Rodney J. Janis
Partner

Rodney J. Janis is co-chair of the Retail and Hospitality group, a member of the Management and Professional Liability leadership group and a member of the General Liability leadership group. He is a Board Certified Civil Trial Lawyer and 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. This on-the-ground experience translates into a measurable advantage for clients who rely on Rod’s ability to respond quickly to their needs, regardless of venue.
Rod’s dynamic practice, trial expertise, and skill-set has allowed him to gain a wide range of experience spanning over multiple practice areas. Rod has litigated 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; catastrophic trucking and commercial vehicle accidents and other transportation-related litigation; 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; and wrongful death actions. He counsels on first-party, excess, self-insured, and captive matters, and litigates complex third-party claims and coverage issues.
Experience Highlights
Rod regularly handles cases all over the country involving catastrophic accidents, including rapid response, investigation, and defense. Rod’s experience includes handling high-exposure retail and restaurant defense; catastrophic vehicle, commercial vehicle, and trucking accidents; and construction-related accidents.
Rod’s wide-ranging litigation practice includes defending professional liability matters such as the defense of insurance agents, insurance brokers, mortgage brokers, accountants, attorneys, financial advisors, architects, engineers, landscape architects, property managers, and other construction professionals.
Rod is particularly well known for his defense of lawyers and law firms in a variety of legal malpractice claims. Representative matters include:
- Represented civil litigation lawyer for malpractice following multi-million dollar bad faith judgment against carrier insuring lawyer’s client. Claim by plaintiff and carrier that counsel did not properly advise and report as to case value, exposure and risks given the inadequate insurance coverage for the loss.
- Represented probate lawyer for alleged negligent handling of multi-million dollar estate resulting in tax fines, penalties and allegations of improper will administration and self-dealing.
- Represented plaintiff personal injury lawyers in professional negligence and ethics matter regarding fees, costs and settlement proceeds to multiple clients and cost disbursements to physicians.
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 Polygraphy Protection Act (EPPA), the Fair Housing Act, OSHA Whistleblower Protection Program, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), 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.
Honors & Awards
Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Rating: AV Preeminent
Florida Super Lawyers, Rising Stars, 2009-2013
Florida Legal Elite, 2009-2011
Admissions
- Colorado
- Texas
- Florida
- Michigan
- New York
- U.S. District Court, District of Colorado
- 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
- Florida Atlantic University, B.A, 1999
Professional Affiliations
- Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel
- Colorado Defense Lawyers Association
- Florida Defense Lawyers Association
- Professional Liability Defense Federation (PLDF), Lawyers Professional Liability Claims Committee
- Florida Bar Association, Trial Lawyers Section
- Colorado Bar Association, Lawyers Professional Liability Committee
Training and Certificates
- Board Certified Civil Trial Attorney, Florida Bar Board of Legal Specialization, 2009 to present
Publications & Events
- Featured in “Goldberg Segalla’s Growth Quick Yet Methodical,” Buffalo Law Journal, December 27, 2016