York. Prior to entering the legal field, Ms. Figueroa worked as an investment banker in the venture capital division of a highly recognized international financial firm.
Ms. Figueroa served as the Editor-in-Chief of the Florida State University Business Review and as an Article and Notes editor on the Journal of Land Use and Environmental Law. She was also presented with a Book Award in legal research and writing during law school. Ms. Figueroa was appointed as a legal clerk with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s Enforcement Division. She is also fluent in Mandarin and conversational Japanese.
Carlota Gonzalez is originally from Spain where she received her Law degree from University of Barcelona in June 2021. While studying at University of Barcelona she was selected and granted a full scholarship to participate in the Dual Degree Law Program between University of Barcelona and Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad College of Law, where she went to earn her Juris Doctor degree.
In May 2023 she graduated from Nova Southeastern University cum laude and earned Dean’s List honors for all semesters. Carlota has now passed the Florida Bar Exam. Carlota served as a Junior Associate of the ILSA Journal of International & Comparative Law and was selected to publish her article for the 29 Volume Bilingual Edition.
In addition, Carlota was a member of the Nova Law Moot Court Honor Society and a competitor in the Philip C. Jessup International Law Competition. While enrolled in law school, Carlota was a Research Assistant for Associate Dean Vicenç Feliu.
Ms. Camara Garcia is Of Counsel in the Lydecker Miami office. Ms. Camara Garcia is currently based in London. She counsels insurers on insurance coverage, claim adjustment, and contract interpretation on first-party property homeowners and commercial losses, bad faith litigation, fire/theft/fraud investigation, and windstorm coverage. In addition to handling matters of insurance coverage, Ms. Camara Garcia undertakes appellate work concerning first-party property and bad faith litigation.
Doug Gerber is Of Counsel with Lydecker and works in the Firm’s Orlando office. Mr. Gerber been a member of the Florida Bar since 2005 and the Middle District of Florida since 2006. Mr. Gerber’s areas of practice include but are not limited to civil litigation, commercial litigation, general liability litigation, premises liability, property practice, and business law throughout the State of Florida. He has extensive experience in representing business entities, insurers, and individuals in litigation often involving motion practice, mediations, and trials.
A native Floridian who was born in and raised in South Florida and who has lived in Central Florida for more than 25 years, Mr. Gerber is a double Gator, having earned his bachelor’s degree in Public Relations from the University of Florida in 1992 and his master’s degree in Exercise and Sports Sciences with a Specialization in Sports Management from the University of Florida in 1996. While at the University of Florida, Mr. Gerber was admitted and a member of the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society.
After working for various sports organizations in Central Florida involving amateur sports events, college bowl games, NFL exhibitions, and the 1996 Olympic Games, Mr. Gerber attended the Shepard Broad Law Center at Nova Southeastern University, where was first a Staff Member and then became an Articles Editor for the Nova Law Review. Mr. Gerber had his article on the validity of arbitration clauses in personal injury suits involving minors published in the Fall 2003 issue of the Nova Law Review. He was also a member of the Pro Bono Honor Society while at the Shepard Broad Law Center after interning with the Administrative Judge for the Seventeenth Judicial Circuit of Florida and with the City Attorney’s Office with the City of Coral Springs.
Mr. Gerber has served as the Chairman of the Real Property Law Committee of the Orange County Bar Association, was a member of the Small Claims Rules Committee of the Florida Bar, and most recently served as the Chair of Section C of the Grievance Committee of the Florida Bar for the Ninth Judicial Circuit.
Mrs. Grant is an associate in Lydecker’s Boca and Orlando office and specializes in premises liability and property practice. Mrs. Grant obtained her J.D. from Cumberland School of Law at Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama. While at Cumberland, Mrs. Grant was involved in a number of student organizations and events, including competing in the school’s 1L Williams Trial Competition, serving as President of the Florida Student Bar Association, and mentoring first- and second- year students as both an Academic Success Advisor and as a Women in Law mentor.
Mrs. Grant also has a Bachelor of Arts degree from Florida Atlantic University, where she majored in English Literature with a concentration in British literature, and minored in Political Science.
