The Firm recently donated $20,000 to establish the Baldwin County Bar Foundation Inc., a non-profit foundation formed by the Executive Committee of the Baldwin County Bar Association. The foundation was formed to accept and distribute charitable contributions to other non-profit entities to help members of the community who have been involved with matters before the judicial system. For more information concerning contributions to the foundation, please call Mark J. Upton, the managing partner of the Firm.

Firm members David Daniell, Lynn Perry, Will Anderson and Jonathon Law made presentations at the winter 2008 Condo Owner’s Educational Symposium held on February 29, 2008. The Firm co-sponsors this event regularly with Condo Owner Magazine (www.condo-owner.com). The Symposium was held at The Beach Club in Gulf Shores. Guest speakers included Economist Dr. Semoon Chang, Mayor Billy Duke, Insurance Agent Bruce White, Architect Forrest Daniell, CPA Ron Blake and new State Revenue Commissioner Tim Russell. The Symposium covered topics on condominium litigation, the local economy and the affect on condominiums, condominium insurance issues, building and construction issues and taxes affecting condominium owners.

The Eight Annual Chili for Charity, a fund-raiser for Ecumenical Ministries, Inc., was held on February 16th at Oak Hollow Farm in Fairhope. The Firm’s debut appearance in the chili cook off event was great fun and highly competitive. Daniell, Upton, Perry & Morris took home the honor of second place overall in the “best chili” category, as well as second place in the “best apron” category. Most importantly, the event was well attended, and raised a substantial amount of money for EMI.

Daniell, Upton, Perry, & Morris P.C. moved to the Eastern Shore of Baldwin County, Alabama in June 2002 after construction of its present office located on Malbis Plantation Parkway just north of I-10. The Firm relocated to Baldwin County from downtown Mobile to provide quicker access to the Firm’s clients in Florida and along the Alabama Gulf Coast.

Since the Firm moved to Baldwin County, the area around the office continues to change. The Eastern Shore Centre opened directly across from the Firm and has played a significant role in the expansion of the Spanish Fort area. For information concerning this new development and employment opportunities in this area, see www.easternshorecentre.com.

On September 20, 2007, the case of Florida Farm Bureau Casualty Insurance Company v. Cox before was decided by the Florida Supreme Court in Tallahassee, Florida.  The case is of great importance to policyholders, attorneys, and claims representatives handling Hurricane Ivan claims in the Florida panhandle since the Supreme Court overruled the decision rendered by the Fourth District in Mierzwa v. Florida Windstorm Underwriting Assn., 877 So. 2d 774 (Fla. 4th DCA 2004).  The outcome of the Cox case and a class-action suit also pending  affects over 300 lawsuits filed in Escambia County and Santa Rosa County involving insurance claims made pursuant to Florida’s Valued Policy Law.  One of the Firm’s partners, Mark J. Upton has acted as lead counsel in the Cox case and currently represents carriers in about 50 cases involving these same issues decided by the Florida Supreme Court. In a unanimous decision, the Supreme Court held that the VPL was intended to address only matters of valuation and not causation, and determined that Hurricane Ivan damage caused by flooding or storm surge was clearly excluded by homeowners’ policies in force at the time of the hurricane.  The decision in Cox followed three years of litigation, and Daniell, Upton, Perry & Morris was honored to be at the forefront of this important issue on behalf of Florida Farm Bureau.