Dane C. Heptner

Dane Heptner is a civil trial attorney who primarily practices in the areas of auto accidents, slip or trip and falls, work injuries, medical malpractice, and social security disability. Dane has tried cases ranging from simple rear-end auto accidents to complex multi-week malpractice cases, including a $3.1 million drunk driving verdict in 2016. Since joining the firm in 2014, he has handled more jury trials than any other attorney at the firm, and is the only attorney to have tried a case in each of Tampa Bay’s Circuit Civil Courthouses during that time.

Dane was born and raised in Tampa Bay and is passionate about improving the Pinellas and Hillsborough County communities through numerous leadership organizations and positions. After graduating from Sickles High School in 2008, Dane received a 100% scholarship to attend the University of Central Florida, where he received his Bachelors in Creative Writing and graduated in just three years.

Following graduation, Dane was accepted in to the Levin College of Law at the University of Florida. His strong passion for courtroom advocacy was ignited when he became a member of the UF Trial team. He was elected to serve as the president of the UF Trial team and was awarded the Gerald T. Bennett Award for Outstanding Service and Advocacy. While at UF Law, Dane was named a member of the Dean’s List and received the Book Awards (highest achievement) in Trial Practice, Criminal Litigation, and Trial Team.

Dane’s passion for leadership and advocacy continued beyond law school and with Perenich, Caulfield, Avril & Noyes. Dane is often called upon to serve as lead or second chair when the firm has trials scheduled, and he has also handled numerous appellate matters and argued before Florida’s Second District Court of Appeal.

We are proud to say Dane serves as the President of the Clearwater Bar Young Lawyer’s Division and as the 6^th Circuit’s Representative to the Florida Bar Young Lawyer’s Division. He is also an alumnus of Leadership Pinellas and is active member of the St. Petersburg and Hillsborough County Bar Associations. Dane has been featured on Fox 13 several times while speaking on various legal topics, and has been named a Super Lawyer Rising Star, a Florida Legal Elite Up & Comer, a National Trial Lawyers Top 40 Under 40 member, and is a member of the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum.