Description of field of expertise

Gina Jacobs is a Partner in the Orlando office of Hamilton, Miller & Birthisel, where she leads the firm’s Workers’ Compensation Department. With a practice focused on workers’ compensation, personal injury defense, premises liability, trucking, restaurant, and hospitality defense, Gina is recognized for her strategic approach to litigation and her ability to deliver solutions for employers, carriers, and third-party administrators. 

What distinguishes Gina is her industry experience prior to practicing law. Before becoming an attorney, she spent more than a decade as a claims adjuster for a national insurance carrier and global third-party administrators, providing her with a unique understanding of claims handling, risk management, and litigation strategy. 

Gina earned her Juris Doctor from Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad College of Law, graduating with pro bono honors and serving as her law school’s commencement speaker. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Public Communications, cum laude, from Florida Atlantic University. She’s certified by the State of Florida Department of Financial Services as an instructor for continuing education programs for claims professionals and attorneys and is a frequent presenter at industry conferences, educational forums, and workers’ compensation programs throughout the state. 

She’s received numerous honors, including recognition as a Florida Rising Star by Super Lawyers, one of Florida’s Top 40 Under 40 Attorneys by The National Black Lawyers in 2016, a 2025 Awesome Attorney in Central Florida by Orlando Style Magazine, the 2023 Bloom Exceptional Defense Attorney Award recipient, and designation as a Certified Claims Professional (CCP) through the CLM Alliance in 2026. 

Gina remains involved in professional and community organizations. Her memberships include OJCC Certified Scholars 2024–2025, Scholar; The Judge William Wieland American Inn of Court, Barrister; Women in Work Comp under the Workers’ Compensation Section of The Florida Bar, Board Member; and Friends of 440 Workers’ Compensation Scholarship Fund, LLC, Board Member to name a few.

 

 

Silver Sponsor

Vinson & Elkins LLP

https://www.velaw.com/

 

Vinson & Elkins LLP (V&E) is a multinational law firm headquartered in Houston, Texas.  Founded in 1917 during a historicm Texas oil boom, the firm employs over 700 lawyers worldwide across fourteen offices in major international energy, financial, and political centers. V&E is globally regarded for its energy, infrastructure, and corporate practices, and has been ranked the top law firm in Texas for ten consecutive years and the top law firm for Energy, Oil & Gas for thirteen consecutive years.

Description of field of expertise

Gina Jacobs is a Partner in the Orlando office of Hamilton, Miller & Birthisel, where she leads the firm’s Workers’ Compensation Department. With a practice focused on workers’ compensation, personal injury defense, premises liability, trucking, restaurant, and hospitality defense, Gina is recognized for her strategic approach to litigation and her ability to deliver solutions for employers, carriers, and third-party administrators. 

What distinguishes Gina is her industry experience prior to practicing law. Before becoming an attorney, she spent more than a decade as a claims adjuster for a national insurance carrier and global third-party administrators, providing her with a unique understanding of claims handling, risk management, and litigation strategy. 

Gina earned her Juris Doctor from Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad College of Law, graduating with pro bono honors and serving as her law school’s commencement speaker. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Public Communications, cum laude, from Florida Atlantic University. She’s certified by the State of Florida Department of Financial Services as an instructor for continuing education programs for claims professionals and attorneys and is a frequent presenter at industry conferences, educational forums, and workers’ compensation programs throughout the state. 

She’s received numerous honors, including recognition as a Florida Rising Star by Super Lawyers, one of Florida’s Top 40 Under 40 Attorneys by The National Black Lawyers in 2016, a 2025 Awesome Attorney in Central Florida by Orlando Style Magazine, the 2023 Bloom Exceptional Defense Attorney Award recipient, and designation as a Certified Claims Professional (CCP) through the CLM Alliance in 2026. 

Gina remains involved in professional and community organizations. Her memberships include OJCC Certified Scholars 2024–2025, Scholar; The Judge William Wieland American Inn of Court, Barrister; Women in Work Comp under the Workers’ Compensation Section of The Florida Bar, Board Member; and Friends of 440 Workers’ Compensation Scholarship Fund, LLC, Board Member to name a few.

 

 

Gold Sponsor

Levenfeld Pearlstein

https://www.lplegal.com/

Founded in 1999, Levenfeld Pearlstein (LP) is a national law firm dedicated to providing sophisticated legal counsel through a client-centered approach. From its inception, LP was built on the belief that strong relationships, trust, and a deep understanding of a client's business are what truly differentiate legal service providers. While many firms emphasize responsiveness, efficiency, and high-quality work, LP views those qualities as the baseline. The firm's goal is to go beyond expectations by delivering legal solutions that support both immediate needs and long-term business objectives. 

