Bernard Walsh - Sarasota, FL
Attorney at Goldman Babboni Fernandez Murphy & Walsh
Personal injury Lawyers in Sarasota, FL
2822 University Parkway Sarasota, FL 34243
- Free Consultation
- 1 Super Lawyers®
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48
Years
Experience
Sarasota Personal injury Lawyer
Updated: 07/15/2026
Areas of Practice
- Personal injury
Attorney Information
Overview
An AV Rated Civil Trial attorney with more than 30 years of experience, Bernard F. Walsh first began his career protecting the rights of the public as an attorney for the State of Florida. For the next three years, as a trial attorney for the State of Florida, Mr. Walsh handled numerous high profile trials concerning serious felony crimes.
Since 1982 Bernie has exclusively practiced personal injury law and helped accident victims in and beyond Sarasota and Manatee Counties in Florida.
Mr. Walsh has won the largest playground recovery (2008-$1,900,000.00), motorcycle recoveries (2006-$6,000,000.00), motor vehicle v commercial truck (2016-$4,700,000), motorcycle v commercial vehicle (2021-$2,010,000.00), accidental gunshot (2019-$1,301,000.00), auto accident recovery (2018-$1,050,000.00), and a daycare center recovery (2010-$1,000,000.00). Several additional recoveries include a bicycle v truck ($1,000,000.00), auto v van ($1,000,000.00), MVA – single car ($500,000.00), motorcycle v truck ($950,000.00), auto v semi ($475,000.00) and Private Property/fall down ($750,000.00).
Bernard Walsh is on the Board of Governors for the Florida Justice Association (PAC), as well as on the Board of the Florida Justice Association (Florida Trial Lawyers), the Board of the National Trial Lawyers, the Board of the Association of Plaintiff Interstate Trucking Lawyers of America (APITLA), and on the Board of Manasota Trial Lawyers Board. Mr. Walsh has been named in Florida Legal Elite, has a “Superb Rating” by AVVO – widely recognized by the legal community for superb professional conduct and experience, and an “AV Preeminent Rating” by Martindale-Hubbell – the pinnacle of professional excellence earned through a strenuous Peer Review Rating process, highest ranking this organization bestows on an attorney.
Mr. Walsh is firmly committed to community service. His volunteer efforts to help all levels of law enforcement have benefited both private citizens and law enforcement personnel. He gives back, supporting many churches, organizations and the arts of Sarasota and Manatee Counties.
Awards and Honors
Awards
Honors
- The National Book Award for Constitutional Law
- The National Book Award for Professional Responsibility
- Listed, in Avvo as Superb
- Lexis Nexis/Martindale, Rated Him as Very High Legal Ability and Ethical Standards
- Listed, Top Lawyers of America
- Listed, National Association of Personal Injury Lawyers
- Inducted into Southern Trial Lawyers Association
- Top 100 Trial Lawyers, National Trial Lawyers Association Executive Committee, Since 2013
- Honored To Present The Trooper Of The Year Award To Florida State Trooper Edward Pope
- The 2015 Best Lawyers of America
- AV Preeminent® rated attorney, Martindale-Hubbell
- Inducted into the Melvin M. Belli Society
- The National Association of Distinguished Counsel, Nation's Top One Percent Trial Attorneys, 2015
- Lead Counsel Verified by LawInfo
- 10.0 Avvo Rating
- Super Lawyers® 2026
Other Sources of Feedback About Bernard Walsh
Included on the 2026 Florida Super Lawyers list
Past Lists
- 2025 Florida Super Lawyers list
- 2024 Florida Super Lawyers list
- 2023 Florida Super Lawyers list
- 2022 Florida Super Lawyers list
- 2021 Florida Super Lawyers list
- 2020 Florida Super Lawyers list
Education
Legal Education
-
Cumberland School of Law, Samford University,
Birmingham,
Alabama, 1978
Juris Doctorate
Honors: Awarded the National Book Awards for Constitutional Law and Professional Responsibility
Honors: Selected as a Research Clerk – Intern for a Federal Judge and the U.S. Attorney’s Office
Non Legal Education
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University of South Florida,
Florida, 1975
B.A.
