Education

Mr. Chapman graduated from Lake Brantley High School (Seminole County) in 1975. He then attended the University of Central Florida where he received his degree in Criminal Justice, cum laude, in 1979. Mr. Chapman graduated from Mercer Law School, cum laude, in 1983.

Work History

Mr. Chapman served as a Judge Advocate in the United States Air Force from 1983 until 1987. His duty assignments included defending Air Force members throughout Europe and the Middle East. He also served as a NATO Status of Forces Trial Observer in Turkish Courts where American servicemembers were being prosecuted. Mr. Chapman's last active duty assignment was as the Chief of Military Justice at George AFB in California where he acted as the chief prosecutor for that base. After leaving active duty, Mr. Chapman served in the Air Force reserve. He was awarded the Air Force Commendation and Meritorious Service Medals for his service. Since leaving the Air Force, Mr. Chapman has been a partner with the law firm (then) known as Dempsey & Goldsmith, P.A. (until 1990) and Barrett, Chapman & Ruta, P.A. since 1990.

Areas of Practice; Business Associations

Mr. Chapman maintains a state wide practice that is devoted principally to the area of commercial litigation in state, federal and appellate courts throughout Florida. Mr. Chapman's practice includes contract disputes; landlord/tenant matters including commercial and residential matters; corporate shareholder and organizational matters; business torts; and an appellate practice in both state and federal appellate courts. Mr. Chapman also represents clients in commercial transactional matters such as the sale of businesses, contract negotiations, leases and other commercial relations. Mr. Chapman is AV rated by Martindale-Hubble, the highest peer review rating.

Mr. Chapman is a member of the Florida Bar and Georgia Bar and is admitted to practice in the following courts: the Supreme Court of the United States of America; the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit; the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida; the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida; and the United States District Court for the Northern District of Florida. Mr. Chapman is also a member of the Orange County, Florida Bar Association and the Federal Bar Association.

Representative Clients

Mr. Chapman's litigation practice is quite varied. Mr. Chapman's clients vary from larger corporations to individuals and small business owners. Mr. Chapman's clients have included large national companies such as State Farm, British Airways, Steritech, Technomedia Solutions, LLC, Tropical Nut & Fruit, Inc. and Federal Alliance for Safe Home ("FLASH"). Mr. Chapman also represents local individuals and businesses such as Del-Air Heating, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration, Inc., Ace Wrecker, Cyber-Test, Inc., Florida K-9 Services, Inc., Roxy's Nightclub, 105 Partners, LLP, Icon Nightclub, and Cairo Nightclub in both transactional and business litigation matters. Mr. Chapman is approved counsel for the Florida Insurance Guaranty Association ("FIGA").

Community and Business Activities

Mr. Chapman has served on numerous boards, including the Orange County Sheriff's Office Police Athletic League ("PAL"), four years as a member of the Orange County Sheriff's Office Citizen Review Board and the Regional Domestic Security Task Force. He is the Privacy Office for the Central Florida Intelligence Exchange (and a member of the Governance Board of that organization). Victor is a guest lecturer with the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Law Enforcement Training Center ("FLETC") on matters dealing with privacy issues in connection with the collection of intelligence information and compliance with federal (28 CFR, Part 23) and state law. He is a Benefactor Life Member of the National Rifle Association ("NRA") and a certified firearms instructor.

Education

Mr. Ruta is a native Floridian. He grew up in Brevard County, Florida and graduated from Titusville High School. Mr. Ruta attended Florida State University in Tallahassee. He graduated from FSU in 1984 cum laude with a degree in Political Science. Mr. Ruta attended Cornell Law School in Ithaca, New York. He received his Juris Doctor from Cornell, cum laude in 1987, with a specialty in advocacy.

Work History

Mr. Ruta returned to Florida after completing his legal education. He was appointed to serve as law clerk for the Honorable George C. Carr, Federal District Judge for the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida. In 1989 Mr. Ruta joined the Orlando office of Dempsey & Goldsmith, P.A., as a litigation associate. One year later, Mr. Ruta joined Lee Barrett and Victor Chapman in forming the law firm of Barrett & Chapman, P.A. When Mr. Ruta became a full partner of the firm in 1993, the firm thereafter became known as Barrett, Chapman & Ruta, P.A.

