OUR STAFF | espenship-and-schlax

Meet Our Staff

Jennifer Katz Espenship

JENNIFER KATZ ESPENSHIP has practiced criminal law for 15 years. Mrs. Espenship received a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice and graduated with honors from the University of Florida. After graduation, she attended Shepard Broad Law School wherein she obtained her Juris Doctor degree. She was a Prosecutor for 8 years at the State Attorney’s Office, where she prosecuted thousands of individuals for all different types of crimes. Mrs. Espenship was assigned to the Special Assault Unit wherein she handled Sexual Crimes against adults and children, Child Abuse/Neglect cases, and all domestic cases. She began to use her special knowledge she learned as a prosecutor in defending those who were accused of crimes. Her ability to predict the state’s next move has been her greatest asset. Having handled thousands of people charged with crimes from worthless checks to murder, Mrs. Espenship concentrates her practice solely on criminal defense. Her vast experience on both sides gives her the special skills to get you the best result possible.

Julie Agent Schlax

JULIE AGENT SCHLAX received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science with Honors in 1993. After graduation, Mrs. Schlax attended the Florida State University College of Law wherein she received her Juris Doctor with Honors in 1996. During law school, Mrs. Schlax worked at a private firm, Douglass, Powell and Rudolph, where she focused her efforts on family law and criminal defense. Upon completing her law degree, she began working as a prosecutor in Jacksonville, Florida. Over the next 12 years, she tried more than 50 felony trials, including First Degree Murder, Sexual Battery, Armed Robbery and Drug Trafficking cases. Additionally, she has tried more than 45 misdemeanor cases of Domestic Battery and DUI. During her time as a prosecutor, Mrs. Schlax was promoted to County Court Division Chief, Circuit Court Division Chief, and held the position of Director of the Special Assault Unit for several years. Her extensive experience in handling both trial work, as well as the emotional dynamics of families being torn apart, give her the specialized skills to guide you through the Court system and reach a positive outcome.

Sean A. Espenship

SEAN A. ESPENSHIP, an attorney and Certified Public Accountant for over 15 years, began his career as a tax attorney creating and developing sophisticated estate plans, and defending tax disputes and controversies against the IRS. Lured by the courtroom, he then went to work for the Jacksonville Public Defenders Office. Quickly establishing himself, he rose through the felony ranks in a matter of years becoming a Felony Division Chief, followed shortly thereafter, Director of the PD Office's Clay County branch. When the newly Major Crimes Division was created, he assumed its Directorship. Death qualified, Mr. Espenship has tried every sort of case: First Degree Murders, Sexual Batteries, Armed Robberies, Kidnappings, Drug Trafficking, among many others. In all, he has conducted over 50 trials. He has since parlayed his trial experience into successfully defending his clients from foreclosure and abusive debt collectors along with handling complex civil litigation matters. Mr. Espenship is also a published author.

Stephen F. Albee

Stephen Albee has been an attorney for over twenty years and in that time has gone to trial over 100 times. Steve is an alumnus of the University of Florida, Florida State University and Nova University Law School. He started his legal career in the State Attorney's Office in Miami, worked as an Assistant Public Defender's in both Orlando and Jacksonville, was corporate counsel for a financial services company and an attorney for Jacksonville Area Legal Aid Inc.

Steve has litigated thousands of collection cases all over the State of Florida on behalf of creditors and as been in trial on cases as varied as Foreclosure and Civil commitment. As Division Chief in Duval county's Repeat Offender court, Steve went to trial on numerous serious felonies. Steve is admitted to the Florida and Federal Bar Associations.

Steve has also trained numerous of attorneys throughout Florida in Foreclosure defense strategy and has appeared on radio and television to discuss foreclosure and collection issues.

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Sherri L. Boyd

Legal Assistant/Office Manager

SHERRI BOYD has worked in the legal field for over 8 years. Her areas of expertise are civil, criminal, estate planning, wills, trusts, foreclosure, complex litigation and family law. She is the Firm Office Manager and Legal Assistant and holds a degree in Business.

Sherri began her career at the State Attorney's Office where she quickly rose up the ranks. It was in that office that she learned the criminal prosecution process and timeline. She was hired by a criminal defense firm wherein she assisted six attorneys. She worked cases involving state & federal criminal crimes, divorces, estate planning, wills, and civil litigation. Within a few short months, she was promoted to office manager. Mrs. Boyd was then recruited by a civil firm that handled complex business litigation between multi-million dollar companies. She was the legal assistant to the senior partner, and handled the billing process for the entire firm.

In December 2008, our Firm was lucky enough to have Mrs. Boyd join our team. She has been an asset and a wealth of information. She manages to assist all four attorneys and administer all duties required of an office manager. It is not uncommon that we refer to her as our fifth lawyer.