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 is approved by the Department of Financial Services as an instructor in the field of workers' compensation and 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 conjunction 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.

PUBLICATIONS

• "Workers’ Compensation Claims - To Try or Not To Try? Coming Out on the Winning End Without Going to Trial," by E. Louis Stern and Jacqueline L. Blanton, Florida Underwriter Magazine, Workers’ Comp Report to the Industry Supplement, August 2009, p. S-6
• "Workers' Compensation Benefits - Difficult Medical Issues Abound," by E. Louis Stern and Jodi J. Jaffe, Florida Underwriter Magazine, Workers' Comp Report to the Industry Supplement, May 2009, p. S-10
• "Managing Claims for TTD and TPD Under Florida's Post-October 2003 Statute," by E. Louis Stern, Florida Underwriter, May 2008, Volume 25, Number 5.
• "Court Ruling Puts Pressure on Carriers," by E. Louis Stern, The Choice Report on Workers' Compensation, Choice Medical Management, Volume 3, Issue 3, Summer 2005.

Professional Activities

• Florida Defense Lawyers Association
• Sarasota County Bar Association
• American Bar Association, Labor and Employment Section, Law Practice Management Section

Admissions

• The Florida Bar
• United States Supreme Court
• United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
• United States District Court for the Middle, Northern and Southern District of Florida

Education

• Florida State University College of Law, J.D., 1987
• Florida State University, B.S., with honors, 1984