Andrew Needle

Location:	Miami, Florida
Phone:	305-290-1736, 877-810-2864
Fax:	305-530-1919
Email:	Email Me

Andrew Needle is Board Certified in Civil Trial Law by the Florida Bar. Following graduation from Cornell University in 1974 and the University of Miami, cum laude, in 1977, he began practicing law with one of the premier personal injury and medical malpractice firms in Florida. Since then he has distinguished himself professionally both in and out of the courtroom as a trial lawyer, author, and lecturer.

He is a charter member of the Miami chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates, a trial lawyer organization dedicated to the preservation of the civil justice system and for which admission is solely by peer recognition and experience. Mr. Needle’s courtroom victories include multi-million dollar verdicts in cases that have often pushed the outer boundaries of existing legal precedent. He is a former editorial consultant to Matthew Bender Law Books, and the author of “Post Trial Motions” Florida Civil Trial Practice, Chapter 18, Ninth Edition as well as Inside The Minds- Representing Plaintiffs in Medical Malpractice Cases “Current Challenges in Handling Medical Malpractice Actions: Statutory Protections, Expenses, and Societal Misconceptions”, Thomson Reuters/Asparatore 2012.

For six years he was a member of the Florida Bar’s Board of Governors, which sets policy and discipline (under the auspices of the Florida Supreme Court), for all lawyers practicing in the state of Florida. Named as one of South Florida’s Top Lawyers in medical malpractice, personal injury and wrongful death by the “South Florida Legal Guide,” every year since its inception, he has been selected as a “Heavy Hitter” in healthcare law by the South Florida Business Journal, February 10, 2006, recognized in 2013 by Florida Trend Magazine as among Florida’s Legal Elite, and has been selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America®, 2007-2016 in the areas of Medical Malpractice and Personal Injury.

Andrew Needle

Classes/Seminars

• • “Negligent Security”, Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers, 1986
  • “Current Thoughts on the Death on the High Seas Act”, Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers, 1987
  • “Admissibility of Prior and Subsequent Incidents”, Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers, May 17, 1990 – May 18, 1990
  • “Medical Malpractice Pre-suit Screening: Pitfalls and Opportunities”, Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers, November 2, 1990
  • “Fighting Medicare/Medicaid Liens and Other Such Nuisances”, Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers, 1990
  • “Handling Blue Cross Blue Shield Rights”, Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers, April 25, 1991 – April 26, 1991
  • “Florida’s Hospital Review Committee Privileges: A Chinese Wall Against Responsibility”, Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers, 1993
  • “Trying the Auto Accident Case”, National Education Network, 1994
  • “Group Health Carrier Subrogation Rights or Rights of Reimbursement”, Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers, 1994
  • “The Good Samaritan Act’s Emergency Room Provisions – Samaritans and Goodness Have Nothing to Do With It”, Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers, 1994
  • “Demonstration of Jury Selection Techniques”, Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers, 1994
  • The Legal Aftermath of Fabre v. Marin and Strategies for Settlement and Trial, Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers, 1994
  • “Group Health Insurance Liens”, Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers, 1995
  • “Effective Use of Technology in Preparing and Trying Cases – An Historical Perspective and Comparison”, The Florida Bar, 1995
  • “Group Health Carrier Subrogation Rights and Rights of Reimbursement: General Legal Principles, Pitfalls, Suggestions for Negotiating, Strategies for Releases and Settlements”, Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers, 1996
  • “Insurance Litigation in Florida – Health Insurance Subrogation Rights and Rights of Reimbursement”, Lorman Education Services, 1996
  • “Florida’s Collateral Source Statute”, Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers, 1997
  • “Preparing and Litigating the Personal Injury or Wrongful Death Case”, National Bar Association/Women Lawyers Division Dade County Chapter, 1998
  • “Group Health Carrier Subrogation Rights and Rights of Reimbursement”, Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers, 1998
  • “Medical Malpractice: The Myth of the Frivolous Lawsuit”, Coral Gables Bar Association, 1998
  • “Basic Steps in the Medical Malpractice Case”, Association of Trial Lawyers of America, 1998
  • “How to Prepare for & Conduct Cross Examination of Defense Experts”, Dade County Trial Lawyers Association, 1998
  • “Direct Examination of the Plaintiff”, Dade County Trial Lawyers Association, 1999
  • “Auto Insurance Law and Accident Litigation in Florida – Discovery and Pretrial Preparation”, Lorman Education Services, 1999
  • “Medical Malpractice in Florida”, National Business Institute, 1999
  • “Health Insurance Subrogation Rights and Rights of Reimbursement”, Lorman Education Services, 2000
  • “Auto Insurance Law and Accident Litigation in Florida – Discovery and Pretrial Preparation”, Lorman Education Services, 2000
  • “The Current Effects of the Collateral Source Statute 768.76”, Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers, 2001
  • “Evidence and Hearsay in the Florida Courtroom”, National Business Institute, 2001
  • “Successful Handling of Wrongful Death Cases in Florida – Evaluating the Wrongful Death Case”, Lorman Education Services, 2001
  • “Successful Handling of Wrongful Death Cases in Florida – Evaluating the Wrongful Death Case”, Lorman Education Services, 2002
  • “Medical Malpractice Law Legislative Changes and Case Law Update”, Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers, 2003
  • “Successful Handling of Wrongful Death Cases in Florida”, Lorman Education Services, 2004

