Hubert A. Grissom

                  -Attorney

813-222-3400 office phone
813-864-6368 fax

Biography

Hubert Grissom has extensive experience in both the private and public law practice, including serving as General Counsel and Litigation Director for Florida’s protection and advocacy system.

Most recently Mr. Grissom has been certified as a Circuit Court Mediator in Florida, and was a former adjunct professor of Disability Law at Barry Law School, Orlando, Florida.

Mr. Grissom practices law in the Tampa, Florida office of Olympic Law Group, PLLP, and his practice areas include employment law, disability rights law, mental health and substance abuse, healthcare including Medicaid Home and Community Based Waiver funding for individuals, support coordinators and group homes. He is a member of the Florida and Hillsborough (Tampa) Bar Associations, with section membership in Labor and Employment Law and Healthcare. Mr. Grissom received his B.A. degree from Birmingham-Southern College and his law degree from Duke University.

Areas of Practice:
25% Disability Rights
40% Employment Law
10% Probate & Estate Planning
10% General Business Law
15% Civil Rights & Special Education

Litigation Percentage:
75% of Practice Devoted to Litigation

Bar Admissions:
Alabama, 1967
Florida, 1999
U.S. District Court Northern District of Alabama 1967 (inactive)
U.S. District Court Southern District of Florida, 2000
U.S. District Court Northern District of Florida, 2000
U.S. District Court Middle District of Florida, 2001
U.S. Court of Appeals 5th Circuit, 1975
U.S. Court of Appeals 11th Circuit, 1981
U.S. Supreme Court, 1980

Education:
Duke University, School of Law, Durham, North Carolina,
LL.B

Birmingham-Southern College, Birmingham, Alabama
A.B.
Major: History & Political Science


Representative Cases:

Advocacy Center for Persons with Disabilities, Inc., v. Woodlands Estates Ass’n, Inc., 192 F.Supp2d 1344, 23 NDLR P 29, 15 Fla. L. Weekly Fed. D 169
(M.D.Fla. Jan 31, 2002) (NO. 8:01-CV-1122-T-17MAP). A fair housing case.

Arrington v. State ex rel. Parsons, 422 So.2d 759 (Ala. Aug 27, 1982) (NO. 81-37, 81-131) Challenge to State Merit System under EEOC Guidelines.

Cook v. Birmingham News, 618 F.2d 1149, 22 Fair Empl.Prac.Cas. (BNA)
1782, 23 Empl. Prac. Dec. P 31,022, 29 Fed.R.Serv.2d 1173 (5th Cir. (Ala.) Jun 13, 1980) (NO. 78-3096) Challenge to racially discriminatory union seniority system. Fowler v. Birmingham News Co., 608 F.2d 1055, 21 Fair Empl.Prac.Cas. (BNA) 833, 52 A.L.R. Fed 449, 21 Empl. Prac. Dec. P 30,538, 28 Fed.R.Serv.2d 751 (5th Cir. (Ala.) Dec 27, 1979) (NO. 78-3196). Companion case to Cook

Ensley Branch of N.A.A.C.P. v. Seibels, 616 F.2d 812, 22 Fair Empl.Prac.Cas.
(BNA) 1207, 23 Empl. Prac. Dec. P 30,924 (5th Cir. (Ala.) May 08, 1980) (NO. 77-1819. cert. den. sub nom. Personnel Board v. United States, 449 U.S. 1061, 101
S.Ct. 783, 66 L.Ed.2d 603 (1980). Employee selection of police, fire fighter and clerk testing and promotion under EEOC Guidelines and State Merit System.

Perry v. Golub, 400 F.Supp. 409, 10 Empl. Prac. Dec. P 10,474 (N.D.Ala. Sep
11, 1975) (NO. CIV. 75-G-1476-S). Represented the District Director of
Birmingham District Office of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

United Steelworkers of America v. Alabaster Lime Co, 286 Ala. 489, So.2d 658, 76 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 2079, 64 Lab.Cas. P 52,448 (Ala. Dec 03, 1970) (NO. 7 DIV. 887). Picket line violence vs. free speech case.

