AV Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell

The Best Lawyers in America, 2008

Board Certified in Appellate Practice, The Florida Bar 

Chambers USA, 2006, 2007; listed as a leading Appellate lawyer in Florida

The Florida Bar President's Pro Bono Service Award, Recognizes individual service in each of Florida's specific jurisdictional circuits.

Florida Legal Elite, Florida Trend Magazine, 2005-2007; ranked in the top 2% of practicing Florida Bar Members

Florida Super Lawyers, 2006-2007; listed as one of the Top 50 Female Lawyers in 2007

Jimmy Kynes Pro Bono Award: Received Hillsborough County Bar Association Pro Bono Award given for hundreds of hours devoted to appeals representing low income residents affected by utility rate hike, guardian ad litem and other Bay Area Legal Servcies clients

Hala A. Sandridge practices in all facets of commercial and agency litigation and appeals. As part of the appellate group, Ms. Sandridge has directly handled hundreds of commercial and agency appeals in both state and federal appeals courts.  

Chair, Pro Bono Committee 

Representative Experience

• Florida Supreme Court, Honorable Leander Shaw, Judicial Internship 
• Wood v. Green, 323 F.3d 1309 (11th Cir. 2003) Successfully represented Clerk of the Circuit Court in reversing an ADA jury verdict on the basis that the employee's request for an indefinite leave of absence indicated that the employee was requesting an unreasonable accommodation.
• Humana, Inc. v. Castillo, 728 So. 2d 261 (Fla. 2d DCA 1999), Successfully represented Humana to reverse order certifying a class action of policy holders alleging they were fraudulently induced to enroll in HMO policy.
  

Presentations

• "Federal Appeals: Jurisdiction," Florida Bar Appellate Practice Certification Exam Review Course, Orlando, FL, February 1996
• "Federal Appeals," Stetson Law School, St. Petersburg, FL, January 1996
• "Writs," Hillsborough County Bar Association Seminar, Tampa, FL, March 1995
• "Pro Bono Work From the Large Firm Perspective," Stetson Law School, St. Petersburg, FL, March 1995
• "Writs," Florida Bar Appellate Practice Certification Exam Review Course, Orlando, FL, February 1995

Publications

• "Decisions, Decisions: How the Initial Choice of a State or Federal Forum May Limit Appellate Remedies," Author, Stetson Law Review, Vol. 33, 125
• "The State Action Doctrine In State and Federal Courts," Author, Comment, 11 Fla.St.L.Rev. 893
• "Appellate Relief From Interlocutory Bankruptcy Court Abstentio and Remand Orders: A Reason For Change?" Author, Vol. LXXII, Fla. Bar., p. 92
• "Recovering Attorney Fees in Arbitration: The Unworkable Two-Tiered System," Author, Vol. LXVIII, Fla. Bar., p. 80
• "Structuring Federal Litigation to Preserve Appellate Remedies," Author, THE RECORD, Vol. IV, No. 2