• “Successful Handling of Wrongful Death Cases in Florida”, Lorman Education Services, 2005

Areas of Practice

• • Aviation Litigation
  • Civil Rights Violations Resulting in Injuries and Death
  • Construction Related Injuries and Wrongful Death
  • Insurance Litigation
  • Maritime Personal Injury and Wrongful Death
  • Medical Malpractice
  • Motor Vehicle Negligence
  • Negligent Security
  • Premises Liability
  • Products Liability

• Railroad Injuries and Death

Certified Legal Specialties

• Board Certified Civil Trial Lawyer, The Florida Bar , 1991

Bar Admissions

• • Florida, 1977
  • U.S. Court of Appeals 11th Circuit
  • U.S. District Court Southern District of Florida

• U.S. Supreme Court

Education

• • University of Miami School of Law, Coral Gables, Florida
    • Juris Doctor cum laude – May, 1977

• Cornell University , Ithaca, New York , USA
  • Bachelor of Science – June, 1974

Published Works

• • Post Trial Motions, Florida Civil Trial Practice, Chapter 18, 3rd Edition, 1984
  • Shadow Juries Won’t Keep You in the Dark, Miami Review, March 5th, 1990
  • Post Trial Motions, Florida Trial Practice, Chapter 18, 4th Edition, 1990
  • An Ill Conceived Brainstorm: State Legislators Enact Law Imposing Legal Inequities, Miami Review, August 23rd, 1991
  • Malpractice Litigation: Views of A Plaintiff’s Attorney, Caduceus Newsletter, Spring, 1992
  • Effective Use of Technology in Preparing and Trying Cases: An Historical Perspective and Comparison, The Florida Bar News, January 15th, 1996
  • Post Trial Motions, Florida Civil Trial Practice, Chapter 18, 5th Edition, 1998

• Post Trial Motions, Florida Civil Trial Practice, Chapter 18, 6th Edition, 2001

Honors and Awards

• • South Florida Legal Guide – Top Lawyers, 2001 – Present
  • Best Lawyers in America, 2007 – Present
  • Florida Super Lawyers, 2006 – Present

• Florida Monthly – “Florida’s Top Lawyers”, 2008

Professional Associations and Memberships

• • American Board of Trial Advocates, Miami Chapter, Charter Member
  • Florida Bar’s Board of Governors, Member, 1997 – 2003
  • Miami-Dade County Justice Association, Member

• American Association for Justice, Sustaining Member