F. Scott Westheimer joined Syprett, Meshad, P. A.- as an associate in 1996. He became a partner in 2000, and has been a managing partner since 2002.
Mr. Westheimer has an “AV” rating by Martindale Hubbell, which means that he has been deemed to have very high professional ethics and preeminent legal ability. In 2010 and 2011, he was named a Florida Super Lawyers “Rising Star.” For 2012 through 2014, 2017, and 2020, he was recognized among Florida’s “Legal Elite” by Florida Trend magazine. Only 1,126 lawyers in Florida were named to the 2020 list, which represents just 1.5 percent of the more than 67,000 Florida Bar Members actively practicing law in the state. Those named to the “Legal Elite” list are selected by their peers who are invited to name those attorneys for whom they have the highest regard or whom they would recommend to others.
In 2020, Mr. Westheimer was honored in SRQ Magazine's peer review program as an Elite Top Attorney (Personal Injury category) of Florida's Gulf Coast. In 2017 and 2019, Mr. Westheimer was named to the 10 Best Attorneys by the American Institute of Personal Injury Attorneys. In 2017, 2018, and 2020, he was also named to The National Trial Lawyers Top 100 Civil Plaintiff Attorneys, which recognizes the premier trial lawyers from across the country who exemplify superior qualifications. In 2019 and 2020, Mr. Westheimer was selected as one of America's Top 100 Bet-the-Company Litigators and in 2020 as one of America's Top 100 Personal Injury Attorneys ( less than 0.5% of active attorneys in the United States receive this honor). In 2020, Mr. Westheimer was voted to the SRQ Elite Top Attorneys Legal Resource by Sarasota Magazine. In 2013, Mr. Westheimer received the C.L. McKaig Award from the Sarasota County Bar Association for his extraordinary service in support of the formation of the South County Division, his endeavors to promote diversity within the legal profession, and his numerous leadership roles in the SCBA and . In 2012, he was named one of the Top Lawyers of Sarasota and Manatee Counties by Sarasota Magazine. In 2012, he was named one of the Top Lawyers of Sarasota and Manatee Counties by Sarasota Magazine. In 2002, Mr. Westheimer was named as of the Top 40 Under 40 by the Gulf Coast Business Review.
In 2019, Mr. Westheimer was re-elected to a fourth two-year term on the Florida Bar Board of Governors, Twelfth Circuit Representative, Seat One, representing over 1,800 attorneys in Sarasota, DeSoto and Manatee counties. Mr. Westheimer currently serves as the Chairman of the Disciplinary Review Committee (for 2020-2021), serves on the Executive Committee (for the fifth straight year), served as Chairman of the Communications Committee (for 2017-2018 and 2018-2019), served as Chairman of the Program Evaluation Committee (for 2019-2020), and has served on the Special Committee on Technologies Affecting the Practice of Law, and Strategic Planning Committee. Mr. Westheimer has been honored twice with the President’s Award of Merit, by Past President William J. Schifino at the June 2017 Annual Convention and by Immediate Past Present Michelle Suskauer at the June 2019 Annual Convention.
Mr. Westheimer’s practice involves primarily the representation of plaintiffs in personal injury matters and various aspects of commercial litigation. He has handled cases involving complex personal injury matters, including:
Motorcycle and automobile accidents with severe injuries
Premises liability matters
Product liability litigation
Medical malpractice litigation
He is admitted to practice in the United States Supreme Court; U. S. District Court, Middle District of Florida; U.S. District Court of Appeals Fifth Circuit; and Florida state Courts.
Born in Baltimore, Maryland, Mr. Westheimer was raised primarily in Sarasota and graduated from Riverview High School in 1989. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in History, with high honors, from the University of Florida in 1993, and in 1996, received his Juris Doctorate, with high honors, from the University of Florida Levin College of Law. While at the College of Law, he had the distinction of graduating as a member of the Order of the Coif. He was a Teaching Assistant in Appellate Advocacy and Legal Research and Writing and participated in the International Law Program at Leiden University in the Netherlands in the spring of 1996.
Mr. Westheimer is a member of:
• The Florida Bar (Member since 1996)
• Sarasota County Bar Association (Member since 1997)
• Manatee County Bar Association (Member since 2014)
• Broward County Bar Association
• Dade County Bar Association
• Cuban American Bar Association
• Hillsborough County Bar Association
• Jacksonville Bar Association
• Orange County Bar Association
• Palm Beach County Bar Association
• Florida Justice Association (Member since 1999, Eagle Member since 2013)
• The American Association for Justice (Member since 2011)
• Florida Association of Women Lawyers - Annual Sponsor and member of Sarasota, Manatee, Central Florida, Jacksonville, and Miami-Dade Chapters
He is a Past President of the Sarasota County Bar Association (2010-2011), a Past President of the Sarasota County Bar Association Young Lawyers Division, a member (co-founder and former chair) of the Sarasota County Bar Association Diversity Committee, and served on the Florida Bar Young Lawyers Division Board of Governors from 2004 to 2013.
Mr. Westheimer is an active volunteer in his community, working with various charitable organizations over the years. He served on the Board of Directors of the Humane Society of Sarasota County, a volunteer position, from 2009 through 2016; the University of Florida Levin College of Law Alumni Council Board of Directors, and the Doctors Hospital of Sarasota Board of Trustees. He currently serves on the University of Florida Levin College of Law Board of Trustees.
Mr. Westheimer has the published appellate decisions of In Re: Estate of Angelica Gabrielle Salathe v. Salathe, 703 So.2d 1167 (Fla. 2dDCA 1997); Mezroub v. Capella, 702 So.2d 562 (Fla. 2dDCA 1997); Wanner v. State, 746 So.2d 478 (Fla. 2dDCA 1999); and, Barrington v. Gryphon Investments, Inc. d/b/a RE/Max Excellence, 32 So.2d 668 (Fla. 2dDCA 2010).
Mr. Westheimer’s e-mail address is .
Practice Areas:
Civil Trial Practice; Commercial Law; Plaintiff’s Personal Injury Law
Admitted:
Supreme Court of the U.S.; U. S. District Court, Middle District of Florida; U.S. District Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit; and Florida state Courts
Law School:
University of Florida, J.D., with high honors, 1996
University:
University of Florida, B.A., History, with high honors, 1993
Memberships:
Sarasota County Bar Association (President, 2010-2011; President, Young Lawyers Division, 2003-2004; Current Member, Past Chair, and co-founder, Diversity Committee); The Florida Bar President-Elect, Board of Governors, Young Lawyers Division, 2004-2013; Manatee County Bar Association; Dade County Bar Association; Cuban American Bar Association; Florida Justice Association; The American Association for Justice; Florida Association of Women Lawyers; The Florida Bar Board of Governors, 2013-present)
ISLN:
911262115
Biography:
• Florida Bar Board of Governors, Twelfth Circuit Representative, Seat One (2013-present); Florida Trend Legal Elite: 2012-2014, 2017, & 2019-2020; Florida Super Lawyers Rising Star: 2010, 2011; National Trial Florida Lawyers Top 100 Civil Plaintiff Attorneys 2017, 2018 & 2020; America’s Best 100 Personal Injury Attorneys 2020; Order of the Coif; The Florida Bar President’s Award of Merit Winner 2017 & 2019. .