Prior to joining the Lydecker Boca Raton Office, Mrs. Grant helped represent major hotel, retail, and restaurant chains in premises liability actions, as well as homeowners insurance companies in both first- and third-party property disputes for a mid-size litigation firm.
Mr. Gruber is a partner at Lydecker’s Miami office. Mr. Gruber’s practice spans first- and third-party property claims, including bad faith litigation, fire/theft/fraud investigation, and windstorm coverage and defense. Mr. Gruber litigates insurance disputes involving high exposure commercial and homeowner losses and bad faith issues in both State and Federal court. His practice includes all aspects of pre-suit, appraisal, trial, and appellate litigation. Mr. Gruber has successfully handled hundreds of lawsuits with various degrees of exposure.
Mr. Gruber received his Bachelor of Science in Business Management from Florida State University and his Juris Doctor from the University of Florida. While in law school, Mr. Gruber was an executive member of the University of Florida Trial Team and chaired multiple criminal trials as a Certified Legal Intern for the Office of the Public Defender for the 8th Judicial Circuit.
Christopher Lutzel is an associate at the firm’s Miami office. Mr. Lutzel concentrates his practice in Commercial and Homeowner’s First-Party Disputes, with an emphasis on Property Practice, Insurance Coverage and Extra-Contractual Litigation. Mr. Lutzel graduated from the FIU College of Law. While in Law School, Mr. Lutzel was president of the Real Property, Probate, and Trust Law Society.
Mr. Masson is an experienced civil litigator with a history of success in handling a broad array of complex and high exposure civil matters for individuals, insurers, and other business entities. Mr. Masson prides himself on being an out of the box thinker that is dedicated to meeting his client’s specific needs, providing them with superb legal representation, and obtaining very favorable results.
Nieves is Of Counsel at the firm’s Miami office where her primary practice is property insurance litigation. Nieves has years of litigation experience representing insurance carriers in first party property and bad faith claims.
Nieves earned her Juris Doctor and Business Law Certificate from Florida State University College of Law. Here she participated in the FSU Business Law Clinic, the Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans with Disabilities, and held leadership positions as President of the Aviation & Space Law Society and Vice President of the Women’s Law Symposium. Nieves earned her Bachelor’s degree in Political Science with a Minor in International Studies from Keene State College in New Hampshire.
Nieves has a wide range of experience across various practices of law. While in law school, Nieves held a legal internship at Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation, a Lockheed Martin Company, in Stratford, Connecticut. Nieves later went on to work in family and marital law, and during a summer program externed at Domi Station, a non-profit startup incubator and coworking space. During her last year of law school, Nieves clerked at Buchanan, Ingersoll & Rooney, PC, where she worked in land use, procurement, securities, governmental, and regulatory matters.
Following law school, Nieves served in the General Counsel’s Office at the Florida Public Service Commission where she focused on economic regulation, compliance, utility certification, territorial disputes, and hurricane recovery efforts. Nieves has experience representing plaintiffs in administrative law and products liability matters, as well as defending national insurance companies in property insurance disputes, auto negligence, and premises liability.
Nieves spends her spare time traveling, staying active, and cheering on FSU. Go Noles! Nieves is admitted to practice law in all Florida state courts and in the United States District Court for the Northern and Middle Districts of Florida. She is a member of the Young Lawyers Division and the Florida Association for Women Lawyers.
Katrina Pacheco is an Associate at Lydecker handling Florida civil litigation matters. Ms. Pacheco has extensive experience in the defense of civil disputes. She maintains a varied practice in insurance defense and commercial litigation, including general bodily injury and casualty, and professional malpractice.
Prior to joining Lydecker, Ms. Pacheco was an Associate at a prominent Florida defense firm where she gained significant litigation experience representing numerous insurance carriers in First Party Property matters throughout Florida. While earning her Juris Doctorate, Ms. Pacheco clerked with the Honorable Judge Peter Lopez and also worked as a law clerk with boutique law firms in the Miami area who focused on insurance litigation at both the State and Federal levels.
