Practice Areas:

• Wrongful Death

• Personal Injury

• Litigation

• Probate Litigation

• Civil Trial

• Real Estate Litigation

Joshua A. Woolsey

Josh Woolsey was the former top Florida Prosecutor who has worked for Florida’s Governor in Tallahassee and the United States Congress in Washington, D.C. Josh has successfully handled thousands of criminal and civil matters, resulting in the recovery of millions of dollars for his clients. He has successfully tried over 100 civil and criminal trials, with a success rate of over 95%, including trial success in a $20 million dollar wrongful death claim.

Over the last few years alone, Josh has received in excess of $25 million in verdicts and judgments. He has obtained multiple million-dollar trial verdicts, as well as multiple million-dollar settlements for his clients. He has successfully litigated several high-profile cases and has represented celebrities, professional athletes, and large business executives. He prefers to represent hard-working individuals in need of aggressive legal representation.

Josh was named to the Business Journal’s top 40 under 40, Super Lawyers Magazine’s top lawyers and Florida Trend’s Florida Legal Elite. He is chairman of the Board of Communities in Schools, serves on the board of his local Rotary Club, served on the Board of the Fourth Judicial Circuit Juvenile Justice Coalition and was a long time big brother with Big Brothers Big Sisters.  Josh has four sons with his wife Casey and they live in Ponte Vedra, Florida.

Practice Areas:

• Commercial Litigation

• Family Law

• Wrongful Death

• Personal Injury

• Probate Litigation

Nicholas W. Morcom

Nick Morcom is an experienced jury trial lawyer.

Nick grew up in Jacksonville.  After graduating from the University of Texas at Austin School of Law, Nick worked for a prominent criminal defense attorney in Texas for two years.  During that time, Nick learned the importance of working the angles of disputes and litigating high stakes matters.  As a young attorney, Nick defended several high-profile defendants, including obtaining a not guilty verdict in a homicide trial.

Nick then worked for three years at the 4th Judicial Circuit State Attorney’s Office.  Nick was awarded the Outstanding New Prosecutor Award in 2007, supervised county court and served on the Gun Homicide Unit exclusively prosecuting homicides and other serious violent crimes.

Nick practiced as a shareholder in a prestigious Jacksonville law firm in the area of complex commercial litigation. His experience includes litigation of disputes involving contracts, banking, real property, retail petroleum sales, construction, and fiduciary relationships.

Nick joined Woolsey Morcom in 2017 to lead the firm’s burgeoning Family Law practice. Nick is currently a member of The Florida Family Law Inn of Court at the Barrister level.

Nick has been repeatedly named to Super Lawyers Magazine's Rising Stars and named to Florida Trend’s Florida Legal Elite. He is the former Chairman of the Leadership Team for Longleaf Church and actively promotes community involvement on the County Road 210 area.

Practice Areas:

• Civil Litigation

• Real Estate Litigation

• Criminal Defense

• Personal Injury

John Rockwell

John Rockwell is an experienced jury trial lawyer who brings over 15 years of experience in a variety of practice areas as a Florida attorney to Woolsey Morcom and leads the firm’s established criminal defense practice.  John focuses almost exclusively on successfully defending individuals accused of committing crimes in both state and federal court ranging from misdemeanors such as DUIs and drug charges, to serious felonies including firearm and drug offenses, murder/death penalty, RICO, white collar crimes and fraud, as well as injunction/restraining order prosecution and defense, post-conviction claims, and expungements and record sealing.  

As a former prosecutor with the 4th Judicial Circuit State Attorney’s Office for almost five years, John successfully tried to verdict over 50 criminal jury trials in Duval, Nassau and Clay County.  He was ultimately promoted to the Major Crimes division where he handled homicides, shootings, and other violent criminal offenses from initial crime scene response to jury trial including first degree murder cases where the State of Florida sought and obtained the death penalty.   

After graduating from the University of Miami School of Law with cum laude honors in 2004, John practiced at several law firms throughout Florida, including a large national law firm in downtown Jacksonville where he handled criminal defense matters as well as construction defect, foreclosure, real estate, and nursing home matters in both state and federal court.

John also has over six years in the insurance coverage/claims industry as a corporate attorney where he adjusted multi-million dollar complex construction defect and commercial general liability insurance coverage matters around the country for one of the nation’s largest insurance companies, as well as real estate title insurance claims for a national title insurance underwriter.  In this role, John learned how insurance companies think and evaluate claims, and, most importantly, what Plaintiff’s lawyers can do to trigger significant settlements.

John also practices in the areas of personal injury, real estate/foreclosure prosecution and defense, civil litigation and family law.

