About Us

• Email
• 813-974-1680
• Assistant: Marcy Guenette, Legal Contract Coordinator, 813-974-1674

Mr. Solis joined USF's General Counsel's Office in 2003 as an Assistant General Counsel. Since that time, Mr. Solis has worked in multiple practice areas serving virtually all areas and levels of USF. Mr. Solis regularly advises on a range of governance, labor and employment, constitutional and compliance matters. He has authored numerous materials on the subjects of labor and employment, collective bargaining and constitutional law in the higher education context. Mr. Solis has also spoken many times on those same subjects to professional and academic audiences. Mr. Solis is board-certified by the Florida Bar as a legal specialist in education law.

• B.A., Philosophy, Kenyon College, 1995
• J.D., North Carolina School of Law, 2000

Areas of practice: Academic Affairs, Administrative Law, Ethics and Conflict of Interest, Research Matters/Grants, Civil Litigation, Compliance, Constitutional Law, Employment Discrimination, Employment Law, Equal Opportunity & Civil Rights, Governance, Import/Export Controls, Labor Law, Open Meetings Law, Public Records

• Email
• 813-974-1683
• Assistant: Patsy Ciaccio, Senior Paralegal, 813-974-1661 

Ms. Adamchak joined the Office of the General Counsel in 2003. She is a former Pennsylvania District Court Judge. Ms. Adamchak was appointed the Bucks County Violence Prevention Task Force where she worked extensively in the areas of domestic violence and truancy prevention. Ms. Adamchak was in private practice in Princeton, New Jersey as a litigation and land use attorney. She then served as a prosecutor for the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office, Economic Crimes Unit and as a prosecutor in the Hillsborough County State Attorney's Office. Ms. Adamchak is admitted to the New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Florida Bar.

• B.A., Economics, Lafayette College, 1982
• J.D., College of William and Mary, Marshall Wythe School of Law, 1985

Areas of practice: Administrative Law, Health-HIPAA, Open Meetings, Public Records, Student Affairs, Student Records (FERPA), Subpoenas

• Email
• 813-974-1675
• Assistant: Tiffany Patterson, Paralegal, 813-396-9215

Mr. Pelaia joined the USF Office of General Counsel in 2015 after 18 years with the Office of the General Counsel at the University of Florida where he served as the Senior University Counsel for Health Affairs. He provides a wide range of legal support services for USF Health. Mr. Pelaia is certified as a Health Care Law Specialist by the Florida Bar Board of Legal Specialization and Education. He also is certified as a Professional Coder and a Professional Compliance Officer by the American Academy of Professional Coders. He began his legal career with two large Washington, D.C. law firms where he represented health care providers on an array of health regulatory matters arising under Medicare, Medicaid and other third party payment programs. In addition, he provided legal counseling in the areas of federal and state fraud and abuse matters, including issues of anti-kickback, self-referral and false claims. Mr. Pelaia is admitted to practice in Florida, the District of Columbia and New Jersey.

• B.A., French and International Communications, State University of New York at New Paltz, 1985
• J.D., Seton Hall University School of Law (concentration in health law and policy), 1995

Areas of practice: Compliance, Conflicts of Interest, Contracts, Corporate Matters, Ethics, Health-HIPAA, Health Law, Liability Issues, Medical Residency, Open Meetings Law, Public Records, Research Matters, Student Records (FERPA), Subpoenas

• Email
• 813-974-0749
• Assistant: Marcy Guenette, Legal Contract Coordinator, 813-974-1674

Ms. Black joined the Office of the General Counsel in 2007. Prior to joining USF, Ms. Black worked in private practice focusing primarily in the areas of commercial real estate and finance. Ms. Black is a member of the Florida Bar.

