Our Team
David Jennis
Attorney
David Jennis is known for his experience, intelligence, and integrity. Recognized by the American Board of Certification as a certified business bankruptcy attorney, and AV Peer Review Rated™ by Martindale‐Hubbell, Jennis has extensive experience in a wide variety of insolvency and business litigation issues. His tenacity and unwavering dedication to obtaining successful outcomes for his clients has established him amongst the best bankruptcy lawyers in Florida.
Education:
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, B.S. in Business Administration, 1985
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Juris Doctorate, with Honors, 1988
Specializes in:
Commercial Bankruptcy; Corporate Restructuring; Workouts; Business Litigation
Bernard “Chip” Morse
Attorney
Bernard Morse (“Chip”) has practiced law in Tampa since 1985 and has concentrated his practice in the insolvency and bankruptcy fields his entire career. Morse graduated from Stetson College of Law in St. Petersburg, Florida, and immediately thereafter took a position as law clerk to the Honorable Chief Bankruptcy Judge Alexander L. Paskay. Upon completion of the clerkship, Morse entered private practice joining a boutique bankruptcy firm and practiced for four years before opening his own firm. Throughout his years of private practice, Morse has represented numerous businesses in Chapter 11 cases, workouts, and Assignments for the Benefit of Creditors. He has represented banks and other financial institutions, trustees, and creditor committees as well. Morse has been a member of the board of directors and the Local Rules Committee of the Tampa Bay Bankruptcy Bar. He has also been a frequent speaker at Florida Bar and local bar seminars.
Education:
Stetson University College of Law, 1984
Specializes in:
Bankruptcy Law; Business Law; Financial Services Law; Property Law
Dan Etlinger
Attorney
Dan Etlinger focuses his practice on transactional representation, particularly involving bankruptcy, business, financial services and property law. As such he has extensive experience advising clients and drafting complete packages for corporate organization, loan modifications and origination, purchase and sale closings, title work, and more. He is an active member of the Bay Area Real Estate Council, Chi Chi Rodriguez Executive Committee, and Tampa Bay Bankruptcy Bar Association Board.
Katie Brinson Hinton
Attorney
Katie Brinson Hinton graduated from the Florida State University with a degree in industrial engineering in May 2002. Ms. Hinton then attended law school at the University of Florida. During her 3 years at the University Of Florida Levin College Of Law, Ms. Hinton participated in the trial team, earning the Order of Barristers Award, Outstanding Graduate Award, and St. John’s Trial Advocacy- National Competition Champion Award. She was also an active member in her fraternity Phi Alpha Phi. Ms. Hinton earned her J.D. in May 2005 graduating in the top 15% of her class.
Following law school, Ms. Hinton began building upon the litigation skills she developed throughout law school and through her experience on the moot and trial court teams. She interned with Trenam Kemker, P.A. in Tampa, Florida in her third year of law school, and began as an associate attorney there following graduation. Ms. Hinton worked on a unique variety of cases throughout her career using both her litigation experience and her undergraduate degree in industrial engineering to solve a variety of problems for business in both bankruptcy and its resulting litigation.
Ms. Hinton joined McIntyre Thanasides in October 2009, and continued to focus on corporate bankruptcy, bankruptcy litigation, and commercial litigation. As an industrial engineer, she brought her unique educational background and skill to the firm, which allowed her to work on the unique litigation problems of businesses going through bankruptcy including intellectual property and fraudulent transfer cases. Ms. Hinton also practiced general civil litigation in state court, including but not limited to commercial foreclosures, post-judgment litigation, and general business law. In 2022, Ms. Hinton joined Jennis Morse Etlinger.
In addition to her legal experience, Ms. Hinton also participates in many pro-bono and volunteer positions. She formerly served on the Board of Directors for the Tampa Bay Bankruptcy Bar Association. Previously, Ms. Hinton served as a pro bono mentor or pro bono general counsel for a number of nonprofit organizations including: Growing In Age & Growing In God (G.A.G.G.) Mentoring Program, LIFT Mentoring Program, New Beginning Church, Mt. Calvary Missionary Baptist Church, and New Dawn Restoration Community Outreach Center.
Ms. Hinton is licensed to practice law in the state of Florida; U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit, U.S. District Court- Middle Florida of Florida, U.S. District Court- Southern District of Florida, U.S. District Court- Northern District of Florida, and the United States Supreme Court. She also formally served on the board for the Tampa Bay Bankruptcy Bar.
Michael Stavros
Attorney
Michael Stavros is a recent graduate from the University of Florida Levin College of Law who passed the Florida Bar exam in the summer of 2021 and was sworn in December 20, 2021.
Michael will focus his practice primarily on state and federal litigation, including adversaries.
Before coming to Jennis Morse Etlinger, Michael was a Judicial Intern for the Honorable Michael J. Williamson with the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Florida (Tampa) and a Judicial Intern for the Honorable Marcia Morales Howard with the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida (Jacksonville).
Education:
University of Florida Levin College of Law
University of Florida Hough Graduate School of Business