Practice Areas:

• Personal Injury

• Wrongful Death

• Commercial Litigation

• Family Law

Phillip M. Vogelsang

Phillip M. Vogelsang has been a practicing attorney since 2007.  Out of law school, Phil worked aggressively as a prosecutor at the 4th Judicial Circuit State Attorney’s Office for 3 years, gaining significant litigation experience and handling over 35 jury trials.  With a trial success rate of over 90% as a prosecutor, Phil was actively recruited into private practice by numerous law firms. 

In private practice, Phil has successfully handled thousands of civil, employment, family and criminal matters resulting in positive results for his clients.  He has had over 100 trials as an attorney and has never lost a criminal defense, personal injury or wrongful death case.  Phil has been General Counsel for the Fraternal Order of Police since 2010.  In that role he represents over 2400 police officers in employment, personal injury, criminal and family law matters.  As a personal injury attorney Phil has been able to obtain millions of dollars for his clients based on his vast litigation experience and tireless work ethic.

Phil is originally from Cincinnati, Ohio and has lived in Jacksonville since coming to Florida for law school in 2003. He went to the University of the Cumberlands for undergraduate school, where he played golf and was a member of their national debate team.  Phil was elected to the Jacksonville Beach City Council in 2012 and subsequently reelected in 2016 where he served until he was term limited in 2020.  Phil has received the Outstanding Young Professional Award from the Jacksonville Jaycees and currently serves as a mentor with Take Stock in Children.

Phil has two beautiful daughters with his wife Rebecca and they live in Jacksonville Beach, Florida.

Practice Areas:

• Civil Litigation

• Commercial Litigation

• Real Estate Litigation

• Trust and Estate Litigation

• Family Law

Elizabeth R. Panduro

Elizabeth is licensed in both Florida and Kentucky and focuses on civil and commercial litigation. She is dedicated to helping each client by combining incomparable client service with high caliber legal solutions. Her guiding principle is to ensure that each client is well cared for by an attorney truly interested in his or her wellbeing.

Elizabeth has been recognized as a Super Lawyers Rising Star and has been published numerous times. She received her law degree, magna cum laude, from the University of Louisville Brandeis School of Law, and her B.A., cum laude from University of Kentucky.

Prior to joining Woolsey Morcom, she worked at a large, reputable firm in Louisville Kentucky, providing legal services to high-net-worth clients and institutions.

Elizabeth enjoys spending time with her husband and son. She is an avid runner, pizza enthusiast, and enjoys going to the beach.

Practice Areas:

• Election and Campaign Finance

• Property Insurance Litigation

• Non-Profit & Industry Association

• Personal Injury

Erika Alba

Erika Alba is licensed in both California and Florida and practices business law and commercial & residential property insurance dispute litigation. In her legal practice, Erika advises clients on matters including first party property litigation, election law, nonprofit governance and compliance, and personal injury. She has successfully represented clients before California and Florida state courts and agencies.

Prior to joining Woolsey, Erika practiced for over ten years in the Jacksonville office of an Am Law 100 law firm. Before entering private practice, Erika served as Senior Vice President to Fidelity National Financial, a Fortune 500 company, where she served as assistant general counsel managing regulatory and compliance matters.

Earlier in her career, Erika served as Assistant Chief Counsel for the California Department of Insurance, Office of the Insurance Commissioner. In this capacity, she was the bureau chief of the Insurer Compliance Bureau, a litigation unit representing the California Insurance Commissioner on insurer enforcement actions. As bureau chief, Erika personally litigated numerous unfair business and claims practices and managed the prosecution of all cases brought by her division. Erika began her legal career as a prosecutor for the Amador County District Attorney’s Office (California).

Erika also served as a volunteer Sacramento County Temporary Judge where, as a member of a panel of qualified attorneys, she presided as a trial judge in the Traffic and Small Claims divisions.

When not in the office, Erika can be found on a baseball field with her husband, watching their teenage son play highs school and travel baseball.

Recognition

Erika was named to The Business Journal’s 2012 Women of Influence list, an honor bestowed upon Jacksonville’s most influential women.

Education

Erika received her legal education from McGeorge School of Law, University of the Pacific, in California where she earned a Juris Doctor degree in 1993, and in 1998, a Masters of Law in Transnational Business Practice, As part of her LL.M. program, Erika worked in Sydney, Australia, as a visiting attorney for the corporate law and commercial litigation firm of Norton Smith & Co. Erika received a Bachelor of Arts in political science from California State University, Northridge.

