Robert Stuart Willis

Mr. Willis, senior partner, is a Board certified criminal trial lawyer and former prosecutor with extensive experience in the defense of criminal cases in both State and Federal Courts. He is AV rated (highest) by Martindale-Hubbell and has been featured in a Jacksonville Magazine article as one of the five best criminal lawyers in Jacksonville as voted by their peers.

He has twice been named Chairman of the Criminal Law Section of the Jacksonville Bar (1994-1995, 1995-1996), was a State Board member of the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and Chairman of the Ethics Committee of the Criminal Law Section of the Florida Bar. For the past 10 years he has been an instructor at the Trial Advocacy Seminar for prosecutors and public defenders at the University of Florida School of Law and has lectured on various criminal law subjects for Bar sponsored seminars including giving the professionalism lecture for the "Bridge the Gap" seminar that is required for all new Florida lawyers. He has also served as a mentor for the Jacksonville Bar and been recognized as a pro bono resource attorney in capital cases by the Commission of the Administration of Justice in Capital Cases.

He is admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of the United States, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, the Middle District of Florida, and all Florida Courts. He has appeared pro hoc vice in the Courts of New Jersey, North Carolina, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland and Tennessee. He is also a member of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

His undergraduate education was at the University of Florida and the University of South Florida, and he has a juris doctor degree from the University of Florida College of Law. While at the University of Florida, he was a member of the Debate Team, was Chancellor of the Student Honor Court, and was admitted to Florida Blue Key, membership honorary. He has served as an officer or member of the Board for various charitable organizations with a special interest in serving the needs of mentally handicapped children and adults.

In addition to criminal trial practice, Mr. Willis has extensive experience in licensure defense, primarily defense of lawyers in Bar grievance proceedings.

David B. Ferebee

Mr. Ferebee, a senior partner, also is a licensed Certified Public Accountant since 1979 and prior to entering the practice of law he was employed by local and national CPA firms. In addition to his law degree, Mr. Ferebee holds a graduate law degree, a Masters of Law-Taxation from the nationally recognized University of Florida Graduate Tax Program. As an attorney, Mr. Ferebee is AV rated (highest) by Matindale-Hubbell, a recognized national lawyer directory, based on peer reviews.

Since 1985, Mr. Ferebee has been in private legal practice providing advice and legal representation primarily in areas of tax, Internal Revenue Service controversies, estates, wills, trusts, guardianship, business and bankruptcy. While in private practice he has qualified and testified in state and federal courts as an expert witness in tax and bankruptcy matters. Mr. Ferebee has routinely been asked by other legal practioners and Judges to serve as court appointed counsel in Estate and Guardianship cases protecting the rights of incapacitated individuals or minors. Mr. Ferebee has also been lead trial counsel in several nationally reported and published trial decisions in the tax, estate, commercial and bankruptcy areas. Mr. Ferebee's commitments, clientele, and experience are broad based, including over 15 years of pro bono voluntary service to the Jacksonville Bar Association providing consultations in Estate, Tax, and Bankruptcy matters.

Prior to entering private practice, Mr. Ferebee was a trial attorney with the Office of Chief Counsel, Internal Revenue Service, representing the IRS in trials before the United States Tax Court and serving as a legal advisor for the Internal Revenue Service audit, collection, and criminal personnel.

Mr. Ferebee has been a lecturer, speaker, and instructor in the estate and tax areas as well as an adjunct professor in tax research at the University of North Florida Graduate School of Accounting, an instructor in the Estates and Trusts course for the American Institute of Paralegal Studies, and a lecturer for the Jacksonville Bar Association, Florida Community College, and Jacksonville Public Libraries. Mr. Ferebee's past and/or current affiliations include membership in the Florida Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the American Association of Attorney Certified Public Accountants, the American Bankruptcy Institute, and the Tax Section, Elder Law Section, and Real Property and Probate Law Section of the Florida Bar.

Mr. Ferebee obtained his undergraduate degree from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill (B.S. - Business Administration) and he received his juris doctorate with honors (J.D.) from the University of Florida.

L. E. Hutton

L. E. Hutton joined Willis, Ferebee & Hutton in 2001 practicing primarily in the area of State and Federal criminal defense. Mr. Hutton is a member of the Florida Bar, the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida, and the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. Mr. Hutton is also a member of the Criminal Law Committee of the Jacksonville Bar.

Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Hutton was employed by the State of Florida as an Assistant State Attorney for the Fourth Judicial Circuit which encompasses Duval, Clay, and Nassau Counties. While an Assistant State Attorney, Mr. Hutton prosecuted over 30 jury trials including convictions in 3 first-degree murder trials. While at the State Attorney's Office, Mr. Hutton was a member of the Special Prosecution Unit, where he concentrated his efforts in the area of the prosecution of drug trafficking. While in the Special Prosecution Unit, Mr. Hutton worked closely with the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office, the Nassau County Sheriff's Office, the Clay County Sheriff's Office and Customs Agents.

Additionally, while at the State Attorney's Office, Mr. Hutton was responsible for the

prosecution of all misdemeanors and felonies, from Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol (DUI) to Armed Robberies.

Prior to joining the State Attorney's Office, Mr. Hutton received his law degree from the University of Florida College of Law. While at the University of Florida College of Law, Mr. Hutton clerked for United States District Court Judge Jack T. Camp in Atlanta, Georgia. Mr. Hutton also clerked for Circuit Court Judge Larry Turner while Judge Turner was still in private practice specializing in criminal defense. Additionally, while Mr. Hutton was at the University of Florida College of Law, he was elected as Chancellor of the Student Honor Court.

Mr. Hutton is a double Gator, having also received his undergraduate Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of Florida. While at the University of Florida, Mr. Hutton was inducted into and maintains his membership in the Florida Blue Key Honor Fraternity and the Sigma Chi Fraternity. Additionally, Mr. Hutton was Chief Justice of the Student Traffic Court and named the Outstanding Male Leader for his graduating class by the University of Florida National Alumni Association.