C. Steven Yerrid

Background

Yerrid, C. Steven was born on September 30, 1949 in Charleston, West Virginia, United States. Son of Charles George and Audrey Faye Yerrid.

Education

Bachelor in History and Political Science, Louisiana State University, 1971; Juris Doctor, Georgetown University, 1975.

Career

Worked at Yerrid, Knopik & Mudano, P.A. (Tampa, Florida) specializing in General Civil Trial Practice in all State and Federal Courts. Personal Injury and Wrongful Death, Medical Negligence, Products Liability, Admiralty, Commercial and Administrative Litigation. Admitted to the bar, 1975, Virginia and Florida.

1983, District of Columbia. United States. Supreme Court. United States. Court of Appeals, Fifth and Eleventh Circuits and District of Columbia and United States.

District Court, Southern and Middle Districts of Florida. Phi Delta Phi. Certified Circuit Court Mediator and Circuit Court Arbitrator in the Florida Courts and Designated Arbitrator in the Middle District of Florida. Special Counsel to the President, United Way of America, Washington, D.C., 1990.

Endowment for Academy Giving to Law and Education (Benefactor). Recipient: 1995 Golden EAGLE Exemplary Leadership Award. 1994 EAGLE Talon Award.

1990 Silver EAGLE Outstanding Leadership Award. Listed in: Who's Who in American Law. Law & Leading Attorneys.

Best Lawyers in America (Woodward/White, Inc.). Co-Author: "Unsafe Places: Can the Courtroom Make a Difference?", Florida Bar Journal, May, 1990. Author: "Inflation and Reduction to Present Value, a New Approach," presented to the Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers, Davos, Switzerland, March, 1985.

"Proving Damages in the Significant Personal Injury Cases", paper and lecture presented to Florida Bar meeting, Miami, Florida, April, 1992. "Subsequent Remedial Measures: Traps or Treasures?", paper and lecture presented to the Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers, Vail, Colorado, December, 1992. "Best Known and Least Used Rules of Evidence", paper and lecture presented to Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers Annual Meeting, 1994.

"Preparing for Trial", paper and lecture presented for National Education Network, Manchester Center, Vermont, April, 1993. "Florida's Tobacco War", keynote speech presented on behalf of Governor Chiles at the annual Florida Epidemiology Conference, July 1996. Member: Hillsborough County (Young Lawyers Board of Directors, 1978-1979.

Executive Committee, Trial Lawyers Section, 1988-1989. Chairman, Judicial Liaison Committee, 1990-1991) and American (Member, Litigation and Public Utilities Sections) Bar Associations. The Florida Bar (Chairman, Admiralty Law Committee, 1984-1985.

Civil Trial Board Certification Committee, 1988-1991, Vice-Chairman, 1990-1991, Chairman, 1994—. Virginia State Bar; Inner Circle of Advocates. Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers (Designated Continuing Legal Education Speaker, 1982—.

Board of Directors, 1989—. Executive Committee, 1995—). The Association of Trial Lawyers of America (Sustaining Member).

Texas Trial Lawyers Association. Maritime Law Association of the United States (Proctor). Southeastern Admiralty Law Institute.

Eleventh Circuit Historical Society. American Judicature Society. Propeller Club of the United States, Port of Tampa.

The Supreme Court Historical Society. American Board of Trial Advocates (Advocate). American Inns of Court Foundation (Supporting Fellow).

Ferguson-White American Inn of Court (Master, 1995). (Board Certified Civil Trial Lawyer, Florida Bar Board of Legal Specialization and Education. Certified as a Civil Trial Advocate by the National Board of Trial Advocacy).

YERRID, KNOPIK & VALENZUELA, P.A. is a law firm specializing in trial practice. The firm was founded by C. Steven Yerrid, Christopher S. Knopik, and Henry E. Valenzuela, three trial attorneys who have continuously practiced law together since 1985. Members of the firm, all board certified civil trial lawyers, have been involved in a number of significant trials over the past several years in substantive areas ranging from personal injury and wrongful death, premises liability, maritime, medical negligence, legal negligence, defamation and products liability to complex commercial matters involving lender liability, breach of contract, unfair competition, intellectual property and eminent domain.

These litigated matters are capably handled in a wide variety of state and federal venues, while the firm also remains closely attuned to the merits and utility of alternative dispute resolution techniques and features three certified mediators and an arbitrator. Members of the firm are extremely active in bar functions and participate in continuing legal education seminars, as well as civic and charitable groups dedicated to advancement of community goals and the public good.

Achievements

• Bar: Florida 1975, Virginia 1975, Supreme Court of the United States Court 1979, District of Columbia 1984.

Membership

Member: Hillsborough County (Young Lawyers Board of Directors, 1978-1979. Executive Committee, Trial Lawyers Section, 1988-1989. Chairman, Judicial Liaison Committee, 1990-1991) and American (Member, Litigation and Public Utilities Sections) Bar Associations.

The Florida Bar (Chairman, Admiralty Law Committee, 1984-1985. Civil Trial Board Certification Committee, 1988-1991, Vice-Chairman, 1990-1991, Chairman, 1994—. Virginia State Bar; Inner Circle of Advocates.

Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers (Designated Continuing Legal Education Speaker, 1982—. Board of Directors, 1989—. Executive Committee, 1995—).

The Association of Trial Lawyers of America (Sustaining Member). Texas Trial Lawyers Association. Maritime Law Association of the United States (Proctor).

Southeastern Admiralty Law Institute. Eleventh Circuit Historical Society. American Judicature Society.

Propeller Club of the United States, Port of Tampa. The Supreme Court Historical Society. American Board of Trial Advocates (Advocate).

American Inns of Court Foundation (Supporting Fellow). Ferguson-White American Inn of Court (Master, 1995). (Board Certified Civil Trial Lawyer, Florida Bar Board of Legal Specialization and Education.

Certified as a Civil Trial Advocate by the National Board of Trial Advocacy).

Interests

• Avocations: skiing, swimming, fishing.

Connections

Married Vee West, August 23, 1985.

Father:

Charles George

Mother:

Audrey Faye Yerrid

Spouse:

Vee West