There are two kinds of civil trial law firms – the law firm that takes on an endless list of clients with simple open-close cases and the law firm that selects a handful of serious injury or wrongful death suits and commits whatever is necessary for the long haul.
For partners Dan Dolan, Manuel Dobrinsky and Randy Rosenblum, the choice was simple. They founded their firm – Dolan Dobrinsky Rosenblum, LLP – on the same values that drew them to the practice of law.
“It is a strong desire to make a positive impact on the lives of people who have suffered catastrophic injuries or loss,” Dobrinsky said. “I think I speak for each of us, when I say that’s why we wanted to work in this field. We want to be able to help people through possibly the worst times of their lives and leave them in a better place.”
A Decade of Foundation
The camaraderie between the partners is immediately apparent as Dobrinsky volunteers to speak on behalf of the three of them – to explain the early days of their legal careers – immediately followed by objections and laughter.
Randy Rosenblum interjects to emphasize that it is this friendship that makes the firm culture so successful. The balance they strike between work and play makes the long hours fly.
“The three of us have been friends and colleagues for more than 10 years,” Dan Dolan said. “Manny and I both served as presidents of the Dade County Trial Lawyers Association, so we’ve collaborated on a lot of projects there. After a while, we recognized that we had the same goals and handled the same types of cases. We thought there would be a good synergy and that we could really make a difference for people.”
Drawing from their early years in the law, the three reflect on the incredible mentors they’ve been fortunate to work alongside.
“For me, one of the great opportunities I had was to work with some very prominent lawyers early on in my career,” Rosenblum said. “They really showed me how to properly practice law, how to look out for the best interests of the client, how to be a professional inside and outside of the courtroom. But, really, the best lesson was how to treat people outside of legal practice; mentoring you not only as an attorney, but as a person.”
“We’re trial lawyers,” Dolan said. “We’re lawyers who spend our time in courtrooms. Each of us, for different reasons, had the opportunity early on to try cases with experienced trial lawyers. These skills, like most others, are best and maybe only learned by doing. Unfortunately for our profession, it has become ever more difficult for young lawyers to get the same exposure to trials early on in their careers.”
“Both Randy and I were assistant federal public defenders, and our boss, Kathy Williams – who is now a federal district court judge – was an incredible role model because she showed us the importance of hard work and preparation,” Dobrinsky said. “At the same time, she showed us that you can really get joy out of the work that you do. I think that’s something each of us tries to bring into the office every day.”
Best of the Best Trial Lawyers
As established lawyers in their fields, all three attorneys have earned high honors and awards from their peers and even opponents along with hundreds of millions of dollars in recoveries for their clients.
“Can I brag about my partners for a second?” Dolan asked. “Both Randy and Manuel were recognized by the Daily Business Review as the Most Effective Lawyers in two separate categories – medical mal malpractice and class actions. These awards are highly competitive and demonstrates the diversity and expertise that both of these men have.”
All three have respect for individual gains and honors.
“If I could chime in about Dan … since it’s only fair,” Dobrinsky joked. “Dan was recently honored by our peers in his election to the American Board of Trial Advocates. This is an invitation only group of highly experienced plaintiffs and defense lawyers. Dan’s selection was an affirmation from our peers that he does excellent work and from our opponents that his ethics are just as strong as his skills. I think that says a lot about Dan and the kind of lawyer and person he is.”
Aside from their personal achievements and praise, the three attorneys are proud to give back to their community. From assisting in feeding the homeless to reaching out to local churches and other organizations, the attorneys have dedicated vast amounts of time and effort to give back. After nearly a decade of service, Dobrinsky was recently elected as treasurer for the Legal Services of Greater Miami. Dolan remains committed to his law school St. Thomas University where he serves on the board of advisors and dedicated the Ken Feldman Center for Student Affairs with the largest one-time donation by an alumnus in the school’s history.
Rosenblum gives back in a unique way. His band, which has played at local bars and restaurants, was recently requested by the mayor of a local city to perform for a charity event.
Practicing law can be stressful and time restrictive. Many lawyers find it difficult to maintain a healthy balance between work and their personal lives. However, Dobrinsky offers some advice as well as insight into the firm’s approach to maintaining that healthy balance.
“When you really love what you do, you’re doing your work, but it’s not a job,” Dobrinsky said. “We get a lot of pleasure doing what we’re doing here. I think that when you’re happy at work, it helps you build up many things in your life.”
Experience at Work
“We feel that one of the strengths of our firm is the fact that every case is handled by a very experienced trial lawyer,” Rosenblum said. “Any one of us can take a case and try it. We are proud of this and think it is one of the distinguishing traits of our firm.”
“We do have a bit of a unique model in terms of our case selection process,” Dolan added. “We only handle a small number of very significant cases. As a result we turn away far more cases than we accept. This allows us to handle cases personally and to dedicate any resource necessary to give our clients the best chance of success.”
“The majority of our cases come from other lawyers,” Dolan continued. “It’s usually our colleagues who call us for assistance or to partner on a case.”
“We are very comfortable in this role,” Rosenblum said. “We’ve made a lot of friends and established great relationships with attorneys both inside and outside the state of Florida.” In addition to handling cases in courts across the United States, the firm regularly represents clients who reside in other countries. Dolan most recently spent a week in Cuba taking depositions of the survivors of two young people killed in a trucking crash in the Midwest.
The Future of the Firm
Dolan Dobrinsky Rosenblum has offices in both Miami and Ft. Lauderdale. In addition to the three founders, Eric Bluestein is of counsel to the firm. They have found themselves content with the way things have been working for them. Though they’re not denying an expansion in the future, they caution that if they proceed to expand the firm, it will be very limited and carefully planned.