Community Engagement

Active in the community, Erika is a past chair of the Associated Industries of Florida (AIF), one of the premiere business organizations in the state of Florida and served as the first female chair of AIF in its 101-year history. Erika is also a former chair of the Boys and Girls Club of Northeast Florida. She also served as a member of the board of trustees for Florida Tax Watch. She currently serves on the board of the St. Johns County Chamber of Commerce Foundation.

In 2006, Erika served on the Florida Governor’s transition team where she was assigned to the Citizens Review Group for the Office of Financial Regulation. In 2010, she served as Northeast Florida finance chair for Attorney General Pam Bondi.

Publications

Co-author, “Issues to Watch in Fla.’s Telehealth Genetic Counseling Bills,” Law360, February 3, 2023

Co-author, “Private Equity Portfolio Company Political Activity,” The Journal of Private Equity,

Summer 2016

Admissions

California

Florida  

Practice Areas:

• Intellectual Property

• Civil Litigation

• Commercial Litigation

• Property Damage

• Construction Defect Claims

John M. Bustamante

Over the past 18 years, John M. Bustamante has focused on complex civil litigation throughout the country.

A fifth-generation Texan, John grew up in San Antonio. After graduating from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of Texas at Austin School of Law, John went to work for one of the largest firms in the world and then later, a large intellectual property law firm in Austin. During his time at these firms, John worked on cases and trials where hundreds of millions of dollars were at stake.

Over the past decade, John has worked for intellectual property boutique firms in Austin while growing his law practice and family in San Antonio. John focused on the details of complex litigation at every stage of litigation to effectively fight for his clients.

John serves as Chair of the Zoning Commission of the City of San Antonio, a member of the Planning Commission for the City of San Antonio, and as Treasurer of the Roosevelt Park Neighborhood Association.

More about John’s Intellectual Property Practice

Practice Areas:

• Personal Injury

• Civil Litigation

• Commercial Litigation

Jack Moran

Since joining Woolsey Morcom, Jack has successfully litigated hundreds of cases and recovered millions of dollars for his clients.

Just prior to joining Woolsey Morcom, Jack worked at a large well-respected civil litigation defense firm where he successfully represented national auto insurance companies and large corporations in high value lawsuits.  Prior to that he served as a state prosecutor with the State Attorney’s Office of the Fourth Judicial Circuit, where he was selected to prosecute serious felonies punishable by life in prison.

Jack brings this experience to Woolsey Morcom, where his practice focuses on representing people who have been injured by other parties.  His civil litigation practice includes the handling of car and trucking accidents, claims against insurance carriers, personal injury claims, and numerous other areas of civil litigation. 

Jack’s recent successes include:

• $1.1 million pre-suit recovery for a motorcycle accident victim,

• $475,861.55 trial verdict on a low-speed traffic crash,

• $1.65 million settlement for a car accident

• $600,000 settlement for a trip and fall

Jack is a successful trial lawyer who was one of the few lawyers who was able to successfully bring a case to trial during the Covid-19 pandemic.

During law school, Jack was a law clerk for the U.S. House Judiciary Committee and the State Attorney’s Office in Florida. He received the “Book Award” in Trial Practice and Advanced Trial Practice and a certificate in trial skills from the National Institute of Trial Advocacy. Jack was recently nominated and confirmed as a member of the National Trial Lawyers Top 40 Under 40 for his civil trial expertise.

Prior to law school, Jack was the district representative and legislative correspondent for Congressman Ander Crenshaw in the U.S. House of Representatives. Prior to that, he was the education director for the Eastside Police Athletic League After School Program.

Throughout his career, Jack has always focused on putting people and community first.

Jack enjoys spending time with his wife, Loren, and sons, Clark and John.

Practice Areas:

• First Party Property

• Personal Injury

Jonathan O’Neil

Jonathan (“Jon”) O’Neil is a native Floridian (born and raised in the Florida Panhandle) and an experienced trial and appellate attorney in Florida insurance law, including complex litigation and disputes ranging from residential to commercial properties and involving an assortment of property damage insurance claims, including water intrusion, pipe leak/burst, windstorm, hurricane, tornado, business interruption, hail, fire/smoke, lightning, sinkhole, and bad faith. In addition, Jon is experienced in handling liability litigation and disputes involving construction defect, personal injury, bodily injury, premises liability, and professional malpractice. Since being admitted to the Florida Bar, Jon has dedicated his career and practice to representing property owners and injured parties against insurance companies, greedy corporations, and careless/reckless individuals. To serve that pursuit, Jon joined Woolsey Morcom, PLLC where Jon has and will continue his fight and mission to zealously serve, defend, and protect his clients and assist them in recovering from the at-fault and/or responsible party.