Areas Of Practice; Business Associations

Mr. Ruta represents clients across Florida and the nation on a wide range of commercial litigation matters in state and federal court. Mr. Ruta's practice includes contract disputes; commercial, residential and mobile home landlord/tenant matters; corporate shareholder and organizational issues; business torts; and appeals to both state and federal appellate courts. Mr. Ruta also represents clients in commercial transactional matters such as the sale of businesses, contract negotiations, leases and other commercial relations. Mr. Ruta is AV rated by Martindale-Hubbell, the highest peer review rating.

Mr. Ruta is a member of the Florida bar and is admitted to practice in the Supreme Court of the United States of America; the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit; and the United States District Court for the Middle, Northern and Southern Districts of Florida. Mr. Ruta is a member of the Orange County, Florida Bar Association.

Representative Clients

Mr. Ruta represents large corporations as well as small businesses and individuals. Representative clients include national companies such as Industrial Nanotech, Inc., ValleyCrest Landscape Development, Inc., Dryclean USA of Florida, Inc., Convergent Labels Technology, Inc., Total Car Franchising Corporation, and Transamerica Financing. Local businesses and business owners such as Brokers Title Companies, La Amistad Behavioral Health Services, DB Young & Associates, NationMark, Inc., Trend Supply, Inc., Southern Realty, Inc., Anthony's Pizza and others have retained Mr. Ruta in a variety of transactional and business litigation matters. Mr. Ruta has been approved counsel for several insurance companies such as Peachtree Casualty Insurance Company, Zurich North America, State Farm Insurance, Dairyland Insurance Company, and Explorer Insurance Company.

Community And Business Activities

Mr. Ruta is active in his community. He is a member of the Maitland, Florida Rotary Club where he has served as President, Secretary and Director. Mr. Ruta also served as the District Chairman of the Inaugural Rotary Gridiron Classic Football game. Mr. Ruta is also involved in the local school system. He serves as chairman of the Lake Sybelia School Advisory Counsel, a position he has held for six years; and was the Orange County School Board North Area Volunteer of the Year for 2005-2006. Mr. Ruta also coached youth sports for several years in local Little League and YMCA sports leagues.

Mr. Ruta is the former co-owner of a chain of retail hobby stores in the Central Florida area. His personal experience as a successful business owner gives him a unique and valuable perspective on business law. Mr. Ruta has been invited to speak at regional and national retailer summits and workshops including the Florida Association for Media in Education and Diamond/Alliance Game Distributors.

Education

Emma Floyd is an associate attorney with the law firm of Barrett, Chapman & Ruta, P. A. in Orlando, Florida. Growing up in England, Ms. Floyd began her legal journey attending law school at St. Mary?s University in London, United Kingdom. She then attended the University of Law in Guildford, United Kingdom, where she completed the Legal Practice Course and ascertained her master?s in law, business, and management. After coming to the United States in 2019, Ms. Floyd attended law school at Barry University in Orlando, Florida. While at Barry, Ms. Floyd was Note and Comment Editor for the Child and Family Law Journal and held e-board positions in the Environmental & Animal Law Club and OUTLaw. Ms. Floyd received Book Awards in payment systems; business organizations; and APEX. Ms. Floyd graduated from Barry University, cum laude, in 2022.

Work History

Ms. Floyd began her professional legal career as a property law intern at Richard Pearlman LLP in London, United Kingdom. During the summer of her first year at law school in the United States, Ms. Floyd clerked at a Dunaway Law Firm P.A., a personal injury law firm in Orlando, Florida. In Ms. Floyd?s final year at law school she clerked for Cruise Law Group, an immigration and criminal defense law firm. In July 2022, Ms. Floyd was admitted to practice law in Florida and is a member of the Florida Bar. Ms. Floyd worked as an immigration and criminal defense attorney at Cruise law Group.

Community And Business Activities

Ms. Floyd in an avid member of her community. She breeds and trains horses in her spare time for showjumping. When Ms. Floyd first came to the United States she got certified as a flight groom and travelled with her horses and the U.S. Olympic Equestrian Team through Europe to Miami, Florida. Ms. Floyd also rescues and rehomes animals that have had a tumultuous life. In addition, to assisting and aiding animals she has also volunteered with IDignity, a charitable organization that offers identification services to U.S. Citizens and legal residents. This service allows people within the community freedom to apply for jobs, attend school, and seek help from social service programs.