Lipcon, Margulies & Winkleman, P.A.

Bios

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  Charles R. Lipcon

  Founder

  Charles R. Lipcon is the firm’s founder and one of the preeminent maritime attorneys in the United States. Mr. Lipcon has been handling maritime lawsuits – including personal injury, wrongful death, sexual assault and rape – for over 50 years. In that time, he and his firm have recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for their clients. In addition, he has prevailed on landmark cases that have shaped maritime law and helped passengers, seamen and their families recover for the harm they suffer.

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  Link: Charles R. Lipcon

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  Jason R. Margulies

  Named Partner

  Jason R. Margulies is a board-certified admiralty and maritime lawyer, as well as a co-managing partner of Lipcon, Margulies & Winkleman, P.A. After serving as a law clerk for the firm starting in 1992, Mr. Margulies joined the firm as an attorney. As a board certified and experienced trial lawyer, Jason handles personal injury and wrongful death claims. He has also handled hundreds of cruise ship rape and sexual assault cases. Mr. Margulies is often called upon to review and comment on national and international legal matters by the press and to serve as an expert witness on matters associated with admiralty and maritime law.

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  Link: Jason R. Margulies

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  Michael A. Winkleman

  Named Partner

  Michael A. Winkleman is one of the nation’s top maritime lawyers. An active trial and appellate attorney, Mr. Winkleman is also a frequent contributing expert on maritime and cruise ship law. He has made more than 100 national television appearances regarding cruise ship law, including The Today Show, Dr. Oz, Good Morning America, 20/20, Inside Edition, OutFront with Erin Burnett, Fox News Channel’s ‘American’s Newsroom,’ ‘Fox & Friends,’ ‘America Live,’ ‘Happening Now,’ ‘Justice with Judge Jeanine’; and ‘Imus in the Morning.’

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  Link: Michael A. Winkleman

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  Jacqueline Garcell

  Senior Partner

  Jacqueline Garcell is a senior partner and active trial attorney in maritime law for Lipcon, Margulies & Winkleman, P.A. She routinely handles passengers’ personal injury, sexual assault and wrongful death claims, as well as non-maritime personal injury claims. Ms. Garcell is the fastest attorney to ever make partner at the firm, having been promoted to the partner position after being with us for a decade.

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  Link: Jacqueline Garcell

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  Carol L. Finklehoffe

  Partner

  Carol L. Finklehoffe is a partner at Lipcon, Margulies and Winkleman, P.A. who has been practicing for 30 years in both the state and federal courts throughout Florida, California and Massachusetts. Ms. Finklehoffe is an “AV” rated trial attorney who is a certified specialist in Maritime and Admiralty law.

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  Link: Carol L. Finklehoffe

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  L. Alex Perez

  Partner

  Alex Perez is an active litigator licensed to practice law in all Florida Federal and State Courts, including Appellate Courts. Mr. Perez also routinely handles International Arbitrations pending in countries all over the world. Mr. Perez has secured millions of dollars for his clients. Mr. Perez primarily represents passengers injured on cruise ships, crewmembers injured on cruise ships, cargo vessels, oil tankers and other commercial sea going vessels, and handles a variety of recreational marine cases involving yachts, pleasure boats and jet skis.

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  Link: L. Alex Perez

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  Daniel Grammes

  Partner

  Daniel Grammes is a litigation attorney, handling passengers’ personal injury claims, crewmember claims, wrongful death claims, product liability claims, as well as non-maritime personal injury claims. He is dedicated to providing exceptional service and ensuring that every client is treated like a valued member of the firm’s family.

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  Marc Weiner

  Partner

  Marc Weiner is a Partner at Lipcon, Margulies & Winkleman, P.A., bringing over 9 years of experience to his role. His legal practice focuses on maritime and admiralty personal injury cases, where he represents both crew members and passengers. Beyond his legal expertise, Marc is dedicated to community service. He has volunteered as a Big Brother and has been actively involved in community law programs and Habitat for Humanity projects. In his personal life, he enjoys traveling, fly-fishing, and spending time with loved ones. He is fluent in English and represents clients from around the globe. According to the article, Marc says, “It has been an honor to represent all the injured passengers and crewmembers throughout the years. We take great pride in advocating for our clients in their time of need.

