Legal Assistant Faculty
JOEL COMERFORD, Esq.
Mr. Comerford is a sole practitioner in Boca Raton. He was formerly with the
Law Firm of Camp & Camp, P.A. in Fort Lauderdale. He is also associated with Sun Title Co. in Boca
Raton. He received his B.A. degree from Florida Atlantic University and his
J.D. from Nova Southeastern University.
He has been admitted to practice in Florida and the U.S. District Court, Southern
District of Florida. He practices in the areas of Probate Administration,
Estate Planning and Real Estate.
Mr. Comerford teaches Real Property Law, Introduction to Law, and Probate in
the Legal Assistant Program
MALCOLM H. KAHL, Esq. Mr. Kahl has offices in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and limits his
practice to personal injury and wrongful death. After receiving his J.D.,
he received a Master of Law degree from New York University, School of
Law.
He is a member of the New York Bar, Florida Bar, and the District of Columbia
Bar; past Co-Chairman of the Trial Lawyers Section of the Broward County
Bar; Board of Governors of the Broward County Trial Lawyers; Academy of
Florida Trial Lawyers; Supreme Court Certified Mediator; lectured at Beth
Israel Hospital on medical malpractice; guest speaker ABC television WIOD
radio on medical malpractice and automobile insurance law; and speaker
at the Boca Raton Paralegal Association.
He is admitted to practice in the Florida Supreme Court; U.S.
District Court, Middle District of Florida; U.S. District Court Southern
District of Florida; U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York;
U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York; Supreme Court of the
U.S.; U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit.
Mr. Kahl teaches Personal Injury in the Legal Assistant Program.
KENNETH B. DION, Esq. Mr. Dion is a sole practitioner in West Palm Beach. He was formerly
with the Palm Beach County Office of the Public Defender as an Assistant
Public Defender. He is currently a sole practitioner representing clients
in Criminal Law, Traffic Law, Contract Law, and Corporate Law.
He earned his J.D from Suffolk University Law School, and Bachelor
of Arts from Boston College. Mr. Dion teaches an LSAT course in the Test
Preparation program at FAU. He also teaches for Palm Beach Community College.
Mr. Dion teaches Corporations in the Legal Assistant Program.
JEFFREY F. GORDON, Esq.
Mr. Gordon is a partner in the law firm of Broad and Cassel in West Palm Beach,
Florida.
He received his B.A. degree from Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, and
J.D. from the University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida.
He has been admitted to practice in Florida and the U.S. District
Court, Southern District and Middle District of Florida. He is a former
adjunct professor at Florida International University and Florida Atlantic
University. Mr. Gordon has tried numerous civil and criminal cases throughout
Florida. He is a Board Certified Civil Trial lawyer.
Mr. Gordon teaches Criminal Law in the Legal Assistant Program.
JOY
J. KASTANIAS, Esq. Joy Kastanias is a practicing elder law attorney who has instructed various courses
in the Paralegal Certificate and Test Preparation programs at Florida Atlantic
University. Ms. Kastanias earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in English
and Psychology from the University of Alabama and her Juris Doctor from
DePaul University in Chicago, Illinois. Prior to attending law school,
her professional experience included working as a technical writer and
an editor. She is licensed to practice law in both Florida and Illinois.
Ms. Kastanias teaches the Intro
to Law, Effective Legal Research, Research Writing, Cyber Law, Elder Law, and Certified Legal Assistant (CLA) Test Preparation courses at Florida Atlantic University's Legal Assistant Certificate and Test
Preparation Programs.
MARCIA LEVINE, Esq.
Marcia E. Levine received her J.D. degree from the University
of Miami in 1980 and her L.L.M. degree in Taxation from the University
of Miami in 1993.
Ms. Levine is currently the director of a family office for a single client.
Prior thereto, Ms. Levine practiced primarily in the areas of tax, estate
planning, creditor protection planning, probate administration and probate
litigation. She co-authored “Qualified Plans May Not Be Protected in
Bankruptcy”, which was published in the Summer/1997 issue of ACTEC Notes.
Prior to obtaining her master of laws degree in taxation at
the University of Miami, where she was graduated first in her class,
Ms. Levine was a partner in the Fort Lauderdale law firm of Fazio, Dawson,
et.al. During her 12-year tenure with that firm, Ms. Levine was engaged
in a civil trial and appellate practice.
Ms. Levine teaches Wills, Trusts, and Estate Planning in the
Legal Assistant Program.
Stephen Rosenthal has been a member of the Florida Bar since
1986 and a sole practitioner in Tamarac, Florida since 1992. He practices
in the areas of real estate, family law, probate, and general civil litigation.
He received a B.A. in Economics from the University of Michigan, a B.Comm.
(Honours) in Accounting from the University of Windsor, and a J.D. from
Wayne State University Law School.
In addition to his law practice, he has served as a Civil Infraction Traffic
Hearing Officer in the 17th Judicial Circuit.
Mr. Rosenthal teaches Civil Litigation and Contract Law in
the Legal Assistant Certificate Program.
SAMANTHA VACCIANA, Esq. Samantha Vacciana serves as Assistant Regional Counsel for
the Office of Criminal Conflict and Civil Regional Counsel in West Palm
Beach, Florida. Prior to her current position, Ms. Vacciana practiced
family law for approximately five years, specializing in the areas of
domestic violence and child custody.
Ms. Vacciana received both her BA and MA degrees from Florida Atlantic University
and her JD from the University of Florida, College of Law where she graduated
cum laude. She is Florida Bar Foundation and Equal Justice Works Fellow.
Ms. Vacciana is admitted to practice in Florida and in Federal
District court.
Ms. Vacciana teaches Domestic Relations and Immigration Law in the Legal Assistant Program.
For more information, call 561-297-3648 or e-mail rrmagdal@fau.edu