TAMPA, FL – The law firm of Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick, LLP is pleased to announce that Mark A. Connolly, partner in the Tampa office, was the lead advocate for House Bill 1019 (tort reform legislation relating to child welfare agencies) at the Pinellas County Juvenile Welfare Board public forum debate/round table discussion held on March 25, 2011.  Earlier that week, Mr. Connolly assisted Representative Plakon and the Florida Coalition for Children in making a presentation to a house subcommittee on HB 1019, which reduces limits of liability and limits of mandatory insurance coverage for lead community-based providers and their subcontractors.  The bill also immunizes the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) from liability for acts or omissions of lead community-based agencies and subcontractors.

Mr. Connolly serves as the City Attorney for the City of Temple Terrace, Florida, and as general counsel to child welfare agencies in the Tampa Bay area and Southwest Florida.  He has extensive experience representing individuals, businesses and governmental entities in commercial, tort and real estate litigation.  He also has extensive experience in representing governmental clients, including handling public meetings, negotiating contracts and interlocal agreements, and providing general legal advice and counseling on matters such as the Sunshine Law, Public Records Law, and ethics for public officials.  Mr. Connolly also has successfully represented health care providers in various litigation matters, and he has substantial experience in the enforcement of restrictive covenants.  Mr. Connolly is AV® Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell. Mr. Connolly received his J.D. from Stetson University College of Law and his B.S. from the University of Florida.

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Founded in 1925, Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick, LLP is a full service law firm with 215 attorneys practicing in Toledo and Columbus, Ohio; Tampa and Sarasota, Florida; and Charlotte, North Carolina.