Dudley, Sellers, Healy, Heath & Desmond, PLLC

3522 Thomasville Road, Suite 301, Tallahassee, FL 32309
PH (850) 583-3852

About

Steven E. Sellers practices in business litigation with an emphasis on construction law, and he is certified by The Florida Bar as having expertise in Business Litigation, Civil Trial, and Construction Law. He is available as an arbitrator through the American Arbitration Association or as a private arbitrator.

Areas of Practice

  • Arbitrator
  • Construction Law
  • Business Litigation

Legal Involvement

  • The Florida Bar (FBN 0002828), admitted April 1994 (high score on the bar exam in the First District)
    • Board Certified in Construction Law (2005-present)
    • Board Certified in Business Litigation (2012-present)
    • Board Certified in Civil Trial (2013-present)
    • Real Property, Probate, and Trust Law Section, member (2006-present)
      • Construction Law Committee
        • Peer review on construction law article (December 2010)
        • Instructor for Annual Certification Review Course on Prompt Pay Laws (March 2012)
        • Case reviewer for monthly phone meetings (2014-2017)
      • Construction Law Certification Committee (2012-2017)
        • Vice-Chair (2015-2016)
        • Chair (2017)
      • Construction Law Annual Meeting Committee (2014-2017)
        • Prepared materials for Construction Law Update (2015 and 2016)
        • Presenter on Case Law and Legislative Update (2016)
        • Presenter on Case Law and Legislative Update (2017)
    • Civil Trial Section, member (2012-present)
    • Grievance Committee (A), Second Circuit (2014-2017)
      • Vice-Chair (2015-2017)
      • Chair (2017)
  • United States District Court, Northern District, admitted March 1996
  • Tallahassee Bar Association, member (2000-present)
    • Nominating Committee (2013)
    • Membership Committee (2013-2014)
      • Co-Chair (2014)
    • Budget Committee (2014)
    • YLD Award Committee (2016)
    • CLE Committee (2016-2017)
  • Jefferson County Bar Association, member (2011-present)
  • Stafford Inn of Court, Master Attorney (2011-2018), Alumni Status (2018-present)
    • Co-presenter on ethical issues in To Kill A Mockingbird (January 2012)
    • Co-presenter on jury selection and related issues (January 2013)
    • Co-presenter on attorneys' fee (2016)
    • Membership Chair (2013-2015)
    • Treasurer (2015-2018)
  • Presenter for Continuing Legal Education
    • Co-presenter to the Florida Association of Legal Support Specialists on Mediation and Arbitration (January 2013)
  • Presenter for The Tallahassee Bar First Annual Legal Community Conference on Civil Law Review (September 2013)
    • Co-preparer of materials at The Construction Law Institute on Civil Case and Statutory Law Review (March 2015, 2016, and 2017, with Harry Malka)
  • Presenter for Construction Education
    • Presenter on construction issues at the University of Florida School of Building Construction
    • Co-presenter to Tallahassee Builders Association on Lien Law and Practical Issues (February 2015, with Fred Dudley)
  • Presenter for Justice Teaching
    • Co-Presenter to AMIKids (October 2013, November 2013, January 2014, February 2014, March 2014)
  • Judge for Legal Education and Competitions
    • University of Florida Appellate Advocacy Oral Arguments (April 2009)
    • University of Florida Appellate Advocacy Oral Arguments (April 2010)
    • University of Florida Appellate Advocacy Oral Arguments (April 2011)
    • Leon County Teen Court (September 2011)
    • Deerlake Middle School Mock Trial (March 2012)
    • Montford Middle School Mock Trial (March 2012)
    • Leon County Teen Court (March 2012)
    • University of Florida Appellate Advocacy Oral Arguments (April 2012)
    • Classical Conversations Mock Trial Competition (April 2012)
    • NCFCA Regional Invitational Speech & Debate Competition (May 2012)
    • FSU Mock Trial Second Annual Capital City Invitational (November 2012)
    • Leon County Teen Court (November 2012)
    • The Florida Law Related Education Association - 2nd Circuit High School Mock Trial judge (February 2013)
    • Griffin Middle School Mock Trial (March 2013)
    • FSU First Invitational National Mock Trial (March 2013)
    • University of Florida Appellate Advocacy Oral Arguments (April 2013)
    • Trinity Middle School Mock Trial (April 2013)
    • Classical Conversations Mock Trial Competition (April 2013)
    • Leon County Teen Court (October 2013)
    • FSU Mock Trial (November 2013)
    • The Florida Law Related Education Association - 2nd Circuit High School Mock Trial judge (February 2014)
    • Florida State College of Law Civil Trial Course (March 2014)
    • University of Florida Appellate Advocacy Oral Arguments (April 2014)
    • Classical Conversations Mock Trial Competition (April 2014)
    • Leon County Teen Court (August 2014)
    • University of Florida Appellate Advocacy Oral Arguments (April 2015)
    • Classical Conversations Mock Trial Competition (April 2015)
    • Leon County Teen Court (November 2015)
    • Montford Middle School Mock Trial (November 2015)
    • Seminole Smakdown Mock Trial (January 2016)
    • FSU Mock Trial (February 2016)
    • Leon County Teen Court (March 2016)
    • University of Florida Appellate Advocacy Oral Arguments (April 2016)
    • Classical Conversations Mock Trial Competition (April 2016)
    • Seminole Smackdown (January 2017)
    • FSU Mock Trial (March 2017)
  • Federalist Society, Member (2011-present)

