Legal Experience

Over the past 22 years, Joel Ewusiak has represented many individuals, small businesses, and large corporations in a wide range of litigation matters in state and federal courts, as well as in arbitration proceedings.  Joel is admitted to practice law in all state and federal courts in the State of Florida and the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals. He has also been admitted on a case-by-case (pro hac vice) basis to litigate and arbitrate disputes in Arizona, California, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Michigan, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Texas, Washington, and the District of Columbia.  

Joel began his legal career in 2001 working as an associate at a regional, Miami-based law firm defending companies in insurance, breach of contract, and personal injury disputes.  From 2002 to 2003, Joel served as litigation and corporate counsel for a Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) broker-dealer, where his duties included representing the corporation and its subsidiaries in securities arbitration, litigation, and business transactions.  From 2003 to 2011, Joel worked as an associate and shareholder at a mid-sized, Tampa-based law firm where he represented many individuals and companies, individually and as a group, in lawsuits and arbitration proceedings involving securities, investments, insurance products, financial transactions, breach of contract, statutory violations, and serious injuries.  From 2011 to 2014, Joel co-owned and operated a law firm, where he continued to handle litigation and arbitration matters in a variety of areas.  Since 2014, Joel has solely-owned and operated his own law firm, Ewusiak Law, P.A.  As outlined below, Ewusiak Law, P.A. represents both plaintiffs and defendants in litigation and arbitration matters. 

• PLAINTIFFS

Joel represents individuals, small businesses, and large corporations in lawsuits and arbitration proceedings against corporations and professionals in various industries.  Joel's plaintiff clients have usually sustained substantial economic losses.  Some of Joel's representative plaintiff clients include individuals who have suffered investment losses, individuals and corporations in business disputes, beneficiaries of life insurance policies, and the estates of individuals who have died as a result of negligence (i.e., wrongful death).

• DEFENDANTS

Joel also represents the interests of large corporations, small businesses, and professionals who have been sued in lawsuits and arbitration proceedings. The disputes at issue typically involve securities, investments, insurance products, intellectual property, commercial contracts, business ventures, books of business, and consumer and business products. Some of Joel's representative defense clients include, or have included, inter-dealer brokers, retail securities brokerage firms,  retailers and wholesalers of products, distributors of aircraft hardware and components, and various insurance companies and their insureds.

• LOCAL COUNSEL AND CO-COUNSEL

In light of his thorough familiarity with all Florida federal and state courts, Joel frequently serves as local counsel for out-of-state lawyers and law firms.  In his role as local counsel, Joel provides guidance and input on custom, procedure, and substantive law in Florida. Joel also serves as co-counsel on large, complex matters that require additional legal work and resources. 

• arbitrator

Finally, Joel is able to serve as an arbitrator in binding and non-binding arbitration proceedings, as well as serve as a trial resolution judge for parties who agree to voluntary trial resolution pursuant to Fla. Stat. Section 44.104.  Joel has completed the court-appointed arbitrator training certified by the Florida Supreme Court to meet the requirements of Fla. R. Arb. 11.020. Joel is included in the court-appointed arbitrator lists maintained by several judicial circuits in Florida. Joel is also qualified to serve as a non-public arbitrator in disputes administered by FINRA (Financial Industry Regulatory Authority).

Recognition

Joel’s abilities as a lawyer have been recognized.  From 2010 to 2015, he was selected by Florida Super Lawyers as a Rising Star in securities litigation.  From 2016 to 2024, Joel was selected as a Super Lawyer. Super Lawyers selects attorneys using a multiphase selection process. Peer nominations and evaluations are combined with independent research. Each candidate is evaluated on 12 indicators of peer recognition and professional achievement. Selections are made on an annual, state-by-state basis.  Only 5% of attorneys in a state are selected to Super Lawyers.

Joel has also published various legal articles and pieces.  Some of his publications include “Discovery Strategies and Preparing a Case for Success,” American Bar Association, Pretrial Practice & Discovery, and “Winning Discovery Disputes,” American Bar Association, Sound Advice.

From time to time, Joel's cases, thoughts, and opinions have been covered by various media outlets, including the Tampa Bay Times, the Tampa Tribune, the Tampa Bay Business Journal, the Ocala Star Banner, the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, Courthouse News, and Bankrate.com. Examples of Joel’s cases recently featured in the press include claims relating to alleged negligence and fraud by a Tampa Bay financial advisor, and a class action involving processing fees imposed on merchants that accept credit cards as a form of payment.   

Educational and Personal Background

Prior to becoming a lawyer, Joel attended West Virginia University in Morgantown, West Virginia.  He graduated from WVU in May 1998, Summa Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa, and as do all Mountaineer alumni, bleeds "Old Gold and Blue."  Joel then traveled to Saint Petersburg, Florida to attend Stetson University College of Law, which is routinely ranked as the best law school in the country for trial advocacy and legal writing. Joel graduated from Stetson in May 2001, Magna Cum Laude, and finished second in his class.  Joel became a licensed Florida lawyer in September 2001.

Joel grew up in a small West Virginia town and takes pride in his roots.  When he’s not working, Joel enjoys hiking, traveling in the U.S. and abroad, listening to music, and attending concerts.  Some of his favorite musicians include The Black Keys, Ben Harper, Citizen Cope, J.J. Grey & MoFro, Led Zeppelin, and The Rolling Stones. He is also an avid sports fan and closely follows the Pittsburgh Steelers and Mountaineers.