Clifford R. Mermell

Clifford R. Mermell, Esq., created the law firm of Gillis, Mermell & Pacheco, P.A. on March 1, 1996, over 18 years ago. Mr. Mermell has been the senior and managing partner of the firm since its creation. The firm was created to champion the rights of injured workers.

Mr. Mermell, has been handling the claims of injured workers under the Defense Base Act and the Longshore & Harbor Worker’s Compensation Act for the past 25 years. Mr. Mermell has represented more than 1,000 injured workers under the Defense Base Act and/or the Longshore Act and has handled those cases at every level of appeal up to the Supreme Court of United States of America. Mr. Mermell has successfully handled those claims before the Office of Worker’s Compensation Programs (OWCP), Jacksonville Office, the Office of Administrative Law Judges (OALJ), the Benefits Review Board (BRB) and the United States Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit. Mr. Mermell has a 100% success rate at the level of the Benefits Review Board and the United States Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit. Mr. Mermell was trained by Donald D. Gillis, Esq., who had over 35 years of experience in handling claims under the Defense Base Act and/or the Longshore & Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act, prior to his passing in 2004. Mr. Mermell has been invited to speak as an expert in the area of the Defense Base Act and/or the Longshore & Harbor Workers’ Compensation Law at several educational conferences.

Mr. Mermell has also protected the rights of injured workers under the Florida Workers’ Compensation Act. He is Florida Bar Board Certified in that area and has been so certified since 1995. He has handled the claims of over 1,000 injured workers under the Florida Workers’ Compensation Act and has handled those claims successfully at every level, including appeals to the First District Court of Appeals. Mr. Mermell has been a member of the Florida Bar Workers’ Compensation Section since 1989. Mr. Mermell has been a member of the Florida Workers’ Advocates since 1994. The Florida Workers’ Advocates is a politically active group of Claimants’ lawyers who are devoted to protecting the rights of injured workers. Mr. Mermell has been a trustee of the Friends of 440 organization since 1994, and was the treasurer of that organization from 2006 – 2009. The Friends of 440 is an organization consisting of lawyers, judges, doctors and para-professionals devoted to the field of worker’s compensation law. The organization coordinates social and educational events for the worker’s compensation bar. The organization also donates substantial resources and money to its sister organization called the Friends of 440 Scholarship Fund, which was created to provide educational scholarships to the children of injured workers. Mr. Mermell has been invited to speak as an expert in the area of Florida Workers’ Compensation Law at several educational conferences.

Mr. Mermell graduated from the University of Colorado obtaining his Bachelor of Science Degree in 1985. He graduated from the University of Miami School of Law and obtained his Juris Doctorate degree in 1989. Mr. Mermell has been admitted to practice in all courts in Florida , including the Supreme Court of Florida, since 1989. Mr. Mermell is also admitted to practice in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida and the United States Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit.

Mr. Mermell has devoted his entire professional life to the representation of injured workers. He has handled the claims of injured workers in more than 2,000 cases. He has taken the claims of injured workers to trial in over 150 cases. He has represented injured workers in more than 1,000 mediations. He has handled every type of injury imaginable, including death cases, amputation cases, brain injury cases, head injuries, neck injuries, back injuries, eye injuries, mouth injuries, nose injuries, shoulder injuries, elbow injuries, hand injuries, knee injuries and foot injuries. He has handled the claims of injured workers at each and every level from the investigation phase through trial and appeals. He has a reputation of refusing to back down. He will take a case through trial and appeals and will never give up in his will to obtain the benefits to which he believes his clients are entitled. As a Florida Bar Board Certified Workers’ Compensation lawyer, Mr. Mermell is recognized by Judges and his peers as an expert in the area of Workers’ Compensation law.

Mr. Mermell is completely fluent in English and Spanish.

University of Colorado graduate
B.S. in Journalism 1985

University of Miami graduate
J.D. degree 1989

Florida Bar Board Certified in Workers’ Compensation since 1995

AV Preeminent Peer Review Rated for Ethical Standards and Legal Ability by Martindale-Hubbell Rating Service (Highest Rating Possible)

2014 Recognized by WILG as one of the Nation’s Top 100 Injured Workers’ Attorneys in the Country
2014 Recognition as Top Rated National Lawyer in Labor and Employment Law
by American Lawyer Magazine, Corporate Counsel Magazine and National Law Journal
2014 Avvo Client Choice Award
2014 Avvo 10.0 Rating (Highest Rating Possible)
2015 Recognized by the National Association of Distinguished Counsel as a Member of the Nation’s Top One Percent

Trustee of the Friends of 440 Organization, Past Treasurer
Member Florida Bar Workers’ Compensation Section
1989 – present

Member Florida Workers’ Advocates 1993 – present
Member Workers’ Injury Law Group (WILG)Member American Trial Lawyers Association
Member Dade County Bar Association
Past Member American Bar Association

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