Thomas A. "Tad" Delegal, III is Board Certified by the Florida Bar in the areas of Labor & Employment Law and in State & Federal Administrative Practice.  Mr. Delegal is the only attorney in Florida who has received certification in both specialties.  He has practiced law in the Jacksonville, Florida area since 1991.  Mr. Delegal has lectured on employment law issues before both employer and employee organizations  As a certified employment law expert, Mr. Delegal and his office monitor the constantly changing state of Florida and United States employment law, and provide advice and litigation services to clients on a variety of issues which affect employers and employees.

Mr. Delegal works with Elizabeth Oakes, who previously practiced with a major employment defense firm and who also clerked for a federal magistrate judge, and with Wendy Byndloss, who formerly practiced in Virginia and Washington, D.C., where she represented federal employees and litigated overtime claims.

Delegal Law Offices, P.A. represents clients in non-compete litigation, severance disputes, professional licensing issues, public employment litigation, and employment discrimination matters. Mr. Delegal is the author of an upcoming book on the rights of Florida law enforcement officers.  

Mr. Delegal graduated from the University of Florida with a Bachelor of Arts degree, a Master of Arts, and a Juris Doctor degree. He worked as an Assistant State Attorney for the 4th Judicial Circuit, where he distinguished himself in trial practice and won the "Rookie of the Year" award.

Tad Delegal has received an AV rating from Martindale-Hubbell, the highest attorney rating awarded for attorney competence and integrity.   He was also recently selected by his peers for  "The Best Lawyers in America 2009" in the practice of labor and employment law. 

In 2008, Tad Delegal was selected as a Super Lawyer, a national listing of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement.

Mr. Delegal is married to Julie Geisenburg Delegal, who, along with her husband, has worked with many families of disabled children to provide educational opportunities in the school system.  Mr. Delegal is Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Jericho School for Children with Autism, serves on the University of Florida regional foundation advisory board, and serves on the Florida Bar Labor and Employment Certification Committee. Tad and Julie have three children, Buddy, Maia, and Carter.

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Certification/Specialties

 
Bar Admissions

Education

• University of Florida College of Law, Gainesville, Florida
  J.D., 1991
• University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA,
  M.A. in Political Science, 1987 
• University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA, 1985
  B.A., 1985
  

Representative Cases

• Cowen v. Jacksonville Sheriff's Office, 973 So.2d 503 (Fla. 1st DCA 2007)
• Merritt v. Federal Exp. Corp., 2006 WL 1746884 (11th Cir. (Fla.) 2006)
• Alderman v. City of Jacksonville, Fire and Rescue Div., 902 So.2d 885 (Fla. App.1 Dist. 2005)
• Kesinger ex rel. Estate of Kesinger v. Herrington, F.3d 1243 (11th Cir. (Fla.) 2005)
• Christopherson v. Henderson, 153 F.Supp.2d 1307 (M.D. Fla. 2001)
• Blinn v. Florida Dept. of Trans., 781 So.2d. 1103 (Fla.App. 1 Dist. 2000)
• Keller v. Public Employees Relations Com'n, 691 So.2d 36 (Fla.App. 5 Dist. 1997)
• Netz v. Jacksonville Sheriff;s Office, City of Jacksonville, 668 So.2d 235 (Fla.App. 1 Dist. 1996)
• Evans v. Bell, 651 So.2d 162 (Fla.App. 1 Dist. 1995)
• Crosby v. Unemployment Appeals Com'n, 711 So.2d 260 (Fla. App. 5 Dist. 1998)
• Jacksonville Television, Inc. v. Shorstein, 608 So.2d 592 (Fla.App. 1 Dist. 1992)
• Lawler v. Department of Management Services, Division of  Administrative Hearings, 2008 WL 276650, Case No. 07-2192

Professional Activities

• 1997-2000 - Florida Bar, Fourth Circuit Fee Arbitration Committee        
• 2002-2005 - Secretary/Treasurer Florida Chapter, National Employment Lawyers Association
• 2006- Present - Florida Bar, Labor and Employment Certification Committee        
• 2007 - Present - Jacksonville Bar, Special Needs of Children - Chairperson

 Memberships

• American Bar Association 
• National Employment Lawyers Association Florida Chapter
• Florida Justice Association 
• Federal Bar Association Jacksonville Chapter 
• Florida Bar - Grievance Committee  

• Delegal Law Offices, P.A., Owner, 1999- Present
• Delegal & Merrett, P.A., Partner, 1997-1999
• Law Offices of T.A. Delegal, III, P.A., Sole Practitioner, 1996-1997
• Fraternal Order of Police, Consolidated Lodge 5-30, In-House General Counsel, 1993-1996
• Fraternal Order of Police, Jacksonville Consolidated Lodge 5-30 � General Counsel 1993 to 2007
• Office of the State Attorney, Fourth Judicial Circuit, Assistant State Attorney, 1991-1993