Divine intervention brought Dixon Bridgers to Jacksonville to open a law office for Vernis & Bowling. The firm has been open since 1970 and has offices all over Florida. They opened the Jacksonville office two months ago in the Southside area. Daily Record staff writer Michele Newbern Gillis met recently with Managing Partner Bridgers to discuss the firm.
DIVINE INTERVENTION?
Bridgers was practicing law in Pensacola and his wife, Anne, was a school teacher.
“One day my wife was weeding the front yard and she hears a voice. She literally looks around there was no one there. The voice said, ‘The time is now.’ She knew that it meant that it was time for her to go to seminary and become ordained as an Episcopal priest.”
Under the direction of their minister, Bridgers and his wife moved to Virginia so she could attend seminary. They sold their house, car and his practice and Bridgers became a house husband for three years to take care of their four children. Anne graduated seminary school in 1998 and they moved to Alabama where she was assigned to a parish. Recently, she was moved again and placed as a canon (an assistant minister) at St. Johns Cathedral in downtown Jacksonville. Bridgers called his old partner in Pensacola and found out he had joined Vernis & Bowling and that they were looking to open an office in Jacksonville. “I called them and it has worked out perfectly. I don’t believe in coincidences.”
WHAT TYPE OF LAW DO YOU PRACTICE?
“We practice civil trial work, no criminal cases. For the most part we defend companies against personal injury lawsuits.”
FIND ANY PHONIES?
“Yes, we had a case where a man claimed he had a back injury so bad he couldn’t get out of bed. We filmed him up on his roof renovating his house. He was laying down shingles and going up and down a ladder. It was hilarious.”
WHY OPEN AN OFFICE IN SOUTHSIDE?
“We do work for companies and there are a lot of corporate offices and insurance offices in this area.”
HOW MANY ATTORNEYS IN THE FIRM?
There are over 60 attorneys spread out over Florida in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Palm Beach, Islamorada, Fort Myers, Deland, Clearwater, Pensacola and now Jacksonville.
HOW MANY IN YOUR OFFICE?
Currently, Bridgers is the only attorney in his office, but that will soon change. He has hired a legal assistant, Julie Stromick, and plans on growing the firm as time goes on. As they grow, they will expand to a larger space to accommodate more attorneys and more assistants.
WHAT TYPE OF ATTORNEYS ARE YOU LOOKING FOR?
“I’m interested in people who want to be aggressive and who have a positive outlook so we can have fun in the process.” He will also be looking to add attorneys who handle worker’s compensation cases (to defend corporations against plaintiffs) and attorneys who handle employment law to the practice.
WHO STARTED THE FIRM?
Frank C. Vernis Jr. and James W. Bowling started the firm in 1970. “About 10 years ago, the firm realized that there are a lot of lawyers in Florida, but that there are also a lot of clients in Florida. They started out on a growth plan where they went from two offices in South Florida to having offices all over Florida. I think eventually, they will have offices all over the southeast.”
CLIENTS
A few of the clients the firm handles are Wal-Mart, Federated Department Stores (a holding company for Macy’s, Burdines and Bloomingdale’s), Florida Rock, GMAC Insurance, Coca-Cola and Chrysler dealerships in Florida. Locally, Wal-Mart, Chrysler and Florida Rock have cases with Bridgers.
WHAT DO YOU OFFER YOUR CLIENTS?
“Cost effective legal representation that exceeds our client’s expectations. Also, I offer them 25 years of experience and I will handle their case.”
PROFESSIONAL INVOLVEMENT?
Jacksonville Claims Association.
HOW IS VERNIS AND BOWLING UNIQUE?
“We are aggressive about growing and I can practice law the way I always have.” He said working there is not like working in a large firm. He is allowed to do what he needs to do to get the office up and running without micromanaging.
HOBBIES
Bridgers likes to play golf, being involved in church and spending time with his family.
FAMILY
He has been married to Anne for 21 years. They have four children: Blake, Ashley, Leslie and Lucy.
RESIDES
San Marco.