Monica Schmucker Tackles

Monica and Terry have over 40 years of combined legal experience. "We both came to Southwest Florida because it is a beautiful place to raise our families. We are here to help your family or your clients when you need it. " Monica is a Florida Supreme Court Certified Circuit, Family, and County Court Mediator and is a Qualified Arbitrator, and she serves as the Special Magistrate for the Town of Fort Myers Beach. Her practice centers on alternative dispute resolution while also encompassing real estate transactions, trust planning, and transactional support for individuals and small businesses. She has a background as a litigator in both the defense and plaintiff side of personal injury, negligence, premises liability, auto accidents, property damage, and third party and first party insurance claims. Before law school, Monica taught English at both Miami Dade County Public Schools and Miami Dade College until she relocated to Indiana to attend law school at the University of Notre Dame. While in law school, she worked at the Notre Dame Legal Aid Clinic helping clients in cases involving mortgage foreclosure and real estate fraud issues. After law school, Monica clerked for Judge Kathleen Lang in LaPorte County Superior Court and later joined the Office of the Indiana Attorney General as a Deputy Attorney General in the Licensing Enforcement and Homeowner Protection Unit where she enforced consumer protection laws related to mortgage servicing, foreclosure, and real estate. She then began practicing insurance defense litigation until relocating to Southwest Florida, where she continued as a litigator on both the defense and plaintiff side before deciding to focus on alternative dispute resolution and transactional matters. Monica is originally from Miami, Florida, and is fluent in Spanish. When not working, Monica enjoys canoeing, kayaking, paddleboarding, and reading a good book on the beach with her husband, son, and daughter. Monica devotes countless hours to the Fort Myers Beach community, including serving as Past President and current advisory board member of the Fort Myers Beach Woman’s Club and current board member of Beach Kids Foundation. She is a proud member of the Notre Dame Club of SWFL, served as Chair of the Fort Myers Beach Nuisance Abatement Board, and is also past-treasurer and advisor for the board for Friends of Lovers Key (“FOLKS”). Monica is also a member of the Calusa Inn of Court. In 2020, Authority Magazine featured Monica in the article: “How Attorney Monica Schmucker Tackles The Extreme Work Life Balance Of Being A Woman Business Leader During Covid-19.” In years 2021-2024, Monica was recognized by Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America. After Hurricane Ian devastated Fort Myers Beach, Monica served as a member of the ad hoc committee working with the Lee County School District to come up with a plan for rebuilding Fort Myers Beach Elementary School and worked tirelessly in the efforts to save their school. Terry has been certified a specialist in construction law by the Florida Bar since 2015. He’s also certified as a mediator for circuit civil matters by the Florida Supreme Court and qualified by the courts as an arbitrator. Much of Terry’s career has been litigating diverse disputes ranging from construction, insurance and real estate; bodily injury and wrongful death; business disputes such as employment, franchise and financing; and even some constitutional issues. He’s tried cases in FL, NJ and PA (state and federal courts of each). He has appellate experience in FL and NJ – which he considers his “claim to fame.” Examples of this work are: CTX v. Advantage Builders,  47 So.3d 844 (FL 2d DCA 2010) (Construction financing and contractual allocation of risk) and Alston v. Camden, 773 A.2d 693 (N.J. 2001) (NJ Supreme Court argument relating to governmental immunity) and He also serves as an attorney fee expert. He’s seen a lot in 30 years of practice (20 in FL). Terry considers it a privilege to conduct alternative dispute resolution processes. After decades in the trenches, he finds the practice a breath of fresh air, allowing him to see advocacy from a new perspective. Cases are accepted by private appointment as well as from the Courts and Department of Financial Services.