Biannela Susana was assured at least 14 years in prison after pleading guilty to manslaughter in the death of her 2-year-old son, David.
She could have received 30 years.
But some of Jacksonville’s philanthropic and legal power brokers, including Gunster’s Bill Adams, stepped in to help her.
Citing mitigating circumstances and the likelihood of rehabilitation after hearing from Adams and other advocates for Susana, Circuit Judge James Daniel sentenced the lifelong domestic violence victim to probation in 2013.
In his 14-page ruling, Daniels said there was no evidence she ever tried to harm any of her three children.
The mother of former high-profile juvenile murder defendant Cristian Fernandez, Susana had spent two years in jail awaiting trial.
Adams and Gunster partner David Wells were drawn to the case through the Delores Barr Weaver Policy Center, which was advocating for Susana.
Mental health professionals testified Susana, who became pregnant with Cristian as an 11-year-old, suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder resulting from abandonment, poverty and domestic abuse.
Adams bumped into Susana, who’s been working for the Barr center since 2013, last week.
“She’s doing great, looking wonderful and has a great future,” he said.
The case was largely off the beaten path for Adams, who has litigated and resolved disputes in courts and arbitrations nationwide.
But not entirely.
“We started off with the case wanting justice to be done. In the end, that’s what you always want,” he said.
Cristian, who was 12 when David died while Cristian was babysitting him, also received free help from an elite legal team. Instead of a mandatory life-without-parole Cristian faced due to being tried as an adult, he was sentenced to remain in a juvenile facility until he turns 19.
Adams became managing shareholder for Gunster’s Jacksonville office in September; he co-founded the firm’s Jacksonville office in 2007.
There’s no hesitation when Adams is asked to cite the most fulfilling case of his legal career.
“Far and away, it’s participating in the representation of Biannela Susana,” he said. “That whole thing is a wonderful example of what the importance of being a lawyer can represent.”
A Columbus, Ga., native and father of two, Adams has degrees in psychology and law from Southern Methodist University.
Also the owner of First Coast CrossFit, Adams has been practicing law since 1996 and has been with Gunster since 2007, when he was charged with helping establish a strong Northeast Florida presence for the firm. Before that, he was with McGuireWoods.
The promotion of Adams and three attorneys in other areas of Florida to the newly created managing shareholder position is a product of steady growth at Gunster, one of Florida’s largest business law firms.
Gunster also announced in September the addition of four shareholders, 10 associates and one of-counsel shareholder, and added offices in Winter Park and Boca Raton.
Headquartered in West Palm Beach, Gunster has more than 180 attorneys in its 13 Florida offices, including 23 in Jacksonville.
The firm provides full-service legal counsel to businesses, organizations and individuals.
Among the company’s mantras is its growth has been not at the expense of personalized service, but because of it.
“We’ve got resources and reach, (but) we operate as kind of a de facto, small boutique firm,” Adams said.
One of Gunster’s most significant Jacksonville recruiting achievements occurred in 2011 when the firm –– after more than 18 months of discussions –– added the attorneys of Pappas Metcalf Jenks & Miller to its ranks.
“We set out to identify and recruit top talent to Jacksonville, which –– by any measure –– we’ve done,” Adams said.
A business litigation specialist, he said leading growth efforts will continue to be a primary task in his advanced role with Gunster.
The firm’s culture and reputation, in particular, enable it to “bring in folks who fit in with our personality, professionalism, and collegialism,” Adams said.
Also, Gunster’s statewide platform –– which Adams says is a “happy medium” between international and local firms –– also is a lure.
“Law firms are like any other organization in that they have a very distinctive flavor,” he said. “I feel like ours is one of, I guess you could call it, friendly entrepreneurialism.”
Rather than filling specific specialties, Gunster’s recruitment philosophy is to continually be on the lookout for the legal field’s best talent.
“I would say we are recruiters of opportunity,” he said. “It’s never the wrong time to hire the best lawyer.”