BIOGRAPHY:

Jessica Kopas is a partner in the firm’s Fort Lauderdale office. Ms. Kopas focuses her practice on commercial litigation, bankruptcy and creditors’ rights.

Over the course of her practice, Ms. Kopas has advocated the interests of her clients – including Fortune 500 companies – in a wide variety of disputes in and out of court. She has appeared before state, federal district and federal bankruptcy courts in Florida. She also has participated in mediations and other forms of alternative dispute resolution, including accomplishing complex settlement agreements as alternatives to trial.

Prior to joining the firm, Ms. Kopas worked for several commercial litigation firms in South Florida, where she litigated large, complex commercial cases as well as adversarial bankruptcy proceedings.

Community Involvement/Affiliations

• Bankruptcy Bar Association for the Southern District of Florida, Member, 2004 to present
• Broward County Bar Association, Member, 2003 to present
• Defense Research Institute (DRI), Member commercial litigation committee and women in the law committee, 2014-present

Significant Matters/Cases

• Assisted in the representation of a diverse group of plaintiffs seeking recovery of over $225 million in investor losses resulting from a billion-dollar structured settlement Ponzi scheme. This nationally publicized case focused on Toronto Dominion Bank’s (TD Bank) role in facilitating this criminal enterprise asserting novel claims that the Bank willfully aided and abetted the Ponzi fraud. After months of litigation, the matter was resolved through settlement resulting in our clients receiving the highest percentage recovery for victims entangled in a Ponzi scheme.
• Assisted with the representation of the wife and children of a well-known missing entrepreneur and philanthropist in a dispute with other family members. This Broward County Probate Court case involved legal issues of the highest complexity involving the absentee’s estate, including property rights related to the absentee’s extensive personal property and real estate holdings across the globe.

Awards/Recognitions

• Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad Law Center, Moot Court Honor Society,2000 to 2001

BIOGRAPHY:

Russell O’Brien is a Partner in the Firm’s Fort Lauderdale office and concentrates his practice on contract disputes, securities litigation, fraud (misrepresentation, inducement, transfers, aiding and abetting and conspiracy), fiduciary relationships and business torts, shareholder disputes (direct and derivative), and class action defense. He also has experience in admiralty law, including vessel acquisitions and sales, vessel refurbishment and repair, vessel charter, and foreclosing and defending against necessaries liens and first preferred ship mortgages.

Russell is the Firm’s Administrative Partner and manages the Firm’s eDiscovery department. He regularly advises corporate clients regarding eDiscovery planning and protocols, e-Retention, and litigation concerning eDiscovery disputes.

Russell has represented Fortune 500 companies, small businesses and individuals in both jury and bench trials, and has wide-ranging courtroom experience in both state and federal court. Prior to joining Conrad & Scherer, Mr. O’Brien practiced at an AM 100 law firm, primarily representing financial institutions in class action litigation.

Community Involvement/Affiliations

• Broward County Bar Association
• 17th Judicial Circuit Grievance Committee Member, since 2018

Awards/Recognitions

• Selected as Florida Super Lawyers® “Rising Star”, 2020

Notable Experience

• Represented jet engine manufacturer in breach of lease claim and obtained prejudgment writ of attachment on commercial aircraft
• Appeared before SEC for extensive attorney proffers and client interview in connection with violations of Rule 10b of the Exchange Act
• Represented company in jury trial for breach of yacht charter management agreement and fines incurred while yacht was in French waters
• Represented South American business and individuals in cross-border dispute, including challenges to personal jurisdiction and service of process issues under Peruvian law
• Defended multiple insurance companies in class actions in connection with Florida’s No-Fault insurance statute, including negotiating settlement, final fairness hearings, and issues regarding notice to class members

BIOGRAPHY:

Farheen is a Senior Associate, at the firm’s Fort Lauderdale office, who began her career focusing on Mortgage Foreclosure Litigation and assisting banks, creditors and lenders with regulatory, enforcement, transactional and litigation matters. Farheen obtained extensive experience in consumer finance, creditors’ rights and real estate litigation as both an Attorney and a litigation paralegal prior to joining Conrad & Scherer LLP.

Over the years, Farheen has gained significant trial experience as both lead trial counsel and second chair. She currently holds a Board position with the South Asian Bar Association of Florida.

Farheen earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics, magna cum laude, from State University of New York at Purchase College. She then went on to earn her Juris Doctorate from Florida A&M University College of Law. During law school, she was awarded the Best Overall Oral Advocate Award at the 8th Annual National Animal Law Moot Court Competition at Harvard Law.

She also worked as a Law Clerk for the National Aeronautics & Space Administration at the John F. Kennedy Space Center, and as an Intern for the Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation, Division of Real Estate, appearing as a Qualified Representative to prosecute license violations before the Florida Real Estate Commission (FREC) and Florida Real Estate Appraisal Board (FREAB).

Farheen is fluent in Bengali, a Canadian citizen and barred in the Southern District of Florida, United States District Court.

Community Involvement/Affiliations

• Broward County Bar Association

Awards/Recognitions

• Selected as Florida Super Lawyers® “Rising Star”, 2020

BIOGRAPHY:

John Rodstrom is an associate in the firm’s Fort Lauderdale office, where he assists partners and senior associates in a variety of complex commercial litigation matters.

While in law school, Mr. Rodstrom worked as a Summer Associate for the firm and earned his Master of Business Administration through a joint degree program at Stetson University. This gives Mr. Rodstrom a unique background and perspective when it comes to business and securities-related litigation.

During his time at the University of Florida, Mr. Rodstrom was extensively engaged in local affairs. In particular, he worked as the Campaign Manager for a Gainesville City Commission Candidate, and he was the youngest person ever to sit on a non-student city advisory board while serving a six-year term on the Gainesville Enterprise Zone Development Agency.

Mr. Rodstrom also has an extensive background in the technology sector where he has owned his own business since 2007, working primarily as a graphic designer, web developer and network administrator.

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT/ASSOCIATIONS

• Broward County Bar Association

AWARDS/RECOGNITIONS

• Listed in South Florida Legal Guide, “Top Up & Comer Under 40”,  2020