U.S. v. Jefferson County, 720 F.2d 1511, 33 Fair Empl.Prac.Cas. (BNA) 829, 33 Empl. Prac. Dec. P 33,973, 38 Fed.R.Serv.2d 26 (11th Cir. (Ala.) Dec 12, 1983) (NO. 81-7761, 82-7129) Complex employment selection class action public employees in Birmingham, Jefferson County, Alabama.

Disability Rights Class Actions in Florida:

ADVOCACY CENTER v. BUTTERWORTH, Case No.: 8:06-CV-02249-T-30 MAP (M.D. Fla.) Action filed on behalf of all felony jail detainees in Florida who have been incompetent to proceed to assure detainees receives mental health treatment.

SHELYNDRA BROWN by her Mother and next friend JESSE O’NEIL, et al. v. JEB BUSH, et al. Case No. 98-673-CIV-FERGUSON (S.D. Fla.) Class action seeking removal of persons from state institutions and the ultimate closing of Landmark in Miami and Gulf Coast near Ft. Myer, Florida.


WOLF PRADO-STEIMAN, et al. v. JEB BUSH, et al., Case No.: 98-6496-No. 98-6496-CIV-SEITZ/BANDSTRA (S.D. Fla.) Class action expanding Florida’s Home and Community-Based Services Waiver for the developmentally disabled.

Publications/Seminars Taught:

2007 – Presentation, Fair Hearings and Litigation under Medicaid Waiver, Personal Care Assistance Florida Association of Retarded Citizens (FARC), Clearwater, Florida.

2007 – Presentation, Significant Legislative Updates for Disability Opportunities, Enable America, Tampa, Florida.

2001 – Lecture Protection & Advocacy in Mental Health Pinellas Chapter National Association of Mental Illness (NAMI), Largo, Florida.

1989 - Panelist: Substance Abuse “A Clear and Present Danger” in the Workplace, Sixth Regional Commuter Transportation Conference, Birmingham, Alabama.

1989 – Lecture prior to effective date of Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, sponsored by the National Business Institute, Inc. Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Birmingham and Huntsville, Alabama locations.

1988 – Article and lecture, “Why You May Have a Contract with Your Employees and Not Know It,” Basic Issues in Employment Law in Alabama sponsored by the National Business Institute, Inc. Eau Claire, Wisconsin.

1977 – Lecture, Employee Testing, Southern Newspaper Publisher’s Association, 1977, Houston, Texas.

1975 – Author, law review article: “Union Discipline of Supervisor/Members Under 8(b) of the National Labor Relations Act: Drawing the Line After Florida Power,” 27 Ala.L.Rev. 575 (1975).

1972 - Lecture, Wage and Price Controls, Birmingham Chapter of Certified Public Accountants, Birmingham, Alabama.

1972 - Lecture, Union Discipline Supervisor/Union Member, American Newspaper Publishers Association, Chicago, Illinois.

Past Employment Positions:

2000-2008: Advocacy Center for Persons with Disabilities, Inc., (name changed to Disability Rights of Florida) positions included general counsel, litigation director and interim executive director.

2000 Amlong & Amlong, P.A. 500 S.E. 4th Street, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301

1992-1995 Of Counsel, Hardin & Hawkins, 2201 Arlington Avenue, Birmingham, Alabama.

Johnston, Barton, Proctor & Rose, LLP, 569 Brookwood Village, Suite 901, Birmingham, AL 35209. (Associate 1967 – 1972; Partner 1972 – 1989.)

Special interest:
Mr. Grissom is a playwright having three of his civil rights play produced.

Fraternities/Sororities:
Sigma Alpha Epsilon
Phi Delta Phi (legal)