Please note: An active Florida Bar license is required for this position.
There’s a point in your litigation career when the right opportunity isn’t simply about finding another firm. It’s about finding the right cases, the right mentors, and the right environment to keep growing.
Tyson & Mendes is looking for an experienced Florida defense attorney to join a busy litigation team handling sophisticated, high-exposure matters throughout Central Florida. This is an opportunity for an attorney who already has a strong foundation in litigation but wants to sharpen their skills alongside attorneys who are regularly in the courtroom.
You’ll work closely with two of Tyson & Mendes’ accomplished trial attorneys, Holly Howanitz and Stefani Cogsdale, gaining meaningful exposure to case strategy, motion practice, discovery, depositions, trial preparation, and trials themselves.
If you’re a strong writer, a thoughtful strategist, and the kind of attorney who takes ownership of your work while still wanting to learn from great lawyers, we’d love to meet you.
This isn’t a volume practice built around handling the same type of case over and over. The team handles sophisticated and often high-exposure litigation, including trucking and motor vehicle matters, premises liability, surgical and medical-related cases, and other complex liability matters.
You’ll have the opportunity to take meaningful ownership of your cases while collaborating closely with attorneys who care deeply about strategy, preparation, and getting the details right.
We’re looking for someone who takes pride in excellent work product. You’re a strong legal writer, comfortable with substantive motion practice and discovery, and able to independently move assignments and cases forward.
You’re also coachable. You welcome thoughtful feedback because you want to keep getting better, and once expectations are clear, you can run with them.
Ideally, you’ll bring 5–8 years of litigation experience, including insurance defense, along with substantive experience in discovery and motion practice. Trial experience is highly valued, but if you haven’t yet had significant courtroom opportunities, what matters is that you want them.
Law Review or another demonstrated record of exceptional legal research and writing is particularly attractive for this team.
One of the biggest reasons to consider this opportunity is the leadership around you.
You’ll have the opportunity to work closely with Holly and Stefani, two highly experienced trial attorneys at Tyson & Mendes, on significant Florida matters. They are hands-on, engaged leaders who care about developing strong lawyers and producing exceptional work.
This is a great fit for someone who wants genuine mentorship—not just a name assigned to them on an organizational chart.
You’ll be trusted to work independently, but you won’t be left to figure everything out alone. As you build trust and demonstrate your capabilities, you’ll have the opportunity to take on greater responsibility and continue developing as a litigator.
Stefani is based in Orlando and handles significant work throughout Central Florida, making Orlando an especially attractive location for this position. While the team is connected to our Jacksonville office, the role offers the opportunity to build alongside a growing presence in Central Florida without an expectation of constant travel.
And because Tyson & Mendes is a national litigation firm, you’ll have the resources, technology, training, and opportunities of a large organization while working closely with a team where your contribution is visible.
We’re looking for an attorney who is smart, driven, detail-oriented, and excited to keep learning. Someone who wants challenging cases, meaningful responsibility, excellent mentors, and the opportunity to become an even stronger advocate.
If that sounds like the next chapter you’ve been looking for, we’d love to start a conversation.
Apply today and come see what you can build at Tyson & Mendes.
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We’re one of the fastest-growing civil defense firms in the country—known for breaking the mold of the traditional law firm. Our dynamic, diverse team of trial attorneys delivers exceptional results, from landmark cases like Howell v. Hamilton Meats to numerous defense verdicts across the nation.
But we don’t stop at great legal work—we invest in our people. With specialized training in our proven defense methods, clear paths to leadership, and robust professional development, we empower attorneys to grow their careers, build their personal brands, and become leaders in the field.
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OK, now for the legal copy (we are a law firm, after all). It is Tyson & Mendes’ policy to ensure equal employment opportunity without discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, religion, color, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), parental status, national origin, age, disability, family medical history or genetic information, political affiliation, military service, or other non-merit-based factors. By the way, if you read all of this, congratulations – we can already tell your attention to detail is exceptional.
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Pay Range
$150,000—$190,000 USD
Tyson & Mendes’ goal is to achieve justice for all through innovation, collaboration, and outstanding service. Founded in 2002 by principal trial attorneys Robert Tyson and Patrick Mendes, we are an AV-rated litigation firm of 250+ attorneys across the U.S. specializing in defending insurers, corporations, and insureds in civil litigation. Tyson & Mendes represents clients throughout Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, and Washington. Our attorneys also serve clients in Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, and Wisconsin.
We have handled some of the most contentious cases that have helped define insurance defense litigation and have earned a reputation for targeting the threat of and stopping Nuclear Verdicts® – runaway jury verdicts exceeding $10 million.
Our trial-only subsidiary, TM HALO®, is wholly dedicated to stemming the tide of Nuclear Verdicts®. Comprised of elite Tyson & Mendes defense attorneys with decades of courtroom experience, TM HALO® lawyers parachute in to manage the thorniest, highest-stakes cases.
We ensure our attorneys have the tools to achieve exceptional results and protect clients from excessive jury awards. Through programs like TM University and the Tyson & Mendes Trial Academy, our attorneys receive deep training on proven defense methods outlined in Founding Partner Robert Tyson’s best-selling book, "Nuclear Verdicts®: Defending Justice for All."
Our newest strategy, The Apex, builds on 20+ years of courtroom success and data from 100 Nuclear Verdicts®. Launched in 2025, it is a trial-proven framework to help defense teams recognize and break patterns in high-stakes litigation. The strategy is detailed in our forthcoming book, "Nuclear Verdicts®: The Apex – Break the Pattern," by Founding Partner Robert Tyson and National Managing Partner Cayce Lynch.
