Lou Stern devotes his practice to defending and advising employers, carriers, and their servicing agents in the areas of workers' compensation and employment law. His clients include governmental bodies, construction and general contractor self-insureds, national insurance companies, statewide servicing agents, and large national to small local employers. Prior to joining the firm, he was an Assistant State Attorney for the Nineteenth Judicial Circuit. Lou routinely speaks on topics relating to workers' compensation and employment matters at local and state-wide seminars. He has been given the rating of "AV Preeminent," the highest rating possible by his peers through Martindale-Hubbell and was named a Top Lawyer in Sarasota and Manatee Counties by Sarasota Magazine in conjuction with Martindale-Hubbell. His twenty-two years of workers' compensation experience includes numerous final hearings and countless doctor depositions. During his four and a half years as Assistant State Attorney he handled more than 80 jury trials and multiple bench trials.PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES Florida Defense Lawyers AssociationSarasota County Bar AssociationAmerican Bar Association, Labor and Employment Section, Law Practice Management SectionADMISSIONS The Florida BarUnited States Supreme CourtUnited States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh CircuitUnited States District Court for the Middle, Northern and Southern District of FloridaEDUCATIONFlorida State University College of Law, J.D., 1987Florida State University, B.S., with honors, 1984