Rod Janis is the managing partner of Goldberg Segalla’s Florida offices and co-chair of the Retail and Hospitality Practice Group. He is a Board Certified Civil Trial Lawyer and he currently serves as National Trial Counsel for a captive specialty insurer. In this role, he has served as lead trial counsel in matters in some of the most challenging jurisdictions nationwide, including Louisiana, Florida, California, New York, Washington, D.C, Texas, West Virginia, Alabama, and Pennsylvania — on-the-ground experience that translates into a measurable advantage for clients who rely on Rod’s ability to parachute in to respond quickly to their needs, regardless of venue.

His wide-ranging litigation practice includes the defense of general liability matters, retail and restaurant defense, heavy equipment/agricultural equipment liability, trucking liability defense, construction-related accidents, insurance and reinsurance matters, and professional liability. Rod also defends a broad array of liability claims for clients across multiple industries spanning a large swath of the U.S.

In the employment and labor sphere, Rod is experienced in litigating matters arising under a variety of federal and Florida state employment laws, including claims relating to the Aviation Investment and Reform Act (AIR21), the Family and Medical Leave Act, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Employee Polygraph Protection Act (EPPA), the Fair Housing Act, OSHA Whistleblower Protection Program, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and other federal and state employment laws. Rod, who conducts workplace investigations and helps draft employment policies and procedures, offers thoughtful, strategic advice to help clients avoid litigation and remain in compliance.

In addition to his focus on general liability defense, Rod has also handled complex insurance coverage matters and defended against claims of bad faith. Rod issues coverage opinions, provides coverage analysis, drafts settlement agreements, and modifies policy wordings. He also partners with clients to assess the potential for extracontractual damages.

Rod routinely litigates on behalf of corporations and insurance carriers in the areas of construction defect and construction accidents, including contractual and insurance risk transfer issues; elevator and escalator liability; monitoring and resolution of complex excess risk and catastrophic personal injury claims; hotel and restaurant liability, including premises, security, and dram shop claims; municipal liability; premises and security liability, including property damage and personal injuries; products liability; transportation-related litigation; and wrongful death actions. He also drafts insurance coverage opinions and counsels on first-party, excess, self, and captive matters and litigates complex third-party claims and coverage issues. Rod also defends contractors, design professionals, subcontractors, and manufacturers in construction litigation as well as in complex construction defect cases involving commercial, industrial, and residential projects. Representative cases involve commercial, industrial, and residential projects with a broad range of issues, including HVAC design and manufacturing issues, concrete/structural design, roof failures, truss manufacturing and design issues, construction equipment failures, and many others. His professional liability practice includes defending lawyers, insurance industry professionals, directors and officers, architects, engineers, national property management service providers, and accountants.

Honors

• Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Rating: AV Preeminent
• Florida Super Lawyers, Rising Stars, 2009-2013
• Florida Legal Elite, 2009-2011

Professional Affiliations

• The Florida Bar, Trial Lawyers Section
• Florida Defense Lawyers Association
• American Bar Association: Forum on the Construction Industry, Section of Labor and Employment Law
• Society for Human Resources Management
• Board Certified Civil Trial Attorney, Florida Bar Board of Legal Specialization, 2009-present
• Claims and Litigation Management Alliance (CLM)
• Palm Beach County Bar Association

Admitted to Practice

• Florida 
• Texas 
• West Virginia 
• Michigan
• New York 
• U.S District Court for the Middle, Northern, and Southern Districts of Florida 
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit 
• U.S. Supreme Court 

Education

• University of Florida Levin College of Law, J.D., with honors, 2003
•       Editor-in-Chief, University of Florida Journal of Law and Public Policy, 2003
• University of Florida, B.A, 1999