Shareholders Michael J. Thomas and Cody W. Short recently earned a defense verdict in a premises liability case in Bay County, Florida. The plaintiff, a plastic surgeon, alleged that the defendant, a surgery center, allowed a dangerous condition to exist within the defendant's premises where the plaintiff worked, resulting in an alleged injury sustained when the plaintiff collided with a coworker in a hallway. Specifically, the plaintiff alleged that the hallway should have had a safety mirror at the intersection of two hallways, and that defendant failed to follow its policy regarding completion of documentation during the pre-operative phase of a patient’s surgery. The plaintiff alleged that the injury caused permanent/total disability, affecting his ability to perform plastic surgeries. The defense successfully showed that there was no dangerous condition, and no negligence on the part of the surgery center. The case was tried before Judge James J. Goodman and resulted in a complete defense verdict for the defendant on February 11, 2026. Michael J. Thomas is Board Certified in Civil Trial Law by The Florida Bar and has an AV Preeminent® rating from Martindale-Hubbell’s peer review rating system, which represents the highest level of professional excellence for ethical standards and legal ability. Mike is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates. Mike is licensed to practice law in Florida and Georgia and has been admitted to practice in the U.S. District Court for the Northern, Middle, and Southern Districts of Florida, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, the Northern, Middle, and Southern U.S. District Courts of Georgia, and the Supreme Court of the United States. Cody W. Short’s practice focuses on insurance defense and litigation, including medical/dental malpractice, product liability, premises liability, commercial litigation, and employment litigation. Cody is licensed to practice law in Florida and has been admitted to practice in the U.S. District Court for the Northern, Middle, and Southern Districts of Florida, as well as the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. Cody has previously been recognized as a Super Lawyers Rising Star and by Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America.

We are pleased to announce that and Marc Ito and Rachel Givens have been named shareholders of Pennington PA. This well-deserved recognition reflects their outstanding legal expertise, dedication to client service, and meaningful contributions to the continued success of our firm. We are proud to welcome them into firm leadership and look forward to their ongoing impact in the years ahead. Please join us in congratulating Marc and Rachel on this significant professional achievement.