 Prior to joining Woolsey Morcom, PLLC, Jon was employed by several respected law firms in Tampa Bay where he represented property owners across the State of Florida (from Pensacola to Jacksonville to Miami) in insurance litigation and disputes and developed experience in a wide variety of litigation and coverage disputes involving both commercial and residential properties. Jon’s professional experiences have provided him with a unique perspective and understanding of how the insurance industry operates and how claims are adjusted (whether property damage or personal injury), which has repeatedly proven to be a valuable asset for his clients.

 Jon graduated with honors and within the top 6% of his class from Stetson University College of Law where he also volunteered as an editor for the Stetson Journal of Advocacy and the Law and was employed as a law clerk at a respected law firm in Tampa Bay handling property insurance claims. Prior to Stetson, Jon obtained his BA in Political Science from the University of West Florida, where he graduated in the top of his class while working full-time running a small business.

Jon and his wife, Christine, have two small children (Everett and Lorelei) who are just as passionate and driven (if not more) than their parents. In his spare time, Jon enjoys fishing, gardening, travel, baseball, and most importantly adventures with his family.

 Above all, Jon O’Neil’s purpose as an attorney is to zealously serve, defend, and protect his clients and assist them in recovering from the at-fault and/or responsible party.

Practice Areas:

• Commercial Litigation

Joy Whitmore

Carolyn Joy Whitmore (“Joy”) is a proud Jacksonville native and Bishop Kenny alumni.  Before attending law school, she majored in creative writing at Florida State University and wrote for the FSView Newspaper where she learned the art of persuasive writing.  After graduating with honors from the University of Florida Levin College of Law, Joy worked as an assistant state attorney for the Fourth Judicial Circuit.  Joy enjoyed a winning trial record, prosecuting all manner of cases before being promoted to the Special Victims’ Unit where she focused on crimes against children.  Working in the courtroom on behalf of the most vulnerable in our community molded Joy into the zealous advocate she is today.   

She is a member of the Catholic Lawyer’s Guild and previously taught Catechism for her parish at St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Jacksonville Beach.  Joy’s family includes her husband, daughter, and four dogs. They enjoy travelling to the Blue Ridge Mountains and watching Jaguar Football. 

Practice Areas:

• Commercial Litigation

Nathaniel R. Stone

Nathaniel Stone joined Woolsey Morcom as Of Counsel in 2024. A 2003 graduate of the University of Texas School of Law, Nathaniel has been a member of the State Bar of Texas for more than 20 years. He practiced criminal defense in central Texas, representing indigent clients in felony and misdemeanor cases through the entire criminal process from pre-arrest investigation, jail visitation, pretrial release and discovery, plea and diversion negotiation, pretrial proceedings and evidence suppression hearings, administrative license revocation matters, to bench and jury trial, probation revocation, appeal, expunction and record sealing. 

In 2013 he became a full-time stay-at-home-dad. His wife, Emily, is the editor-in-chief of the award-winning travel magazine Texas Highways. They and their two children, Lucy and Charlie, reside near Austin. 

Nathaniel graduated with honors in 2000 from Wheaton College (IL). He enjoys hiking, backyard astronomy, reading on the beach, and imagining that he's a world-famous drummer. He's been involved in his community as an election precinct chair, an elder at church, and volunteer at school

Practice Areas:

• Maritime Law

• Business Litigation

• Business Negotiations

• Civil Trial

• Legislative Law

• Business Transactions

Richard G. Rumrell

Born Tampa, Florida, resident of St. Augustine, Florida. Admitted to the Florida Bar 1971, District of Columbia Bar 1976; U. S. District Court, Northern District of Florida 1972, U. S. District Court, Middle District of Florida and U. S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit, 1974; U. S. Supreme Court 1974; U. S. District Court, Southern District of Florida, General and Trial Bar 1976; U. S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit 1981.

Education: University of South Florida (B.A. 1967); Florida State University (J.D. with honors 1970); Florida Legislative Intern, Ford Foundation Fellow 1968; Nottingham Law School Ltd., Nottingham Trent University (LL.M., in Advanced Litigation, July 1996).