Work Experience

  • 1984-1990 Building Contractor (Florida license no. CBC034444)
    • Sellers Construction, Inc. (1987-1990)
  • 1993-1995 Law Clerk to the Honorable Ben F. Overton, Florida Supreme Court
  • 1995-2000 Associate Lawyer for Cummings, Lawrence & Vezina, P.A. and Vezina, Lawrence & Piscitelli, P.A.
  • 2000-2014 Sellers Law Firm, P.L., Tallahassee, Florida. Sole practitioner with general practice concentrated in civil litigation and construction law matters including construction defects, contract drafting and disputes, performance and payment bond claims, bid protests, lien claims, and professional negligence. Clients include plaintiffs and defendants, public and private owners, contractors, subcontractors, suppliers, sureties, corporations and individuals. Representative clients include the Florida Supreme Court, Florida State University, the Seminole Boosters, and Alachua County. Venues include state and federal courts, appellate courts, administrative entities, and arbitrations.
  • 2014-present Dudley, Sellers & Healy, P.L., Tallahassee, Florida. Member of firm with general practice concentrated in civil litigation and construction law matters including construction defects, contract drafting and disputes, payment bond claims, lien claims, and professional negligence. Clients include plaintiffs and defendants, private owners, contractors, subcontractors, suppliers, corporations and individuals.
  • In excess of 28 trials and arbitrations in commercial cases since 2005.

Arbitration Experience

  • Continuing Education
    • Administered v Ad Hoc Arbitration – Which Should You Choose? (AAA, 2016)
    • Arbitration Your Way – Considerations When Drafting Arbitration Clauses (AAA, 2016)
    • Drafting Arbitration Clauses – The Basics and Beyond (AAA, 2016)
    • Developments in Arbitration Law: Non-Signatories, Discovery and Vacatur (AAA, February 2017)
  • American Arbitration Association Panel Member (2017-present)

Expert Witness

  • 2010 – Attorneys' fee expert for client in first party property insurance case ($237,600 awarded)
  • 2010 – Attorneys' fee expert for Florida Department of Transportation
  • 2011 – Attorneys' fee expert for client in construction defect litigation ($254,013 awarded)
  • 2013 – Attorneys' fee expert for The Florida Bar in a disciplinary case

Admissions

  • The Florida Bar
  • All State Courts in Florida
  • Federal Court – Northern District of Florida

Education

  • University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
    • Bachelor of Building Construction (May 1983)
      • Student Senate
      • Beta Theta Pi social fraternity
        • House Manager
      • Big Brothers/Big Sisters, volunteer
    • Juris Doctor, High Honors, University of Florida (August 1993)
      • Order of the Coif
      • Book Awards in Federal Civil Procedure and Legal Drafting
      • Teaching Assistant in Appellate Advocacy
      • Journal of Law and Public Policy, member

Community Involvement

  • Boy Scouts of America
    • Cub Master, Pack 194 (2002-2003)
  • Christ Classical Academy - Private School
    • Board Member (2005-2010)
    • Board Vice President (2005-2008) Board President (2008-2010)
  • Live The Life Ministries
    • Board Member (2006-2010)
    • Secretary (2007-2010)
  • Pop Warner Football
    • Assistant Coach (2010)
  • The Tallahassee Exchange Club (2013-present)
  • Leon High School Lacrosse Boosters (2013-2015)
    • Treasurer (2013-2014)