LP represents businesses, entrepreneurs, investors, financial institutions, family offices, and individuals across a broad range of legal disciplines. Its multidisciplinary platform includes Corporate, Employment & Executive Compensation, Financial Services & Restructuring, Community Association, Intellectual Property, Litigation, Real Estate, Tax Planning, and Trusts & Estates. The firm is particularly known for helping clients navigate complex transactions, litigation matters, and strategic business challenges while maintaining a highly personalized level of service. 

A key differentiator of LP is its ability to combine the sophistication and resources of a larger law firm with the accessibility, agility, and efficiency often associated with boutique practices. Clients benefit from hands-on partner involvement, streamlined staffing, and practical legal guidance tailored to their specific business needs. The firm's attorneys work collaboratively across practice groups to provide holistic solutions that address the legal, operational, and strategic considerations facing clients today. 

While LP possesses the resources and depth necessary to manage the most complex matters in the most efficient and cost-effective manner possible, it truly differentiates itself through its commitment to The LP WayTM, a structure for the whole firm to deliver a consistent, exceptional client experience. Every person at LP – attorney and non-attorney alike – provides exceptional client service because The LP Way offers both the framework and the reason for doing so. We have created processes that align everything and everyone at LP to one goal: providing an exceptional client experience. 

Beyond its legal practice, LP is deeply committed to corporate social responsibility. The firm actively supports charitable organizations, community initiatives, diversity and inclusion efforts, and environmental sustainability programs. These initiatives reflect LP's broader commitment to creating a positive impact for its clients, employees, business partners, and communities.

Why did LP decide to become an NBA-CLS sponsor?

Levenfeld Pearlstein is proud to support the NBA Commercial Law Section and the professionals who help drive innovation and excellence within the legal industry. Sponsoring the Headshot Lounge provided an opportunity to invest in meaningful networking, professional development, and personal branding for conference attendees. As a firm committed to building authentic relationships and delivering an exceptional client experience, LP values opportunities to connect with peers, strengthen industry relationships, and support the next generation of legal leaders.

Additional Information...

Kevin Slaughter, Partner in and Leader of Levenfeld Pearlstein’s Corporate Group, has built a practice and leadership style that extends well beyond traditional legal counsel. While he is a corporate lawyer by trade, Kevin operates at the intersection of business, leadership, negotiation, risk, opportunity, and change. His approach is rooted in helping clients navigate complex decisions in real time, whether they involve growth, investment, succession planning, acquisitions, or market disruption.

What sets Kevin apart is his authenticity. He is not interested in performative leadership or offering advice from the sidelines. Instead, he brings a practical, transparent approach to every client relationship, drawing on firsthand experience working alongside founders, executives, investors, and entrepreneurs as they face real-world challenges. Kevin understands that today's business leaders are navigating unprecedented change and he meets those challenges with honesty, adaptability, and a focus on what truly matters.

This mindset has shaped the culture of LP's Corporate Group. Under Kevin's leadership, the team emphasizes practical, business-focused advice over theoretical solutions. He encourages lawyers to combine technical excellence with sound judgment, strong communication, emotional intelligence, and an understanding of each client's broader goals. As a result, clients view Kevin and his team not simply as legal advisors, but as trusted partners who help them build, lead, adapt, and grow through every stage of their business journey.

Description of field of expertise

Gina Jacobs is a Partner in the Orlando office of Hamilton, Miller & Birthisel, where she leads the firm’s Workers’ Compensation Department. With a practice focused on workers’ compensation, personal injury defense, premises liability, trucking, restaurant, and hospitality defense, Gina is recognized for her strategic approach to litigation and her ability to deliver solutions for employers, carriers, and third-party administrators. 

What distinguishes Gina is her industry experience prior to practicing law. Before becoming an attorney, she spent more than a decade as a claims adjuster for a national insurance carrier and global third-party administrators, providing her with a unique understanding of claims handling, risk management, and litigation strategy. 

Gina earned her Juris Doctor from Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad College of Law, graduating with pro bono honors and serving as her law school’s commencement speaker. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Public Communications, cum laude, from Florida Atlantic University. She’s certified by the State of Florida Department of Financial Services as an instructor for continuing education programs for claims professionals and attorneys and is a frequent presenter at industry conferences, educational forums, and workers’ compensation programs throughout the state. 

She’s received numerous honors, including recognition as a Florida Rising Star by Super Lawyers, one of Florida’s Top 40 Under 40 Attorneys by The National Black Lawyers in 2016, a 2025 Awesome Attorney in Central Florida by Orlando Style Magazine, the 2023 Bloom Exceptional Defense Attorney Award recipient, and designation as a Certified Claims Professional (CCP) through the CLM Alliance in 2026. 

