Talenfeld Law and The JG Firm Join Forces with Kelley Kronenberg to Create Leading Practice Representing Children

Three law firms join forces to form Justice for Kids Division at Kelley Kronenberg; Adds 10th office in Daytona Beach

Fort Lauderdale, Florida – Kelley Kronenberg, a diverse full-service law firm, has partnered with Talenfeld Law and The JG Firm to create the Justice for Kids Division at the firm. This division is one of the largest practices in the U.S. devoted solely to protecting abused, disabled and catastrophically injured children. The Justice for Kids Division will collaborate with all of Kelley Kronenberg’s offices in Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Miami Lakes, West Palm Beach, Orlando, Tampa, Jacksonville, Tallahassee and Chicago, including the addition of an office in Daytona Beach.

“We are joining forces with two of the finest law firms in Florida to create this powerhouse practice narrowly focused on representing and protecting society’s most vulnerable children,” said Heath Eskalyo, Kelley Kronenberg’s Chief Financial Officer and Principal Partner.

Talenfeld Law is led by Howard Talenfeld, one of the nation’s preeminent children’s rights attorneys who possesses four decades of extensive experience fighting for the rights of kids. His work on behalf of at-risk individuals has earned more than $100 million in damages awards and resulted in sweeping judicial decisions and legislative reforms protecting tens of thousands of children from physical abuse, sexual abuse and catastrophic injury. Talenfeld is also the founder and president of Florida’s Children First, the state’s premier child advocacy nonprofit organization established in 2002. Talenfeld Law was the first law firm in Florida to focus exclusively on protecting the rights of physically and sexually abused, medically fragile, foster and other at-risk children. 

Talenfeld’s Partner Stacie J. Schmerling was a former veteran child welfare investigator and social worker for more than a decade prior to graduating at the top of her law school class. As a lawyer for the last ten years, Schmerling has been handling some of the most significant multimillion-dollar cases for abused, neglected and catastrophically injured children. Senior Associates Nicole R. Coniglio and Lisa M. Elliott will also bring nearly 20 years of combined experience in handling children’s rights cases to Justice for Kids.

Veteran trial attorney Justin Grosz is the founder of The JG Firm, a boutique trial practice that specializes in representing individuals and families who have suffered catastrophic injuries or death as a result of someone’s negligence or intentional acts. Grosz, a former Broward County Assistant State Attorney, has devoted his twenty-five-year career to fighting for those less fortunate, who have been victimized at the hands of others. His track record of hundreds of trials and multi-million dollar victories will bring a new dimension and strength to the practice. 

“The Justice for Kids Division will encompass decades of experience and a network of some of the country’s most knowledgeable children’s rights/injury law attorneys,” Grosz said.

“This new division of Kelley Kronenberg will allow us to have the resources of a powerhouse law firm that is based in every major city in Florida, and expanding throughout the country, to save the lives of and protect thousands of children from injury, loss and damage,” said Talenfeld. 

###

About Kelley Kronenberg

Kelley Kronenberg is a diverse, business law firm that provides litigation and other legal services to established corporations, insurance companies, entrepreneurs and individuals in Florida and other regions of the U.S. More than 150 attorneys strong, the firm offers over 35 distinct practice areas throughout its network of ten offices in Florida and Illinois.  Founded in 1980, Kelley Kronenberg was built on relationships and continues to grow and excel because of its strength, offering sound legal counsel and exceptional client service. Known primarily as a Defense law firm, Kelley Kronenberg has broken the mold by welcoming Justice for Kids, a leading Child Advocacy Plaintiff group. Kelley Kronenberg has been named Best Places to Work 2020 by South Florida Business Journal, is one of America’s Top Corporate Law Firms in 2019 by Forbes, ranked in the top 20 largest law firms in Florida by Florida Trend and the Daily Business Review, has been recognized as a Top Law Firm in Florida by the South Florida Legal Guide and LexisNexis ® Martindale-Hubbell®, and is ranked in the top 10 in the NLJ 500 Women’s Scorecard.  More information on practice areas and office locations is available at www.kelleykronenberg.com.

  • Left to Right: Justice for Kids Partners: Justin Grosz, Howard Talenfeld, Stacie Schmerling; Kelley Kronenberg Principal Partners: CEO Michael Fichtel, COO Howard Wander, CFO Heath Eskalyo

Robert Friedman