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.
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 in the Legal Assistant Program.
GENTRY BENJAMIN
Ms. Benjamin has been admitted to practice law in Florida for the past fifteen years, where she has been based solely within Palm Beach County. She worked as an Assistant County Attorney with the Palm Beach County Attorney's Office for twelve years. Prior to her tenure with the Palm Beach County Attorney's Office, she practiced as a criminal appeals attorney with the Florida Attorney General’s Office and a staff attorney with the Fifteenth Judicial Circuit of Florida.
She received both her B.S. in Journalism and her Juris Doctor from the University of Florida. Her areas of expertise include the following: contract, local government, administrative, and appellate law.
Ms. Benjamin teaches Contract and Disability Law for the FAU Legal Assistant Program.
ELISE GROSS
Elise Gross is a sole practitioner in Boca Raton. Her practice concentrates on estate planning, probate, and asset protection, as well as the business and succession planning which are involved in such procedures. She received her B.A. from Florida International University, her J.D. from New York Law School, and her L.L.M. in Estate Planning from the University of Miami, School of Law. She is also licensed to practice in New York.
Ms. Gross teaches Wills, Trusts & Estate Planning for our Legal Assistant Program.
HELENE HVIZD
Ms. Hvizd currently serves as an Assistant County Attorney in the Litigation Department of the Palm Beach County Attorney’s Office. She previously served as an Assistant Attorney General in that office’s Criminal Appeals Division, and practiced as a sole practitioner in West Palm Beach. Prior to opening her own firm, Ms. Hvizd served as Senior Law Clerk to the Honorable Mark E. Polen at the Fourth District Court of Appeal.
Mr. Hvizd received her B.S. degree from Northern Illinois University, Dekalb, Illinois. She received her J.D. degree from Nova Southeastern University, Shepard Broad Law Center, Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Ms. Hvizd is admitted to practice in the courts of Florida, the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida, the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, and the United States Supreme Court. She is a Board Certified Appellate Practice Attorney.
Ms. Hvizd teaches Effective Legal Research for the Legal Assistant Program.
For more information, call 561-297-3648 or e-mail rrmagdal@fau.edu