Gina remains involved in professional and community organizations. Her memberships include OJCC Certified Scholars 2024–2025, Scholar; The Judge William Wieland American Inn of Court, Barrister; Women in Work Comp under the Workers’ Compensation Section of The Florida Bar, Board Member; and Friends of 440 Workers’ Compensation Scholarship Fund, LLC, Board Member to name a few.

 

 

Description of field of expertise

Brooke is the managing senior associate of Wiley’s Health Care Practice. She advises clients on complex service contracting, with a deep expertise in pharmacy benefit management (PBM) agreements for commercial and government-sponsored health care programs, including Medicare, Medicaid, and the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP). Her practice focuses on health care contracting and negotiation strategy, regulatory compliance, and dispute resolution.

Brooke also advises non-health care clients on a broad range of health care regulatory, privacy, transactional, and litigation matters. Prior to joining Wiley, Brooke represented major manufacturing clients in complex litigation and advised for-profit and exempt organizations on a wide variety of corporate matters, including the drafting and negotiation of various commercial agreements and advising on corporate compliance and governance issues.

 

What advice would you offer to new attorneys interested in your field?

Health care law is constantly evolving, so one of the most valuable habits you can develop is intellectual curiosity. Build a strong foundation in statutory and regulatory analysis but also take the time to understand how your clients’ businesses operate. The best advice is often practical as well as legally sound. Develop excellent writing and negotiation skills, as many matters are resolved through thoughtful drafting, careful communication, and creative problem-solving. Don’t be afraid to tackle complex regulations or unfamiliar subject matter; those challenges are often where you’ll grow the most. Seek mentors who will invest in your development. Ask questions and be willing to learn from colleagues across different practice areas. Finally, remember that credibility is earned over time. Be thorough, responsive, and dependable, and your clients and colleagues will come to trust your judgment on increasingly sophisticated matters.

 

Final thoughts...

Be intentional about building your professional identity. Show up consistently, stay engaged, and take advantage of opportunities to connect with colleagues, mentors, and peers. A legal career is a marathon, and the network you build along the way can become one of your greatest assets. You never know where a conversation, connection, or fresh perspective might lead.

Description of field of expertise

Structured finance and securitization is a specialized area of legal practice focused on the creation, structuring, and issuance of financial instruments backed by pools of underlying assets. The field involves the transformation of illiquid assets into tradeable securities through legally engineered structures designed to isolate credit risk, achieve bankruptcy remoteness, and allocate cash flows among various classes of investors. It sits at the intersection of capital markets, banking, and regulatory law, requiring practitioners to navigate complex documentation frameworks, rating agency methodologies, and evolving regulatory requirements.

As an associate in structured finance I am developing a foundational expertise in the legal and financial mechanics underlying asset-backed transactions. I possess a working knowledge of structuring, documentation, and execution of securitization transactions across a variety of asset classes, including credit card receivables, esoteric assets, and other consumer and commercial asset pools.

 

My role entails reviewing and drafting both ancillary and core transaction documents, including pooling and servicing agreements, indentures, credit enhancement arrangements, and offering memoranda. I support senior team members in conducting due diligence on originators and servicers, analyzing waterfall payment structures, and evaluating the legal isolation of assets through true sale opinions and bankruptcy-remoteness analysis. I maintain a developing understanding of credit enhancement mechanisms, including subordination, overcollateralization, excess spread, and reserve accounts, and apply that knowledge to ensure structural integrity and investor protection within each deal.

 

On a day-to-day basis, I am managing multiple workstreams under tight deal timelines and communicating with cross-functional teams.

 

What advice would you offer to new attorneys interested in your field?

For new attorneys interested in this area, my advice is to focus on understanding deal mechanics alongside the law, get hands-on with documents as early as possible, and pay attention to how all the moving parts of a transaction fit together. Staying current on regulatory developments and being patient with the steep learning curve will go a long way in establishing yourself in this practice.

Final thoughts...

The work is exciting, intellectually complex, and constantly evolving — new asset classes and deal structures keep emerging, so there is always something innovative on the horizon.

Benefactor Sponsor

Legal Innovators

https://www.legal-innovators.com/

Legal Innovators provides law firms and legal departments a proven way to expand the talent pool, rationalize talent costs, and reduce hiring risk. We identify high-potential lawyers, prepare them with practical training, and support their success through coaching and feedback.

Their process strengthens performance, improves retention, delivers measurable ROI…and proves that great lawyers come from many paths.