Swope Rodante

Dale Swope is managing partner of Swope, Rodante, P.A. which is the development of the solo firm practice he founded 6 months out of law school, in 1979.

Mr. Swope is a Tampa native, and a graduate of Hillsborough High School, the University of South Florida, and the University of Florida Law School. The firm’s most senior lawyer, Mr. Swope has received virtually every professional recognition available to lawyers who practice in his field.

He has an AV rating (the highest possible) by Martindale-Hubble, the oldest reviewing agency in the country. He has a ‘Superb’ rating (the highest possible) by AVVO.com, that is probably the newest rating agency in the country.

He has been designated as a ‘Super Lawyer’ by that Thompson-Reuters publication. He is listed in ‘Best Lawyers in America,’ ‘Who’s Who in the South’ and ‘Who’s Who in American law.’

For more than a dozen years he has been Board Certified as a Civil Trial Specialist and was previously also Board Certified as a Business Litigation Specialist. These certifications are considered the most substantive credentialing of attorneys, since admission actually requires taking a substantial test and serious peer review by lawyers and judges familiar with the lawyer’s work.

He was the original incorporator of the Tampa Bay Trial Lawyers Association and the first of three partners in the firm (along with Angela Rodante and Lisha Bowen) who have been elected as president of that organization. He has been a director of the Florida Justice Association, and served on its executive committee in 2010.

American Board of Trial Advocates is an organization of requires actual trial experience and peer approval for admission, and he has been a member for more than a decade.
Recently, Mr. Swope was elected to be a member in the prestigious American Law Institute. He is also a Life Fellow of the American Bar Foundation.

But while the recognition of these prestigious organizations is flattering, Mr. Swope will quickly tell you that none of these ‘credentials’ mean a thing compared to a simple ‘thanks’ from a client or family that has been helped by the law firm.

Mr. Swope is committed to bettering the lives of the injured and those who have been wronged by insurance companies through his work and involvement with the community.

Distinctions

• Board Certified by the Florida Bar as a Civil Trial Specialist:
  A certification requiring a favorable showing of actual trial experience, positive reports from other lawyers and judges familiar with his abilities, and requiring the successful completion of a comprehensive examination testing knowledge of civil trial law. Certification also requires continuing legal education specifically in this field, significantly more than what is required of all lawyers.
• Listed in Martindale-Hubble with an AV rating.*
  Martindale-Hubble does not make an independent evaluation of lawyers but relies exclusively on confidential opinions expressed by sampling selected members of the Bar and judiciary familiar with the lawyer.
  
• Recipient of the Hillsborough County Bar Association’s Outstanding Young Lawyer Award, Hillsborough County Bar Association, 1988, significant accomplishments achieved during the Bar year.
• Celebration, 1987-1988: A project which earned the “Most Significant Project by a Young Lawyers Section” award from the Florida Bar, Young Lawyers Section in 1988.
• Member of the Board of Directors of the Hillsborough County Young Lawyers Section, 1988-1989.
• Recipient of American Jurisprudent Award in Contracts and in Negotiations.
• Founder and initial Chairman of the Hillsborough County Solo Practitioners Committee, 1991, 1992.
• Mickey Smiley Award for Mentorship, Florida Justice Association Young Lawyers section
• S. Victor Tipton Award, Florida Justice Association, superior achievement in legal writing
• American Jurisprudent Award in Contracts and in Negotiations
• Champion for Children Award, Voices for Children, a Guardian Ad Litem program, 2005
• Top Lawyer Award, Tampa Bay Business Journal, 2010
• Vicente Martinez-Ybor Award, Ybor City Museum Society, 2006
• Super Lawyer, 2006-current (only 5% of Florida Lawyers are selected)
• Best Lawyers in America, 2008-current
• Member of the American Law Institute, a prestigious organization of lawyers, judges and law professors around the country.
• Crystal EAGLE Award, Florida Justice Association, lifetime giving
• Executive committee member, Florida Justice Association, 2010
• Life Fellow, American Bar Foundation, 2011
• “Legal Leader” in Florida Trend’s 2011 Florida Legal Elite
• “Rough Rider” & Teddy Roosevelt Award, Florida Justice Association, for his efforts to preserve the civil justice system during the 2011 Legislative Session, an award that is only given once per decade, 2011

Professional & Community Involvement

Ybor City Museum Society (President, 2007-2008)- An enthusiast for Ybor City’s rich history, Mr. Swope works with the museum to preserve, promote and celebrate the city’s heritage.

