Mr. Pleat, founding partner of the firm, graduated from Duquesne University in 1981 (B.A.). He attended law school at the University of Baltimore (J.D. 1985) and was admitted to the Maryland Bar in 1985. He served as a law clerk for the Honorable J. James McKenna, Circuit Court Judge, Montgomery County, Maryland, following admission to the Bar. In 1993, he was admitted to the District of Columbia Bar, and in September 1995, he was admitted to the Florida Bar. Mr. Pleat practiced for ten years as a litigator in the Washington, D.C. and Baltimore areas. He relocated to Florida and has practiced in Florida since 1995. He has extensive litigation experience in a variety of state and federal courts. He has litigated cases in the areas of personal injury (wrongful death, complex medical malpractice, auto accidents); real estate (foreclosures, litigation, developments, closings); condominium and homeowner's association law (litigation, foreclosures, collection work, general counsel); business and corporate law; and general civil litigation matters.
In addition to being a member of two state and the District of Columbia bars, he is also admitted to practice in two federal district courts. Mr. Pleat was selected to the First Circuit Bench/Bar Professionalism Committee. He is a member of the The Florida Bar Grievance Committee (2008-2011; Chair, 2012) and was the Destin Area Chamber of Commerce's Business Person of the Year (2011). He is active in the Destin Area Chamber of Commerce; Walton Area Chamber of Commerce; Community Associations Institute; Okaloosa-Walton Bar Association; The Florida Bar and the Florida Justice Association.
