Our Team
Mark A. Rothman, Attorney
The first thing I want you to know about me is that I truly enjoy what I do. I look forward to my work. This should be of great importance to you because it enhances my value to you. I am passionate about my work and eager to the best job for each client. I promptly return phone calls and respond to emails, timely. I am thorough.
I have been a member of the Florida Bar since 1992. During my legal career I have done hundreds of probates throughout the state of Florida, prepared hundreds of estate plans, represented hundreds of business clients and presided over numerous real estate closings. As most probate cases involve one or more of these legal issues, my experience will be invaluable to you.
Elaine Rothman, Mark’s Mother
But perhaps the most invaluable experience I bring comes from my having gone through this process, myself. In 2008 I lost my mother, Elaine. All the legal experience could not mask the pain I felt in losing my mother. However, this experience taught me the importance of empathy, balancing the emotions of the loss of your loved one with professionalism and experience. In the years since, I have represented children losing parents, siblings losing siblings, parents losing children, and throughout all these cases, have dedicated myself to respect the pain of their loss, while providing professional legal representation.
A little bit more about my professional life. I previously served on the board of directors of Florida Lawyers Assistance, Inc., which is an arm of the Florida Bar and dedicated to helping fellow attorneys struggling with the pressures of our profession. I am the former general counsel and past president of the Upper Tampa Bay and past president of the Town 'n Country Chambers of Commerce. I have served as chairperson of the American Society's Relay for Life event for three years.
A little about my personal life, I have been married to my beautiful wife for over five years. As pet lovers, we share our home with our cat and dog, Rick. I enjoy reading American history non-fiction and am an avid runner, having run six marathons.
Michele Setzer Torres, Certified Paralegal
I have been a paralegal for fifteen years but have been immersed in the legal world for the last sixteen years. I was originally attorney Mark's receptionist, then legal assistant, and now paralegal. I graduated from the University of Florida Correspondence Course with my Paralegal Certification in 2010. I earned an Associate Degree of Applied Science in Criminal Justice in 2011 and a Bachelor of Applied Science in Criminal Justice in 2015 from Colorado Technical University. I am verse in many different areas of the legal field and enjoy showing my clients compassion, treating them like family and providing excellent legal care.
I am a Florida native who was luckily enough to marry my best friend from high school many years later. We have been together thirteen years which has allowed us to cultivate an amazing family and foundation. We share three beautiful children together and I am a proud stepmother to my wonderful stepchild. She is a sophomore in high school and is an amazing artist. My oldest child is a first-degree black belt in taekwondo and just an all-around kind human. My middle child is mastering the art of self-expression through acrobatics and tap, and is the best giver of warm hugs. My youngest is such an unfiltered ball of energy, who has opened my world to amazing possibilities and advocacy. I am a very family oriented individual. Nothing is more important than my family. Since COVID I have had the ability to work from home which has allowed me to continue to care for my clients and focus on my family. I was able to help my mother and siblings care for our father during his difficult battle with ALS. Taking care of my father through his decline was a heartbreaking and humbling experience, but also such a privilege.
Michele and I have worked together for over 15 years and I am proud to call her my paralegal.