Save Tampa History LLC (President)- This organization renovates old casitas in the area and leases them out to responsible families in need. Ultimately, this is done in the effort to bring families back to the city and provide them with proper housing.

Tre Amici @ The Bunker – In 2004, Dale and Joseph Kokolakis decided to restore The Bunker building. Two years later, Mr. Swope and Ms. Rodante opened a café where friends gather for meaningful conversations and great coffee. Serving coffee, beer, wine and food, Tre Amici @ The Bunker regularly hosts art exhibits and musical events.

Chair of the Hillsborough High School Football Trust- Prior to this trust, the Hillsborough High School football team was forced to compete with much better funded schools. As a member of the football alumni, Mr. Swope formed the Hillsborough High School football trust to help the team receive the proper funding needed to compete fairly.

Publications & Presentations

Author of “Tips for the Auto Practitioner,” a monthly column Journal of the Florida Justice Association

Co-author with Shea Moxon and Celene Humphries, “Bad Faith Claims,” the Florida Medical Malpractice Handbook (2nd Edition), Florida Bar Cle Manual (2009)

“The Strategies, Techniques and Pitfalls of Cases Involving a Liability Carrier’s Bad Faith Claims Handling,” Florida Justice Association 2009 Insurance Seminar (Tampa) (November 12, 2009)

“Strategies to Beat Insurance Company Conduct of Deny, Delay and Don’t Pay: A Review of Recent Caselaw,” Florida Justice Association 2009 Automobile Negligence Seminar (Tampa) (September 25, 2009)

“The X Files: What Insurance Companies Don’t Want You to Know about Bad Faith,” Florida Justice Association 2008 Masters of Justice Seminar (St. Petersburg) (December 5, 2008)

“More than a Slingshot: First and Third Party Bad Faith – Taking Aim at Goliath: Conquering the Insurance Giants,” Florida Justice Association 2008 Insurance Seminar (Tampa) (October 23, 2008)

“Identifying and Preserving the Third Party Bad Faith Claim,” Georgia Trial Lawyers Association (Atlanta) (September 24, 2008)

“Automotive Law Legislative Changes and Case Law Update” Seminar, Speaker at the Florida Justice Association Conference (June 2007)

“Nuts and Bolts of a Bad Faith Case,” Speaker at Insurance Bad Faith Seminar for Florida Justice Association (March 2007)

“New Approached to Damages,” Speaker at Association of Trial Lawyers of America Conference (Feb. 2007)

“Bad Faith: Getting to the Heart of the Matter at Mediation” Speaker at Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers Seminar (Dec. 2006)

“Tips for Proving the Bad Faith Case,” Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers Seminar Presentation (Sept. 2006)

Al J. Cone Trial Seminar for the Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers (August 2006)

Hillsborough County Bar Association State Court Trial Seminar (June 2006)

FDLA Conference Seminar Presentation (June 2006)

Medical Malpractice Seminar for Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers Conference (April 2006)

“The Seven Cardinal Sins Committed by Trial Lawyers” Speaker at Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers Seminar (Feb. 2006)

Co-author with Shea Moxon and Celene Humphries, “Bad Faith Claims,” The Florida Medical Malpractice Handbook (1st Edition), Florida Bar CLE Manual (2006)

Co-author with Shea Moxon and Celene Humphries, “Practice and Procedure in Handling an Automobile Case,” Florida Automobile Insurance Law (6th Edition), Florida Bar CLE Manual (2005)

“The Beginning of an Insurance Bad Faith Case,” 2005 Annual Education Seminar sponsored by Tampa Bay Paralegal Association, September 23, 2005

“Keeping Faith in Bad Faith – Berges v. Infinity Insurance Co.,” 2005 Annual Convention – General Session: Advanced Trial Skills Seminar, Speaker, June 1, 2005