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Jennifer Brooks, f/k/a Miller

Partner

Miami

P | (305) 379-3686

F | (305) 379-3690

[email protected]

VCard
LinkedIn

Jennifer Brooks f/k/a Miller is an experienced litigator and trial lawyer. She is a founding partner of Hamilton, Miller & Birthisel, L.L.P., a Martindale Hubbell® AV rated® minority certified law firm consistently ranked among the top ten most diverse law firms in South Florida by the Daily Business Review. She is the Managing Partner of the firm’s U.S. Virgin Island satellite office. Ms. Brooks is AV rated® by Martindale Hubbell®, is recognized as Woman of the Year by the National Association of Professional Women, named as a Top 250 Power Leaders by the South Florida Business Journal, recognized as a Best Lawyers in America in Admiralty and Maritime Law, and recognized as a Florida Super Lawyer in Personal Injury General: Defense among other awards.

Ms. Brooks has dedicated 20 years of her practice to civil litigation, defending major insurers and corporations in a wide variety of industries including retail, restaurants, product manufacturers, distributors, cities and municipalities, international businesses, doctors and other medical professionals, the world’s largest passenger cruise lines, and major marine domestic and international underwriters in claims of personal injury and wrongful death, automobile and trucking claims, transportation, personal premises liability and negligent security, insurance coverage and bad faith, labor and employment, medical and professional malpractice, admiralty and maritime, commercial litigation, hospitality, and product liability. Her practice includes transactional work including the drafting of concessionaire agreements, maritime employment contracts, passenger tickets, terminal agreements, maritime collective bargaining agreements, docking contracts, bills of lading, towing agreements, charter contracts, salvage agreements, marine transportation agreements, storage agreements, and marine service contracts of all types.

Practice Areas

Education

J.D., University of Florida College of Law, 1997

B.A., University of Florida, 1993

  • Defense verdict where plaintiff was injured in a restaurant, had multiple neck surgeries and claimed she could no longer be gainfully employed. Plaintiff’s demand was $7 million.
  • Defense verdict in a Jones Act trial (standard of care is slight negligence), where plaintiff claimed that his work was unreasonably dangerous which led to a three level cervical fusion and resultant medical malpractice claim. Plaintiff’s demand was $6 million.
  • Successfully handled numerous catastrophic cases, some involving mass torts, to satisfactory conclusion. One such case involved 40 claimants from an amphibious vehicle crash. Injuries included severe internal injuries, surgical neck, back, and knee injuries, and other injuries.
  • Successfully defended largest retail mall in the U.S.V.I. in wrongful death claim where tenant was shot while leaving premises. Mall was sued for negligent security in failing to have proper number of security officers on duty, inadequate lighting, insufficient video surveillance, insufficient video surveillance monitoring, and  lack of patrolling in the mall parking lot at the time of the incident.
  • Successfully defended claims of multiple plaintiffs against U.S.V.I. bank and ADT against allegations of negligent security during a bank robbery where 11 patrons and employees brought suit.
  • Trial involving plaintiff who allegedly suffered brain injury on hotel property due to improper scuba instruction. Obtained favorable verdict of $300 K which was considered a defense verdict for client.
  • Indemnification/contribution product liability trial, where plaintiff lost substantial portion of arm. Brought third-party action against product manufacturer and obtained verdict against the product manufacturer and also an award of attorney’s fees.
  • Successfully represented major hospitality concerns and cruise lines in various wrongful death and personal injury cases throughout districts in Florida and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

  • Top 250 Power Leaders: South Florida Business Journal, 2024
  • AV Preeminent™ by Martindale-Hubbell®, the highest peer review rating possible
  • The Best Lawyers in America, Admiralty and Maritime Law (2019-present)
  • Recognized as a Florida Super Lawyer, Personal Injury General: Defense (2009-2011; 2015 – present)
  • Board-Certified in Admiralty and Maritime Law, by the Florida Bar
  • Woman of the Year, National Association of Professional Women
  • Top Attorneys in Florida, Transportation and Maritime, American Registry
  • Top Up and Comer, South Florida Legal Guide
  • Top Lawyer, South Florida Legal Guide

  • Presenter: Asian Americans Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA) Webinar: “How to Mitigate Your Liability and Defend Your Hotel Against Human Trafficking” March, 2020
  • Speaker: The HLC Series 2.0: “Strategies to Defend & Mitigate Against Sex Trafficking Lawsuits in the Hospitality Industry” October, 2019
  • Speaker: The HLC Series 2.0: “Strategies to Defend & Mitigate Against the Most Common & Vexing Litigation Issues in the Hospitality Industry.” October, 2018
  • Speaker: CLM Annual Conference: “After the Storm: Natural Disasters and Crisis Management for the Insurance Industry.” March, 2018.

  • Florida
  • United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida
  • United States District Court for the Northern District of Florida
  • United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida
  • United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
  • United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
  • Supreme Court of the United States

  • National Association of Minority & Woman Owned Law Firms (NAMWOLF)
  • Women’s International Shipping & Trading Association (WISTA)
  • Southeastern Admiralty Law Institute, Member
  • Maritime Law Association of the United States, Member
  • International Council of Cruise Lines, Executive Member
  • Defense Research Institute (DRI), Member
  • Claims Litigation Management Alliance (CLM), Member
  • Advisory Board, Seafarer’s House
  • Executive Board, Broward Legal Aid