Bio

W.M. Chanfrau, Sr. is the founder of our group of Central Florida personal injury attorneys here in Daytona Beach. He is a Florida Bar Board Certified Civil Trial Attorney with decades of experience and a stellar reputation in his community and throughout the State of Florida. Mr. Chanfrau’s commitment to excellence and the pursuit of justice for all of his clients is the cornerstone of our practice.

W. M. CHANFRAU – IN HIS OWN WORDS.

My friends call me Bill. I’m proud to be a plaintiff’s attorney. I strongly believe in the civil justice system and the right to retain an attorney on a contingency fee basis. These fundamental elements of trial law level what would otherwise be an imbalanced playing field, weighted heavily in favor of the liability insurance industry and corporate America. I’ve been board certified by the Florida Bar since 1983. As president of the local bar association, I helped found a legal clinic for the poor and organized local attorneys to provide Pro Bono services. I’ve received a variety of awards for my practice over the years, but I’m perhaps most proud of Martindale-Hubbell’s recognition of my practice in its Bar Registry of Preeminent Lawyers.

I love tennis, golf, and racquetball and am an avid fan of Florida State University football. My roots run deep in the Volusia County justice system. My maternal grandmother was Florida’s first female court reporter in 1936, and my father was appointed by the Governor to succeed her as the Official Court Reporter in 1960.

Our firm aggressively pursues the interests of our clients within the rules and laws of the State of Florida.

CAREER

W. M. Chanfrau, Sr. has had a distinguished and rewarding career in law. In more than fourthree decades as an attorney, he has tried cases in some of the top courtrooms in Florida.

• Admittance to Florida State Bar (1973)

• Florida Bar Board Certified — Civil Trial

• U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida (1975)

• U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit and U.S. Supreme Court (1976)

HONORS AND AWARDS

• Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent Peer Rated for Highest Level of Professional Excellence (2016)

• U.S. News and World Report – 2017 Best Lawyers, Best Law Firm

• Florida Super Lawyer  2013 to the present (years?)

• Million Dollar Advocates Forum

• Lawyers of Distinction

• AVVO Clients Choice – Top Attorney Personal Injury

• The National Top 100 Trial Lawyers

HONORS AND DISTINCTIONS

• Pro Bono Award by the Florida Supreme Court (1982), awarded to members of the Florida Bar who have distinguished themselves in professional service. Pro Bono award was presented in recognition of his efforts as President of the Volusia County Bar Association establishing the Volusia County Lawyer Service Project (providing free legal services to those incapable of paying for an attorney in civil matters).

• Martindale-Hubbell’s Preeminent Peer and AV Rated Attorney (1996 - present). An AV Rating indicates that the attorney has reached the height of professional excellence, demonstrating the highest levels of skill and integrity. An AV Rating is achieved only through independent peer review.

• American Jurisprudence Award for Contracts and Criminal Law

• Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers Silver Eagle Award for Outstanding Leadership (1989 & 1991)

• Ad Hoc Professor – Stetson College of Law

• Member: Editorial Board, Stetson Law Review (1972 - 1973)

• Founder, Volusia County Volunteer Lawyer’s Project (1982)

BAR/PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES

• Member of the Volusia County Bar Association, President (1982)

• Member of the Florida Bar (1973 - present)

• Board Certified Civil Trial Attorney by The Florida Bar, Board of Legal Specialization in Education (1983 - present), Chairman Ethics Committee

• Member of the Florida Justice Association (Board member 1983 - 1989)

• Founding President of Volusia Civil Trial Attorney’s Association (1986 - present)

• Sustaining Member of the American Justice Association (1978 - present)

• Member of the Young Lawyer’s Division by the Florida Bar (1982 - 1986)

• Judicial Nominating commission of the Fifth District Court Appeal Appeals member  (1992); Chairman (1994 - 1995)

• Member of the Seventh Judicial Circuit Chairman, Grievance Committee (1984 - 1986)

• Chairman of the Volusia County Bar Association Grievance Committee (1985 - 1986)

• Admitted to U.S. Middle District of Florida, U.S. Supreme Court

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

• Florida State University Seminole Boosters, Golden Chief (2001 - present)

• Rotary Club of Ormond Beach, Florida (1980 - present, President 2001)

• Daytona Beach Quarterback Club (1978 - 2003)

• President of local Florida State University Boosters (1986)

• Ormond Beach Chamber of Commerce

• Sponsor and volunteer in the Daytona Beach International Festival (1986 - present)

• Daytona Beach YMCA Board of Directors (1984 - 1988)

• Served as a coach for soccer (12 - 15 years), Flag Football, T-Ball, Softball and Hobie Sailing

• Episcopal Church St. James of Ormond Beach, Florida, Vestry (1986 - 1992), Currently Lay Eucharistic Minister at St. James Episcopal Church. Lay Leader/Facilitator Lazarus Men’s Bible Study (1989 - 2009)

EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND

• Stetson University College of Law, graduated 3rd out of 178

• Member of Stetson University College of Law Review (1973)

• Stetson University College of Law, Adjunct Professor (1973)

• Member of Florida State University Gold Key and Omicron Delta Kappa National Leadership Foundation (1964 - 1968)

• Delta Tau Delta Fraternity, President (1963)

• Florida State University Hall of Fame (1967)

MILITARY SERVICE

Commissioned Officer in the United States Navy Reserve, Ensign (1968 – 1976), active duty (1968 – 1971) submarine base Pearl Harbor, Hawaii reached rank of Lieutenant United States Navy Reserve before honorable discharge.

EDUCATION

• Seabreeze High School (1964)

• Florida State University, B.S. (1968)

• Stetson University College of Law, J.D. (Cum Laude, 1973)

WMCHANFRAU SR

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