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Joel S. Fass
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jfass@cftlaw.com

Joel Stephen Fass is known by his peers and clients as a skilled litigator, negotiator and client advocate.

Since forming the firm with Mike Colodny in 1978, Mr. Fass has practiced in the areas of personal injury, commercial litigation and civil rights. He has turned his experience and courtroom aptitude to the benefit of his clients, including individuals, corporate and institutional clients.

Before joining the firm, Mr. Fass served as a prosecutor for Kings County (Brooklyn) in New York City. Since joining the firm, he has successfully argued the cases of corporate clients and pursued the rights of countless personal injury victims, including abused and neglected elderly individuals through negligence and nursing home litigation. In the process, Mr. Fass has developed an extensive record litigating on his clients’ behalf, and currently holds the coveted and highest “AV” rating by Martindale-Hubbell.

Among his credentials, Mr. Fass has served as a special prosecutor for the State of Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation and has represented the Florida Marine Patrol, the Florida Highway Patrol, the Florida Department of Transportation, the Florida Department of Insurance and the City of North Lauderdale and Coral Springs.

In 1996, he was appointed by Broward County Commissioner John Hart as a member on the Broward County Charter Review Commission. In 2000, Mr. Fass was appointed by Broward County Commissioner Norman Abramowitz to serve on the Broward County Management and Efficiency Review Commission. He also served as Chair of the City of Weston’s first Charter Review Commission and subsequently was appointed to the most recent commission.

A member of both the Florida and New York Bars, Mr. Fass is licensed to practice law in state and federal, trial and appellate courts, as well as the United States Supreme Court. Mr. Fass’s professional memberships include the Florida Bar, the American Bar Association, the Broward County Bar Association, the American Trial Lawyers Association, the Association of Florida Trial Lawyers and the Stephen R. Booher American Inn of Court and the 17th Judicial Circuit Professionalism Committee.

Active in community and youth affairs, Mr. Fass has served as a director and officer on the board of directors of the Broward County Area Agency on Aging (of which he also is a past president), the B’Nai B’Rith Justice Unit and the Windmill Ranch Homeowners Association (president for the past 10 years). Mr. Fass organized and continues to chair the annual Presidents’ Fest in the Park, a community festival that has raised several hundred thousand dollars for local not-for-profits.

Mr. Fass received a Bachelor of Arts, cum laude, from the State University of New York at New Paltz and a Juris Doctorate from the State University of New York at Buffalo Law School.


Areas of Practice

· Personal injury
· Commercial litigation
· Insurance litigation
· Civil rights
· Children's rights
· Governmental consulting

Education

· State University of New York at Buffalo Law School, J.D. 1973
· State University of New York at New Paltz, B.A. 1969, cum laude

Professional Associations and Memberships

· Florida Bar Association
· New York Bar Association
· Florida State, Federal, Trial and Appellate courts
· United States Supreme Court
· American and Bar Association
· American Trial Lawyers Association
· Association of Florida Trial Lawyers
· Stephen R. Booher Inn of Court

Civic and Community Involvement

· Organizer and Chairman of the annual Presidents' Fest in the Park (1992-present)
· Board of Directors of the Broward County Area Agency on Aging (past president)
· Officer on the B'Nai B'Rith Justice Unit
· The Windmill Ranch Homeowners Association (president for the past ten years)

Special Recognition

· AV rated by Martindale-Hubbell
· Appointed to serve on Brownfield’s Redevelopment Task Force
· Appointed to serve on Weston’s first charter review commission
· Named "Super Lawyer" by Florida Super Lawyer Magazine (2008)

Conferences Attended

· 2008 Florida Office of Insurance Regulation Filing and Compliance Symposium, May 2008
· State of the Florida Insurance Market Summit:  2005, 2006, 2007, 2009


Recently Published Articles and Media Appearances

· Sun-Sentinel, Feb. 5, 2008---"Joel Fass Defends Foster Child in Multi-Million Dollar Settlement Against State" Mr. Fass successfully defended a Broward County foster child in a lawsuit settled against the Florida Department of Children & Families.

 · Daily Business Review--Oct. 22, 2007 "Girl Awarded After Being Molested by DCF Investigator" Mr. Fass and Tracey K. McPharlin successfully defended a child in a lawsuit against a child protection investigator with the Florida Department of Children & Families.