Member: Chairman, Jacksonville Economic Development Council 1992-1993; The Florida Bar; Proctor in Admiralty, Maritime Law Association of the United States; American Judicature Society; Board Certified Civil Trial Lawyer, Forty years as National Board of Trial Advocacy; Board Certified Civil Trial Lawyer, Florida Bar Board of Certification; Florida Bar Board of Certification; and Board Certified Business Litigation, Florida Bar Board of Certification. Member: Judicial Nominating Commission of the Fourth Judicial Circuit of Florida 1995-1999; Chairman 1997-1998. Former Administrative Assistant to Lawton M. Chiles; Former Staff Director Florida House of Representatives Elections Committee; Former Congressional Intern with Tampa Congressman Sam Gibbons; member Florida Justice Association

Publications: "Use of Circumstantial Evidence to Prove an Environmental Case Against the Federal Government" in the Thomas Cooley Law Review; "Admissibility of Blood Alcohol Tests in Civil and Criminal Trials" in the Florida Bar Journal, Volume 55, May, 1981; "Litigation on Both Sides of the Pond" in The Litigator, publisher, Sweet & Maxwell, February, 1995, by Richard Rumrell and Neville Radcliffe; and "Bad Faith and the Economic Loss Rule: The Thin Grey Line" in International Insurance Law Review, May 1998, publisher, Sweet & Maxwell.

Honors: AV Rated Martindale Hubbell; Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers, Super Lawyers (2006-2011, 2013-2023), Past Fellow Litigation Counsel of America.

Of counsel

Henry Dean

Henry Dean, a long-standing St. Johns County resident, began an extensive career in government and politics shortly after receiving his Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Iowa in 1970 and his Juris Doctor from Florida State University in 1974. After briefly serving as an environmental aide to Florida Governor Rueben Askew, he served as an attorney for the State Land Planning Agency and then as general counsel for the Florida Department of Natural Resources.

With a keen interest in environmental policy, Henry focused his attention on water quality, and served as the Executive Director of the St. Johns River Water Management District for 17 years. While in this position, he established the first minimum flows and levels in Florida for the Wekiva River System, gave special attention to springs protection, lead efforts to acquire critical buffers to benefit Silver Springs and Silver Glen Springs, and assisted with restoring more than 200,000 acres of marsh along the St. Johns River. Henry also served as the Executive Director of the South Florida Water Management District for four years, and led the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Program during this time. Since 2005, he has remained active in conservation efforts as an environmental consultant.

Henry Dean was elected as St. Johns County's District 5 Commissioner in 2016, and re-elected for a second term in 2020. He is a member of the Florida Bar, and served on the Board of Directors for both the Audubon of Florida and the Interstate Council on Water Policy. Henry has four children, and currently lives in St. Augustine Beach with his wife Melanie.

Director of investigations

David B. Shoar

Before joining Woolsey Morcom in 2023 as its Director of Investigations, Sheriff Shoar began his law enforcement career as a police officer with the St. Augustine Police Department in 1981. He served as a uniformed patrol officer for ten years until his promotion to Sergeant in 1991. Sheriff Shoar served as a uniformed Patrol Sergeant through 1997. In 1997, he was promoted to Operations Commander overseeing the Patrol and Detective Divisions. In 1999, he was assigned as the Administrative Services Commander. He served in that capacity until May of 2000, when City Manager Bill Harriss appointed him Chief of Police.

Sheriff Shoar is a 1987 Honors graduate from St. Johns River Community College. He graduated with highest honors in 1996 from the University of North Florida, earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice. In 2001, he was awarded a Master’s Degree in Public Administration with highest honors from the University of North Florida.

Sheriff Shoar is a member of several academic honor societies including Phi Kappa Phi and the Golden Key National Honor Society. He has served as an adjunct professor at St. Johns River Community College and Flagler College in St. Augustine, Florida.

In 2005, Sheriff Shoar was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Law degree from Flagler College. Also in 2005, Flagler College created the David B. Shoar Award for Academic Achievement to recognize the graduate of the Public Administration Baccalaureate Degree program who maintains the highest grade point average. Sheriff Shoar worked with Flagler College to create the Public Administration baccalaureate degree program for working professionals in 2003.

Sheriff Shoar retired from the St. Augustine Police Department in 2004 after being elected to serve as Sheriff of St. Johns County. After re-election in 2008 and 2012, Sheriff Shoar was elected to his fourth and final term as Sheriff in 2016. 

In 2014, Shoar was elected by his fellow Sheriffs to serve as President of the Florida Sheriffs Association. He has served on a variety of advisory boards including the University of North Florida’s Institute of Government and the St. Johns County Chamber of Commerce. He has also served on the Board of Directors of EPIC Behavioral Healthcare in St. Johns County.

Sheriff Shoar was appointed by three successive Florida Governors (Crist, Scott, and DeSantis) to serve as one of nineteen commissioners on The Florida Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission (2010-2020).

Sheriff Shoar is married to the former Laura Giannotta. They are the parents of two children, Emily and Matthew. They live in the Crescent Beach area and belong to St. Anastasia Catholic Church in St. Augustine.