Past Positions
- Judge and the U.S. Attorney's Office, Research Clerk
- Judge and the U.S. Attorney's Office, Intern
Classes and Seminars
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Speech, National Trucking Litigation, North Carolina Trial Lawyers for Justice
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Presenter, Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers
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Presenter, Stetson School of Law
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Presenter, American Inns of Court
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Presenter, Manatee Community College
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Lecturer, The Southern Trial Lawyers Association, Mardi Gras Conference
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Presenter, Florida Justice Association
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Lecturer, Manasota Trial Lawyers Board
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Attended seminar entitled "Masters Of Justice", Florida Justice Association
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Lecturer, Brain Injury, Paralegal Association
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Lecturer, Use of automobile crash reports in February 2011, Florida Trial Lawyers
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Presenter, State College of Florida
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Presenter, Melvin M. Belli Society
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Presenter, North Carolina Lawyers for Justice
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Presenter, Ft. Myers Trial Lawyers Association
- Lectures & Speaking Events, National Trial Lawyers
Published Works
Articles
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How An Attorney Works A Trucking Case: The A to Z Basics, Lawyer’s LogBook
Though it is impossible in one short article to outline everything you need to know about a trucking case, an outline of the basics is necessary so you can understand how your attorney will be pursuing your claim. -
Florida's Switch From Frye to Daubert: Not A Substantial Change In The Admissibility Determination of Expert Witness Testimony
The Daubert standard is replacing the Frye standard in many states for determining the admissibility of expert witness testimony. The purpose of this article is to further an understanding of both tests and how they are effectively used. -
Is it a Potato or Tomato? How to Know When You Are Dealing with INTERSTATE or INTRASTATE Rules on Commercial Vehicles.
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Navigating ERISA, Professional Recognition & Publications – Navigating ERISA, Vol. 3, No. 4 Oct. – Nov. 2013 (with Eli
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The A to Z Basics of Proving Closed Head Injury, Professional Recognition & Publications – The A to Z Basics of Proving Closed Head Injury, April – May 2013 (with Elisabeth DeWitt)
- The Lawyer’s LogBook, Professional Recognition & Publications – The Lawyer’s LogBook, Endorsed by APITLAmerica
- The Hiring of a Lifetime Care Plan Expert, Professional Recognition & Publications – The Hiring of a Lifetime Care Plan Expert, First Quarter 2015 (w/Elisabeth DeWitt)
- The Trial Lawyer, Professional Recognition & Publications – The Trial Lawyer, The National Trial Lawyers Magazine
Bar Admissions
- United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida, 1978
Specialties and Certifications
- Nationally Board Certified in Civil Trial/Trucking Litigation, APITLA
Other Affiliations
- Manatee and Sarasota Sheriff's Advisory Board (Member)
- The Association of Plaintiff Interstate Trucking Lawyers of America (Member, The National Advisory Board)
- Manasota Trial Lawyers Board (Founder and President, Member)
- The Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers (Member)
- The Florida Justice Association (Member)
- American Association of Justice (Member)
- Southern Trial Lawyers Association (Member)
- Sarasota County Bar Association (Member)
- Tampa Bay Trial Lawyers Association (Member)
- The Florida Bar, Trial Lawyers Section (Member)
- American Bar Association (Member)
- Melvin M. Belli Society (Member)
- Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum (Life Member)
- Million Dollar Advocates Forum (Member)
- The National Association of Trial Lawyers (Member)
- Insurance Bad Faith Trial Lawyers Association (Member)
- The Motor Vehicle Trial Lawyers Association (Member)
- Motorcycle Injury Trial Lawyers Association (Member)
- The American Society of Legal Advocates (Member)
- The National Association Of Distinguished Counsel (Member)
- American Trial Lawyers Association (Member)
- Manatee County Bar Association (Member)
- Florida Highway Patrol Advisory Council (Member)
- One Hundred Club for Law Enforcement (Member)
- Mass Tort Trial Lawyers Association (Member)
- National Brain Injury Trial Lawyers Association (Member)
- Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys
- American Association For Justice
- American Association of Attorney Advocates
- American Institute of Legal Advocates (AIOLA)
- American Institute Of Personal Injury Attorneys
- Association of Plaintiff Interstate Trucking Lawyers of America (APITLA)
- Expertise – Best Accident Lawyers In Sarasota
- Expertise – Best Accident Lawyers In Port Charlotte
- Manatee Chamber Of Commerce
- National Academy Of Personal Injury Attorneys
Photo
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