About
Douglas was born and raised in Panama City, Florida. He graduated from Gulf Coast Community College in 1989 and then from Florida State University in 1991. He then graduated from the Cumberland School of Law at Samford University (located in Birmingham, Alabama) in 1993. While at Cumberland, Douglas was a Member of the American Journal of Trial Advocacy where he published his first article— “Articulation of Non-Race Based Reasons for Peremptory Challenges After Batson v. Kentucky," Volume 17:1, Summer 1993.
Douglas is involved in several legal associations, including:
- Florida Bar, Trial Lawyers Section
- Bay County Bar Association
- Florida Justice Association
What Does "Board Certified" Mean?
Board Certified Civil Trial Attorney Certification is the highest level of evaluation by The Florida Bar of competency and experience within an area of law, and professionalism and ethics in practice. Board certification recognizes attorneys’ special knowledge, skills, and proficiency in various areas of law and professionalism and ethics in practice. It is an achievement and distinguished honor to be a board certified attorney.
Douglas has personally handled hundreds of personal injury cases including:
Clerking at Tipler Law Offices
His first job as a law clerk with was Tipler Law Offices (now Tipler & Larkin Law Offices) in Birmingham, Alabama. Steve Tipler and Tom Larkin introduced Douglas to the reality of what it means to be a Plaintiff’s attorney. First and foremost, your mission is to achieve justice by helping people to the fullest extent possible after they have been injured due to someone else’s negligence.
While legal issues are important, each and every case you handle involves a father, husband, wife, mother, parent, child—real person that has hopes, dreams, wishes, sadness, tears, and setbacks like everyone else. Among the many things Douglas learned from Steve and Tom, two specific items shine above the rest and both have helped him tremendously.
Forming Syfrett, Dykes & Furr
Douglas was hired fresh out of law school by Raymond L. Syfrett in December of 1993. However, there is another important fact worthy of mention. Douglas did not even realize that Ray’s son Clayton was also attending law school at Cumberland with him and in fact was only one year behind Douglas. After lobbying Clayton (as well as Ray) the resume turned into Douglas’ first job after graduation from law school. Douglas was admitted to the Florida Bar on April 19, 1994, and has been practicing law continuously ever since.
Commitment to Helping Others
Since 1994 Douglas has developed two passions about helping people who have been injured. The first is to reach out to as many people as he can before they are injured so that they understand what they really need in order to protect themselves in case they or a loved one are seriously injured. His second passion is to fully and completely engage in understanding the lives of his clients and how their injury has truly impacted their life.
If you've been injured and are interested in inquiring about representation? call our offices at (850) 795-4979 today.
Education
- Gulf Coast Community College
- Florida State University
- The Cumberland School of Law at Samford University, Juris Doctor