• B.S., Telecommunications, University of Florida, 1993
• M.P.H., University of South Florida, 1996
• J.D., Northwestern University School of Law, 2000

Areas of practice: Business and Financial Transactions, Construction, Contracts, Corporate Formation, Corporate Matters, Distance Learning, International Transactions, Liability Issues, Open Meetings, Public Finance, Public-Private Partnerships, Public Records, Real Estate

• Email
• 813-974-1561
• Assistant: Patsy Ciaccio, Senior Paralegal, 813-974-1661

Mr. Londrigan joined the Office of the General Counsel in 2014. Prior to joining the Office of the General Counsel, Mr. Londrigan worked as in-house counsel with a national publicly traded technology staffing firm and as a health care supply chain and technology executive. Mr. Londrigan is admitted to practice in the State of Florida.

• B.S., Computer & Information Science, University of North Florida, 2001
• M.B.A., Stetson University, 2006
• J.D., Stetson University College of Law, 2006

Areas of practice: Athletics, Business/Commercial Transactions, Cyber Law, Intellectual Property, Purchasing, Software Licensing, Technology

• Email
• 813-974-6977
• Assistant: Lori Mohn, Legal Administrative Specialist, 813-974-1679

Luisette (Liz) Gierbolini joined the Office of the General Counsel in 2014. Prior to joining USF, Liz worked in private practice focusing in labor and employment matters. She also served as a staff attorney at the Second District Court of Appeal, where she worked in criminal and civil appeals. Liz earned her bachelor's degree (magna cum laude) from the Florida State University and received her J.D. (with high honors) from the Florida State University College of Law. Liz is a member of the Florida Bar and is admitted to practice in Florida state court as well as the federal district courts of the Northern, Middle and Southern districts of Florida. She was selected for inclusion in Florida Trend's Florida Legal Elite "Up & Coming Lawyers" category in 2006 and 2007.

• B.A., International Affairs, Florida State University, 1993
• J.D., Florida State University College of Law, 1997

Areas of practice: Academic Affairs, Administrative Law, Employee Benefits, Civil Litigation, Compliance, Conflicts of Interest, Employment Discrimination, Employment Law, Equal Opportunity & Civil Rights, Ethics, Labor Law, Non-Competition, Open Meetings Law, Public Records, Sexual Harassment, Subpoenas

• Email
• 813-974-4882
• Assistant: Lori Mohn, Legal Administrative Specialist, 813-974-1679

Mr. Dawson joined the Office of the General Counsel in 2016. Prior to joining USF, Mr. Dawson worked in private practice representing employers, including a large research university, in all areas of labor and employment law. Mr. Dawson is a member of the Florida Bar and is admitted to practice in Florida state court as well as the federal district courts of the Northern, Middle and Southern Districts of Florida.

• B.S., Journalism, University of Florida, 2005
• B.A., Political Science, University of Florida, 2005
• J.D., University of Florida, 2008

Areas of practice: Academic Affairs, Administrative Law, Civil Litigation, Employee Benefits, Employment Discrimination, Employment Law, Equal Opportunity & Civil Rights, Labor Law, Non-Competition, Public Records, Sexual Harassment

• Email
• 813-974-1671
• Assistant: Jen Gilmore, Legal Contract Coordinator, 813-974-1657

Frederic (Eric) Skinner joined the USF Office of General Counsel in 2016 after 12 years with the University of Florida where he served as the Director of Contract Services for the College of Medicine-Jacksonville and later the Deputy Director of the Contracts Unit of the Office of the Vice President and General Counsel. He provides a wide range of legal support services for USF’s research endeavor. He began his legal career with a health system based in Watertown, New York where he represented two hospitals, a nursing home and health care providers. Mr. Skinner is admitted to practice in Florida.

• B.S., Biology, Washington and Lee University, 1989
• M.B.A., Graduate Management Institute of Union College, 1999
• J.D., Albany Law School of Union University (concentration in health law with honors), 1999

Areas of practice: Business Transactions, Contracts, Research Matters / Grants, Intellectual Property

• Email
• 813-974-7150
• Assistant: Jen Gilmore, Legal Contract Coordinator, 813-974-1657

Ms. Dix joined the Office of the General Counsel in 2017, where she began her legal career. She handles a variety of matters for USF, with an emphasis on clinical research and student matters. In addition to her practice, Ms. Dix serves on The Florida Bar Young Lawyers Division Board of Governors. She is also an ex-officio board member on the Hillsborough County Bar Association Young Lawyers Division, where she previously served on the Law Week and Member Services committees. Ms. Dix is also an advisor for the USF Women in Pre-Law Society, a Bar Exam Coach for recent graduates at Stetson Law, and has been an adjunct professor at both USF and Stetson Law. Finally, she is the incoming Chair of the Recent Alumni Board for the Florida State University College of Business. 
 