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  Link: Marc Weiner

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  Stefanie Black

  Partner

  Stefanie Black is a litigation attorney handling passengers’ personal injury claims and crewmember cases as well as non-maritime personal injury claims. She has experience in maritime personal injury litigation as well as cargo claims against ocean carriers in federal court. Ms. Black enjoys state and federal court practice with a history of countless successful trials. She is passionate about providing exceptional representation to the firm’s clients throughout all stages of the litigation process.

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  Link: Stefanie Black

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  Geoffrey Probst

  Partner

  Geoffrey Probst is a new and prized addition to Lipcon, Margulies & Winkleman, P.A. While only recently joining LM&W, attorney Probst brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the firm, having specialized in admiralty and maritime law for over 17 years. . Attorney Probst has extensive experience in representing both plaintiffs and defendants in legal actions involving injured or deceased passengers and crew members in cruise ship accidents. In his earlier career, he was the senior in-house litigator for a major cruise line. Having worked on both sides of these claims gives attorney Probst a unique advantage when representing accident victims in personal injury claims. Mr. Probst has also litigated many cases involving land-based personal injuries and wrongful deaths.

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  Link: Geoffrey Probst

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  Elizabeth Irazabal

  Attorney

  Elizabeth Irazabal is a litigation attorney handling cruise ship passenger personal injury claims and crewmember claims as well as non-maritime personal injury claims. She is dedicated to providing exceptional service and representation to the firm’s clients throughout all stages of the litigation process.

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  Eliana Aklepi

  Attorney

  Eliana Aklepi is a litigation attorney handling passenger personal injury, sexual assault, and crewmember cases. Eliana prioritizes working closely with clients, ensuring their stories are heard. Eliana’s undergraduate degree from Drexel University allowed her to work with artists, helping them avoid exploitative contracts. This work sparked her desire to fight corporations with abusive labor practices.

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  Link: Eliana Aklepi

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  Ashley E. Wentz

  Attorney

  Ashley E. Wentz is a litigation attorney handling passenger personal injury and crewmember cases. Ashley received her law degree from the University of Baltimore School of Law. After graduating law school, Ashley practiced in the areas of family law and personal injury. Ashley handled numerous trials while practicing family law in Maryland ranging from custody, visitation, and child support disputes.

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  Ryan Hunt

  Attorney

  Ryan is an experienced trial attorney who has practiced extensively in Washington State’s Federal and State Courts. Ryan has successfully tried more than 130 civil cases in Washington superior courts. Prior to joining Lipcon, Margulies & Winkleman, P.A., Ryan was an Assistant Attorney General for the State of Washington. As an Assistant Attorney General, Ryan represented Washington’s hospitals and Washington’s Special Commitment Center. As an Assistant Attorney General, Ryan worked extensively with victims of violent crime as well as with Washington’s medical and mental health workers.

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  Link: Ryan Hunt

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  Nicolas Lipcon

  Attorney

  Nicolas Lipcon is a litigation attorney specializing in maritime personal injury cases, dedicated to advocating for individuals impacted by serious injuries at sea. Nicolas represents both passengers and crew members injured on cruise ships, pleasure boats, and commercial vessels, ensuring their voices are heard and their rights defended. He completed his legal education at Vanderbilt Law School, where he sharpened his litigation skills, focusing on trial preparation, discovery, depositions, and strategic case analysis. His legal experience, shaped by intensive law school training and summer associate positions, equipped him with a strong foundation in case strategy, client counseling, and meticulous pre-trial preparation—all vital to his work in maritime litigation. His early legal career includes a breadth of exposure to complex legal issues, further shaped by rigorous internships where he prepared documentation for trials, client meetings, and hearings.

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  Link: Nicolas Lipcon