Key West Injury Lawyer Blog
The Federal Aviation Administration Recently announced updated arrival and departure procedures at Florida airports named after Jimmy Buffet, a famed singer-songwriter and previous Leesfield & Partners client who passed away in 2023 at 76.
Pilots arriving at Palm beach International Airport will perform JESTR ONE, the arrival procedure named for Buffet who often compared his work to that of a court jester.
In Key West, where Leesfield & Partners has an office on historic Whitehead Street, pilots leaving from Key West International Airport will go through BUFIT ONE.
Florida Honors a Legend
This is not the first time the FAA has paid homage to Buffet who, through decades of music and philanthropy has become a figurehead in Florida and across the nation, inspiring a multi-billion-dollar lifestyle brand including hotels, retirement communities and restaurants through his hit song “Margaritaville.” In 2009, the FAA first dedicated departure procedures and waypoints in Palm Beach International Airport’s airspace to Buffet.
Earlier this year, State Road A1A was renamed “Jimmy Buffet memorial Highway” and a Margaritaville specialty license plate was made available to Parrotheads cruising down Florida roads. Buffet is among some of the firm’s most influential clients, beginning his friendship with Leesfield & Partners’ Founder and Managing Partner, Ira H. Leesfield, in 1974. Incredibly, Mr. Leesfield was with Buffet when he saw the woman who inspired the hit song ‘Woman Goin’ Crazy on Caroline Street.”
“Jimmy and I were very good friends … And he’s remained a good friend,” Mr. Leesfield said during a previous interview with the Two lawyers Walk into a Bar podcast.
Leesfield & Partners: A Strong Presence in Key West for Nearly Five Decades
Key West provided the backdrop and inspiration to some of Buffet’s most iconic hits and the subsequent influence of that music on the area is undeniable, leaving behind an enduring legacy. Similarly, Leesfield & Partners, which opened its doors in 1976, has had a lasting impact on Monroe County clients, securing record verdicts and achieving some semblance of justice for injured clients in the area.
The building where Leesfield & Partners’ Key West hub is housed was built in 1878. Recently, The Florida Bar recognized the firm with the “Historic Building Renovation Award” for design. Mr. Leesfield’s charitable Foundation, The Leesfield Family Foundation, supports local organizations annually. Most recently, The Leesfield Family Foundation contributed to local food banks for the holidays, such as the Stars of the Seas Foundation.
Additionally, The Foundation has launched the Dexter Butler Scholarship in honor of a beloved Key West High School basketball teacher who tragically died in 2023. In recognition of Butler’s dedication to his students, The Foundation will sponsor one basketball player heading off to college who lives out the example of community service and kindness displayed by Butler during his life.
“I have known the Butler family for my entire 45 years working in Key West,” Mr. Leesfield said. “There is no finer family in the community who has done more for high school athletic programs. Dexter Butler was a true role model.”
Previous Cases
The firm previously represented a hotel housekeeper who was brutally raped while on the job in Monroe County. Leesfield & Partners secured $1 million for the woman in that case.
Likewise, the firm secured $ 1 million for a 26-year-old who was senselessly attacked and injured while at a Monroe County bar.
A Leesfield & Partners client who fell in a stairwell at a Monroe County hotel and incurred a severe back injury was awarded a $1.5 million settlement.
In a horrific jet ski crash involving a Californian family vacationing in Key West, Leesfield & Partners attorneys were able to secure a substantial settlement. In that case, handled by Partner and Trial Lawyer, Justin B. Shapiro, the family had hired jet ski tour guides to help them maneuver the machines and currents while navigating through the unfamiliar waters. Instead of helping the family enjoy what should have been a pleasurable day out on the water, the guides routinely sped away from them and were out of sight for most of the tour.
When the guides took the family through a narrow bridge opening known to be surrounded by powerful tidal currents, the father of the group inevitably crashed violently and was severely injured due to the guides’ negligence.
Leesfield & Partners brought about statewide change in Florida pertaining to carbon monoxide detectors when Mr. Leesfield represented a family who fell ill after carbon monoxide seeped into their room from a damaged boiler room roof vent at a Key West hotel.
The case garnered nationwide attention and highlighted a dangerous issue at lodging places. Recognizing this gap in protections for Floridians and tourists alike, Leesfield & Partners fought for the passage of Senate Bill 1822. A confidential settlement was secured for the family in that case.
A Monroe County Sheriff’s Deputy was represented by Leesfield & Partners after he was involved in a crash with his child. The two were seriously injured when a speeding car failed to yield the right-of-way and pulled out in front of them on the Overseas Highway.
Leesfield & Partners remains committed to Monroe County clients, co-counsel and community members. If you were injured in Monroe County, don’t wait. Call a Leesfield & Partners attorney today at 305-854-4900 to see if you may be eligible for compensation.