B.S., Finance and Business Management, Florida State University, 2014
M.B.A., Stetson University, 2017
J.D., Stetson University College of Law, 2017
 
Areas of practice: Contracts, Public Records, Purchasing, Research Matters, Student Affairs

• Email
• 813-974-8711
• Assistant: Jen Gilmore, Legal Contract Coordinator, 813-974-1657

Mr. Mays joined the USF Office of the General Counsel in 2019. Prior to joining the Office of the General Counsel, he served as Associate Director for USF Procurement Services.  Before joining USF, he worked in grant management for the Catholic University of America and as in-house counsel for a general contractor in Tampa.  He is a member of the Florida Bar.

• B.A., Political Science, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 2005
• J.D., Columbus School of Law, 2009

Areas of practice: Business Transactions, Contracts, Research Matters / Grants

• Email
• 813-974-1677
• Assistant: Jen Gilmore, Legal Contract Coordinator, 813-974-1657

Ms. Tassone joined the Office of General Counsel in 2021. Prior to joining USF, Ms. Tassone worked in private practice representing contractors, engineers, and architects in construction defect litigation matters. Ms. Tassone is admitted to practice in Florida state court as well as federal district courts of the Middle and Southern Districts of Florida.

• B.A., Medicine, Health, and Society (MHS), Vanderbilt University, 2011
• J.D., Stetson University College of Law, 2016

Areas of practice: Research Matters, Contracts

• Email
• 813-974-6454

Ms. Castro joined the USF Office of the General Counsel in 2022. Prior to joining the Office of the General Counsel, she served as Assistant Athletics Director of Compliance for USF Athletics.  Before joining USF, she worked for the Hillsborough County Attorney’s Office and in private practice as a family law attorney.  Ms. Castro is a member of The Florida Bar and is admitted to practice in the federal district court of the Middle District of Florida.

• B.A., Psychology, University of South Florida, 2005
• J.D., Stetson University College of Law, 2010

Areas of practice: Public Records, Open Meetings, Civil Litigation and Student Affairs.

• Email
• 813-396-9215
• Assistant: Tiffany Patterson, Paralegal, 813-396-9215

Deborah (Debbie) Dysert joined the Office of General Counsel in 2022.  Prior to joining USF, Ms. Dysert was the contract manager for a healthcare corporation specializing in federal and state healthcare regulatory issues, compliance, as well as contract negotiations, reviews, and drafting.  She is Certified in Healthcare Compliance by the Health Care Compliance Association.   Debbie previously held the position of chief operating officer for a rehabilitation company providing counsel on legal, compliance, and other risk issues affecting the organization.  She has served as a chief deputy prosecutor in Indiana and also clerked for the Honorable John B. Collins of the 14B District Court in Michigan.  Ms. Dysert is admitted to the Indiana, Michigan, and Florida Bar. 

• B.A., Political Science, Indiana University, 1989

•  J.D.,  Indiana University Maurer School of Law, 1992

Areas of Practice: Health Law, Compliance, Contracts, Research Matters

• Email
• 813-974-1096
• Assistant: Jen Gilmore, Legal Contract Coordinator, 813-974-1657

Mr. Rutledge joined the USF Office of the General Counsel in 2023. Prior to joining the Office of the General Counsel, he served as Assistant Athletics Director of Compliance for USF Athletics. Mr. Rutledge is a member of The Florida Bar and is admitted to practice in the State of Florida.

• B.S., Sport Management, Florida State University, 2014 
• J.D., Stetson University College of Law, 2017