Mr. Sanchez Parraga is a partner at Lydecker’s Miami and New York offices. He counsels insurers on insurance coverage, claim adjustment, and contract interpretation on first-party property homeowners and commercial losses, bad faith litigation, fire/theft/fraud investigation, and windstorm coverage. In addition to handling matters of insurance coverage, Mr. Sanchez Parraga frequently represents insurers in trial and appellate courts in first-party property and bad faith litigation. He is also a frequent lecturer on seminars regarding first-party property claims and litigation topics.
Lee Patten is the Co-Chair of the Firm’s National Catastrophic Injury and Loss Defense Department. Mr. Patten has extensive trial court experience in complex litigation, and has defended numerous cases involving wrongful death, paralysis, amputation, traumatic brain injury, sexual assault, and other serious injuries throughout New York, New Jersey, and Florida. These claims and large loss exposures arise from a variety of liability scenarios, including premises liability, medical/healthcare/nursing home liability, school/early education/day care liability, construction site accidents (including New York labor law claims), road construction accidents, commercial trucking and car accidents, negligent security, and products liability, among others. Mr. Patten brings to bear his extensive experience in each of these specific industries to obtain excellent results for his clients.
Mr. Patten maintains a progress-oriented practice, whether pre-suit or in litigation, Mr. Patten works closely with his client to advance the case with every court filing, correspondence, email, and phone conference. Every action is designed to move the case forward toward trial or resolution.
Mr. Patten has taken countless depositions, including deposition of subject matter experts, liability experts, and damages experts. He has attended countless hearings, including important summary judgment hearings, as well as multi-day arbitrations and multi-day framed issue evidentiary hearings.
Mr. Patten has tried cases before many trial courts throughout the state of Florida, New York, and New Jersey, and has obtained many favorable settlement outcomes at the eleventh hour due to detailed trial preparations, including motions in limine and Daubert challenges to opposing experts.
Mr. Patten has also served as monitoring counsel and converted to lead trial counsel in numerous cases involving large losses or multiple layers of insurance. He is successfully able to parachute into potential “problem” or “high risk” cases, and laser in on key areas to prepare liability and damages defenses quickly and efficiently.
Before joining the firm, Mr. Patten was a prosecutor at the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s office, as well as a prosecutor for the Department of Children and Families. It was there that Mr. Patten started his trial career and was able to transfer those skills to civil litigation. In Law School, Mr. Patten served as Editor-in-Chief of the Law Review and won several awards for both Mock Trial and Moot Court competitions.
Ms. Robles is an Associate at Lydecker, where her focus is on Florida civil litigation. She maintains a varied practice in insurance defense and commercial litigation, including general bodily injury and casualty, and first-party property, as well as professional malpractice.
Before joining Lydecker, Ms. Robles was an Associate at Cole, Scott & Kissane in their First-party Property Group, representing carriers throughout South Florida and gaining extensive litigation experience.
Natalie Rodriguez is a South Florida native and a member of the Florida Bar. She grew up in the world of Insurance litigation as her family owns and operates several companies that cover Adjusting, Appraisal, and Umpire Services. She brings a deep understanding of the claims process as a licensed Independent Adjuster in the State of Florida. Natalie has also worked in the Plaintiffs side of insurance litigation and has a comprehensive understanding of both sides.
Natalie graduated from Florida State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Humanities. At Florida State, she was heavily involved in community outreach and fundraising for the American Cancer Society. Natalie furthered her education at Ave Maria School of Law here in Naples, Florida. She graduated with multiple honors including the Deans Professionalism Award and was recognized for her extensive Pro Bono work. She was honored with the St. Catherine of Alexandria Award for oral advocacy. Natalie also obtained a Certification in Negotiation Mastery from Harvard Business School.
Natalie was also a legislative intern for the Florida Senate where she was instrumental in fighting for the rights of Veterans and Firefighters. She was a part of the trial prep team for the influential William Most Civil Rights Firm in Louisiana who is known worldwide as a champion of Civil Rights. She also worked as a translator and drafted multiple legal documents for non profit groups in support of Womens rights in South America. Natalie is bilingual and lives in Miami with her fiancé and two adopted kittens.
