About Donica Mediation
WHAT WE DO
Herb Donica has mediated all types of business and civil matters except for disputes arising in family law cases. He has mediated tax disputes between the IRS and individual taxpayers, debtor-creditor disputes, mortgage foreclosure and modification matters, bankruptcy disputes and business disputes.
Mediations may take place at our office on Davis Islands where, in addition to our business office, we have access to two conference rooms for no additional fee. In the alternative, mediations may be conducted at the offices of the parties or of their attorneys. For mediations involving several participants, meeting rooms are also available for a reasonable fee at the Chester H. Ferguson Law Center, 1610 N. Tampa Street, Tampa, Florida.
About Herb Donica
Donica Mediation Solutions, LLC was founded by Herb Donica in 2005 in response to growing demand for an alternative to costly and lengthy litigation. Herb’s goal as mediator is to bring both parties to a mutually acceptable compromise in lieu of continued costly litigation. In order to bring parties together, it is necessary for the mediator to have a thorough understanding of the underlying dispute and the legal arguments asserted by the parties. Herb’s diverse legal and business experience give him a depth of insight beyond his 30 years of experience practicing bankruptcy law.
Herb is also a Certified Public Accountant, with an active license in Florida and an inactive license in Indiana. Herb began his legal career in the Tax Department of Coopers & Lybrand in Indianapolis, Indiana (one of the Big Eight accounting firms).
In addition to his legal and financial professional qualifications, Herb has many years of business experience and has worn several different hats along the way. He spent his summers while in college and law school working for an asphalt paving company in his hometown of Kokomo, Indiana, operating heavy equipment. He also worked as the night manager of a local motel, an experience that he has drawn upon in several cases where he has represented motel owners/debtors at risk for losing their franchise “flags”.
Upon graduation from Indiana University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting, Herb joined the VISTA program as a volunteer and was sent to West Virginia for a year as a business advisor for a non-profit cooperative. After working for several years in both accounting and law, Herb founded and ran a mortgage origination company in Denver, Colorado. Herb sold his company and returned to the practice of law when he moved to Florida in 1989.
Since opening his law practice in Florida (Donica Law Firm), Herb has spent much of his career representing Chapter 7 trustees in the administration of bankruptcy estates in a diverse range of businesses. Herb has gotten an insider’s view of the operations of professional practices such as law and medicine, retail and wholesale venders, heavily regulated businesses, and manufacturing industries such as chemical companies. This depth of experience has given Herb business insight that allows him to relate to many complex business scenarios encountered in mediation.
Resume:
EDUCATION:
- Washington & Lee University School of Law
- Lexington, Virginia Juris Doctor, 1979
- Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana
- Bachelor of Science in Accounting, 1975
PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS:
- Member of the Florida Bar 1990 (active)
- Member of the Colorado Bar 1982) (inactive)
- Member of the Indiana Bar 1979 (inactive)
- Certified Public Accountant, Florida, 1989 (active)
- Certified Public Accountant, Colorado, 1988 (inactive)
- Certified Civil Circuit Mediator since 2006
- Certified Arbitrator since 2007
- Admitted to the United States Tax Court 1998
EXPERIENCE:
- Attorney – Private Practice 1990 – Present
- AV rated by Martindale-Hubbell – 2001 – Present
- Concentrating in the representation of Receivers and Trustees and related appellate matters.
- Mediator – Donica Mediation Solutions, LLC 2006 – Present
- Mediation practice primarily limited to bankruptcy, business and contract disputes.
AFFILIATIONS:
- Tampa Bay Bankruptcy Bar Association 1992 – Present
- Board Member: 2002-2008
- President: 2006-2007
- Chairman: 2006-2008
- FICPA – West Coast Chapter
- Board Member: 2002-2005
- Tampa Bay U.S. Marine Corps Foundation Toys for Tots
- Volunteer Committee Chairman: 2005 – Present
Rates and Other Policies
MEDIATION FEES
Donica Mediation charges $350 per hour for the mediator’s time. Each party will be billed an equal portion unless the mediator is advised otherwise. The mediator charges for preparation time, telephone conferences, email correspondence, attendance at mediation and any follow-up conferences (whether in person or by telephone), assistance with the preparation of any agreements by the parties, and preparation and filing reports with the court.
Travel Charges:
There is no charge for travel time unless air travel is required which is billed at the actual expense incurred.
Minimum Charges:
There are no minimum charges.
Cancellation Policy:
There is no charge for cancellations except for time spent prior to the cancellation in preparation for mediation. Any preparation time will be charged at the regular rate.
Payment for Mediation Services:
Payment for mediation services should be made within 15 days of billing. The attorneys representing parties in the matter, or their law firm if the attorney practices in a firm, are responsible for payment.
We typically email invoices upon the conclusion of the mediation. Donica Mediation reserves the right to request advance deposits. If an advance deposit is requested and not received within one week prior to the mediation conference, the conference will be canceled.