Today we’d like to introduce you to Eliot Dempsey.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
For me, the road to my legal career has been a long and winding one. Upon graduating from the University of Georgia as an English major, I began my career as a sportswriter at newspapers in Arizona and Colorado. As the internet slowly took over the daily newspaper business, I made the decision to go to law school, originally planning on working in the sports world.
But as life and the legal world would have it, plans often have to change based on circumstances. Following law school graduation in 2012 from Nova Southeastern University’s Shepard Broad College of Law, my first job offer was at a prestigious Fort Lauderdale based Insurance Defense firm. Sports it was not, but it was an excellent introduction to civil litigation, and to being in the courtroom – my new playing field.
The first thing you learn out of law school is that there is a lot they don’t teach you in school about the actual practice of law, and daily life as an attorney. I learned a lot at that first job, as well as the next few, but more importantly – I learned what I did not want to do, and how I did not want to practice. I wanted to make a difference in people’s lives, and the way to do that is to work for the people, not the giant corporations or the Big Law firms.
What I quickly found in the law, is that much like sports such as boxing or football, size and strength can matter in the law, especially when it is a big bad insurance company or big bad law firm bullying the individual, the family, the small business owner. I quickly learned that I would rather stand with the little guy and fight back against the big bad bullies of the legal world.
For me, it was a matter of principle, and so for the majority of my career I have represented Plaintiffs such as individual homeowners fighting against their homeowner insurance companies, personal injury victims fighting back against the insurance company who would deny them the benefits they deserve, and small businesses and individual consumers fighting back against those large corporations who too often take advantage of them.
I opened The Dempsey Law Firm, P.A., in 2016, and have been representing clients of all types in the areas of general civil litigation, first party property / homeowners’ insurance litigation, personal injury, and Wills, Trusts, and Estate Planning.
Running my own firm allows me to build relationships with my clients as they know its not some new associate or some overloaded senior attorney working the file – its me – and they have a direct line to me at all times throughout course of their case. I put an emphasis on client communication and on keeping them informed throughout the case.
I’m originally from Atlanta, Georgia, and I do believe that bringing that “southern gentleman,” mentality and way of treating people has paid dividends with both my clients and opposing counsel because at the end of the day, the law is a people business, and I have found that if you treat people right and with respect, it will work out for you in the end.
We recently opened our new main office in Miami, Florida, in the Aventura area, and have also expanded across the state with ten satellite office as we seek to offer tailored service to our clients and ARAG Members all over Florida. We are a participating ARAG Attorney Provider and to better serve our clients and ARAG members, we now have satellite offices where we can meet, by appointment only, in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Naples, Fort Myers, Tampa, St. Petersburg, Lakeland, Daytona Beach, Orlando, Jacksonville, and Tallahassee.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
As I mentioned, the road of my legal career has not only been a long and winding one, but it has had its fair share of bumps and detours along the way as well. From the start, facing challenges of being a start-up law firm fighting against national and international insurance defense firms with hundreds of attorneys, it has been an underdog story. But, like any good sports movie, this underdog has kept fighting. The COVID pandemic put a big bump in the road, not just for my firm, but for many others out there, and it was a challenge to get though that period when most of my business at that time was word of mouth and going out and networking.
But, as in any business, you have to be lean and agile so that when the bumps in the road inevitably come, you can adapt, improvise, and overcome any challenges you face. The COVID era brought a need for internet marketing and social media saavy, and then post-pandemic, it was back to in-person networking and building a brand through hard work, quality work product, and results that left clients coming back and referring others.
Serving ARAG members across Miami and the state has led to a new client base and the ability to help clients who may not otherwise have access to legal help.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
We specialize in civil litigation, representing homeowners in disputes with insurance companies and contractors, as well as personal injury victims and small businesses and individuals in civil court with general civil litigation.
We represent many clients in homeowners’ insurance litigation and claims disputes, helping Florida homeowners who have had their homes damaged by hurricanes, roof leaks, and plumbing losses, and other damages.
Personal injury cases often involve automobile accidents, slip and falls, and negligent security claims. Via our work with ARAG Members, we represent clients across the state who have ARAG Legal Insurance, and it allows us to offer legal services to clients in a variety of cases like contractors and real estate disputes, consumer protection disputes, Lemon Law and car dealership matters, and small claims court assistance.
We also have found that many of our clients in the past have needed Wills, Trusts, and Estate Planning, but have been turned off by sky-high pricing in those areas. So, we have made it a point to price our services reasonably so as to ensure that all families have the protection and peace of mind they deserve, without having to break their entire bank to do it.
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
For those new attorneys, or those wondering if this is the road for them, don’t be scared by the bumps in the road. In any career, you will have them. And, do not let me understate it, but this career is not for everyone. It is stressful, it can cause burnout, and it will often take up nights and weekends if you want to really give it your all. But, if you do, and if you truly want to make a difference in people’s lives, then this is a road that can get you there. Don’t be afraid of what you don’t know, and try things out to see not only what you like and want to do with your career, but what you don’t want to do, as often times that can be even more important. Finally, don’t be afraid to ask for help or seek mentorship from older and more experienced attorneys. It take a village to raise a child – and a decent attorney too.
Pricing:
- Property Damages/Homeowners’ cases are contingency fee based, you pay nothing out of pocket.
- Personal Injury is handled on a contingency fee basis, and you pay nothing out of pocket.
- ARAG Members have fee schedules via ARAG for individual matters.
- WIlls, Trusts, and Estate Planning is done on a flat-fee, upfront pricing model.
- General Civil Litigation is an hourly rate.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.thedempseylaw.com
- Instagram: @thedempseylaw
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/thedempseylawfirm
- LinkedIn: linkedin/eliotdempsey
- Twitter: @TheDempseyLaw
