Jonathan Bell is an attorney based in New York. Through the years, he has successfully represented business owners, tenants and landlords against ADA Lawsuits filed on behalf of wheelchair bound individuals. Jonathan’s successful representation of businesses of all sizes has caused a demand for him to expand his practice outside of New York, and he currently has attorneys located in Washington DC and Florida. As an owner of an established Law Firm, he understands the frustration of incurring costs such as paying for Lawyer for representation on these matters, which can have an impact on his client’s bottom line at the end of the year. With that in mind, we defend these cases making objective, cost effective decisions in our clients’ best interests, limiting the overall exposure on each case.
Mr. Silverfield’s practice focuses primarily on the defense of ADA claims in Florida’s Middle and Southern Districts, which have become a hotbed of ADA litigation abuse. In handling recent ADA cases, it has become apparent that Florida’s federal judiciary is growing increasingly suspicious of serial ADA Plaintiffs, making defense of such cases a necessary deterrent to the financial burden posed by such unscrupulous lawsuits. While every attorney at Bell Law Group strongly believes in preserving the dignity of the disabled and furthering their accommodations, such progress is severely hampered by flooding the court system with hundreds of illegitimate claims. Through precise trend analysis and utilization of investigatory tools, Mr. Silverfield takes great pride in providing clients with a unique approach to evaluating ADA claims, ensuring that any demand for compliance is a stepping stone toward greater equality and not simply another example of what the Middle District characterizes as a “cottage industry.”
Melissa Beekman is the Supervisory Attorney for the Bell Law Group, PLLC. She graduated from Brooklyn Law School in 2002, and is admitted to practice in New York State as well as the U.S. District Court for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York. Ms. Beekman represents private as well as federal and public sector employees in all areas of employment discrimination, harassment, wage and hour, contracts and other employment-related matters.
Prior to working with the Law Office of Jonathan Bell, Ms. Beekman was an associate for over ten years with Epstein Becker & Green, P.C., where she represented employers in federal and state court, as well as before administrative agencies and in arbitration on issues involving discrimination, harassment, wage and hour, contracts and other employment-related matters. In addition, she regularly advised clients on a wide variety of human resources-related issues and best practices to avoid litigation, including background checks, hiring, terminations, discipline, layoffs and plant closings, medical leaves of absence, reasonable accommodations and wage and hour issues. Ms. Beekman also drafted various types of employment policies and agreements, such as handbooks, offer letters and employment agreements. Ms. Beekman also has experience conducting company-wide audits pertaining to various wage and hour issues, and conducting internal investigations of harassment, discrimination and retaliation claims.
Below are some comments from previous clients:
“The Bell Law Group are no nonsense litigators that understand the delicate balance of fighting frivolous lawsuits while at the same time keeping costs down in defending our business.” – Edward S., Vice President/General Counsel for a major supermarket chain
“We were able to settle. Mr. Bell was superb. Killed it. I am forever grateful for the referral.” – John L., Restaurant Owner