James Spratt is a partner in the firm’s Los Angeles office and practices in all courts in California. His primary areas of practice include complex commercial litigation, tort practice in products liability, real property and construction defect.
Mr. Spratt earned his Juris Doctor Certificate from University of La Verne and his Bachelor’s degree in History from University of California, Santa Barbara. While in law school, Mr. Spratt has held numerous legal internships, including Office of Legislative Affairs for the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington, D.C. In Mr. Spratt’s practice, he has held various partner positions with national law firms and has worked for national insurance companies, as staff counsel. He has worked defending national insurance companies in professional negligence, commercial trucking negligence, premises liability and habitability claims.
Mr. Spratt has handled the defense of Property Owners, Landlords, Property Managers, and Homeowners Associations in claims arising out of California Habitability Claims pursuant to compliance with statutory duties under California Civil Code Section 1941.1 and California Health and Safety Code Section 17920.3. While the defense of these claims is often challenging in the pro-tenant environment of California law, Partner, James Spratt has displayed skill and expertise in navigating the display of substantial compliance with statutory duties in order to minimize exposure to risks. This is often achieved by a careful analysis of the jurisdictional building code and health & safety code records, in order to achieve favorable results in mediation of these claims. Additionally, Mr. Spratt has engaged some of the best experts in the fields of Property Management and Environmental Science to defend these claims, including Toxicologists, Microbiologists and Medical Doctors specializing in California Mycotoxin, Mold and Environmental Diseases.
Mr. Spratt is active in conservation efforts of Santa Monica Mountains Restoration Trust and enjoys snow skiing and swimming in his spare time. He also enjoys spending time with his family and his German Shepard dog. Mr. Spratt is also a member of the Los Angeles County Bar Association.
As a trial attorney for Lydecker’s Environmental Mass Tort, Product Liability Department and General Liability Department, Ronn has tried in excess of sixty (60) jury trials as lead trial counsel with an outstanding record of success.
Ronn had been practicing for less than four years when he tried his first jury trial which involved a collision between an automobile and a 12 year old cyclist with claims of traumatically induced epilepsy. Through a detailed cross-examination of the plaintiff, Ronn was able to prove that she had ridden her bicycle outside of the crosswalk in an attempt to beat the signal light. The jury returned a verdict of less than $14,000 after plaintiff’s counsel demanded $350,000.
Ronn was also retained by a major grocery store chain headquartered in Southern California to defend them and their truck driver whose tractor trailer rig collided with a cherry picker lift occupied by a worker who was replacing traffic signs. The worker fell almost 20 feet and suffered several facial and skull fractures. After a six and one half week trial, plaintiff’s counsel requested a verdict of $1,000,000. The jury returned a verdict for $1,000 less than the pre-trial offer made by Ronn’s client.
Ronn was admitted pro hac vice in the State of Arizona to defend a major supplier to the world’s larger fast food restaurant and successfully defended his client against claims of wrongful termination and racial discrimination.
While working in the City Attorney’s office of a major public entity, Ronn was re-assigned to an adverse liability major injury case six weeks prior to trial. Plaintiff alleged the defendant’s law enforcement vehicle ran a red light, violating his right of way. He suffered severe neck and back injuries with past surgeries to both his neck and back, with allegations of future back surgery being necessary. Plaintiff’s counsel demanded $15,000,000 after a four week jury trial. Although the jury found no negligence on the part of the plaintiff, they only awarded him slightly more than the defendant’s $1,000,000 pre-trial offer.
Most recently, Ronn obtained a 12-0 defense jury verdict in a breach of warranty of habitability case.
Bryan Zaverl is a partner in Lydecker’s Los Angeles office. He has held various positions with national and local law firms handling many different types of litigation. Mr. Zaverl most recently worked for a national insurance company, as staff counsel where he tried multiple cases a year for the past five years. He has worked defending individual policy holders as well as many well-known corporations in personal injury, premises liability, and product liability claims.
Mr. Zaverl, in his spare time, enjoys ice hockey (playing, coaching, watching) and photography. He also enjoys spending time with his children and his chocolate Labrador, Aldo. Mr. Zaverl is also a member of the Ventura County Bar Association.
