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Rod Janis

Partner

Rod Janis

Partner

Experience

Rodney J. Janis is a nationally recognized trial attorney who has served as national trial counsel for multiple clients over his career. 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 co-chairs Goldberg Segalla’s Retail and Hospitality practice, which serves all the diverse legal needs of some of the largest corporations in these evolving industries. National retail and restaurant chains, global hotel and hospitality enterprises, shopping centers, property owners, and developers rely on Rod to find creative and cost-efficient resolutions to disputes with other parties, to represent them in commercial litigation, and to handle a broad array of legal and business challenges.

Rod’s dynamic practice, trial experience, and skill set have allowed him to gain a wide range of experience spanning multiple practice areas. Rod has litigated on behalf of motor carriers, corporations, and insurance carriers in the areas of catastrophic trucking, commercial vehicle, and transportation-related accidents; 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 security liability, including property damage and personal injuries; products liability; and wrongful death actions.

Related Areas

Retail and Hospitality Civil Litigation and Trial Management and Professional Liability Construction Litigation and Counsel Transportation

Industries

Retail and Hospitality Construction Transportation Municipalities and Public Entities

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 Board Certified Civil Trial Attorney, 2010-2020

Background

Admissions

  • Colorado
  • Texas
  • Florida
  • New York
  • U. S. District Court for the District of Colorado
  • U. S. District Courts for the Middle, Northern, and Southern Districts of Florida

Education

  • University of Florida Levin College of Law, J.D., cum laude, 2003
  • Florida Atlantic University, B.A., magna cum laude, 1999

Professional Affiliations

  • Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel
  • Colorado Bar Association
  • The Florida Bar

Training and Certificates

  • Board Certified Civil Trial Attorney, The Florida Bar Board of Legal Specialization, 2010 to 2020

Military Service

  • U.S. Air Force, HQ Air Intelligence Agency, 1992 to 2000
    • Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm Area of Responsibility

News & Knowledge

Publications & Events

  • “Recent Developments and Trends in General Liability and Workers’ Compensation Matters in NY, NJ and Florida,” (Co-Presenter), Client Presentation, September 12, 2024