Stephen B. French has represented clients in both Federal and State Court at the trial and appellate levels in a wide array of civil disputes involving contracts, construction defects, labor/employment, civil rights, personal injury, and real estate. Stephen offers his experience and knowledge of trial practice to clients with the express goal of reaching settlement in an efficient and non-combative process.
Education and Highlights
Stephen graduated from Washington and Lee University with a B.A. in Political Sciences in 1991. After a brief time in the workforce, Stephen attended and graduated from the University of Florida College of Law earning a J.D. with honors in 1995. Stephen was certified as a Circuit Court Mediator by the Florida Supreme Court in 2021 and now focuses his practice in this endeavor. Stephen has earned an AV rating from Martindale-Hubble, the highest designation granted for lawyers.
Experience
In 1996, Stephen began his legal career with the Lane, Trohn, P.A. firm in Lakeland, FL, where, as an associate attorney, he represented both plaintiffs and defendants in commercial disputes, landlord/tenant disputes, personal injury and medical malpractice cases, labor/employment, and federal civil rights cases. In 2000, he joined the Bush Ross, P.A. firm and became a partner handling cases focusing on construction defects, noncompete agreements, landlord/tenant disputes, and real estate litigation. More recently, Stephen’s practice with Gibbons | Neuman P.A. continued to provide representation in construction disputes, real estate litigation, and personal injury, as well as contract drafting for real estate transactions, employment agreements, and bankruptcy adversarial proceedings.
Stephen is a member of the Florida Bar Association, Hillsborough County Bar Association, United States Supreme Court, United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, and the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida.
Stephen has served as a member of his alma maters’ alumni boards, vestry member of his Church, Chairman of the Board of Trustees for a private parish day school, and devoted volunteer for several charitable organizations. Stephen and his wife are the proud parents of two adult children.
