Press Release: Osborne & Francis and Haliczer Pettis & Schwamm Announce January 1 Merger

Boca Raton, Fla. — (December 5, 2025) – Eugene Pettis and select members of the Haliczer Pettis & Schwamm attorney team will join forces with Osborne & Francis, PLLC on January 1, 2026. The resulting firm will be known as Osborne, Francis & Pettis, PLLC.

This merger will expand the new firm’s footprint in Florida, with a total of five offices in Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, West Palm Beach, Boca Raton and Lakeland, and increase the firm’s breadth to 17 attorneys.

In addition to Pettis, the merger will include the addition of partners Ken Miller, Debbie Klauber and Trish Widowfield. Pettis and his award-winning team will continue to maintain their original office at 100 SE 3rd Ave., in Fort Lauderdale.

Pettis has been practicing trial law in Florida for 40 years. He was the first African American President of the Florida Bar and represents Florida, Georgia, and Alabama as a Regent for the prestigious American College of Trial Lawyers. Pettis co-founded Haliczer, Pettis and Schwamm in 1996. He and his team focus on medical malpractice, wrongful death and catastrophic injury cases, recovering over $160 million in settlements and verdicts the last five years alone. They are consistently listed in top-lawyer directories such as Super Lawyers and Best Lawyers, and the firm is ranked Tier 1, for Medical Malpractice and Personal Injury, by Best Law Firms.

“This merger brings together two firms that share a dedication to fighting for justice for those that have been harmed by others and are committed to making a difference in our communities,” said Pettis, “We’re also gaining more resources for our valued clients, while maintaining the relationships that define us.”

Joe Osborne and Greg Francis each left successful practices and formed Osborne & Francis Law Firm in 2018. The firm represents individuals in personal injury medical malpractice, mass torts and civil rights matters.

According to Osborne, merging Osborne & Francis with Haliczer Pettis & Schwamm is an incredible honor.

“We are thrilled to have such a skilled and respected attorney like Gene bring his immense talents to our newly merged firm,” said Osborne. “I’ve known Gene for many years here in South Florida and watched him become one of Florida’s best attorneys. It will be a pleasure to work alongside him and his team as we grow our new practice and provide outstanding legal representation to our clients.”

Osborne, who has been practicing law for more than 35 years, specializes in complex civil litigation and mass torts and has won jury verdicts and settled thousands of cases involving defective hip implants, transvaginal mesh, IVC filters and other product liability cases. During his career, he has served as lead counsel and been appointed to multiple plaintiff steering committees in national drug and medical device cases.

Francis was a shareholder at one of the largest personal injury firms in the United States. With his prior firm, he led the firm’s expansion into different cities and practice areas. In addition to his administrative responsibilities, Francis is a fierce and effective litigator handling medical malpractice and other complex litigation.

Francis served as co-lead counsel on the $1.2 billion Black Farmers Settlement, a class action lawsuit comprised of nearly 40,000 Black farmers who were discriminated against by the United States Department of Agriculture. This historic case proved to be the largest civil rights settlement ever. Subsequently, Francis secured an additional $170 million on behalf of minority farmers against the USDA. More recently, Francis has obtained a $60 million settlement in a financial fraud case.

“Given our shared vision of providing the most value possible for our clients, this merger represents a best-in-class combination of legal acumen and client service,” said Francis. “I personally look forward to growing with Gene, Joe and the rest of the team as we work tirelessly to give a voice to the voiceless in Florida and beyond.”

About Osborne & Francis
Osborne & Francis was founded in 2018 with the goal of providing aggressive and thorough legal representation for the underdog. They understand what it takes to go up against large, multi-million dollar corporations in order to bring justice for their clients. Osborne & Francis represents Floridians who have suffered personal injury from an auto accident, medical malpractice, consumer product, or other forms of negligence. Learn more about the firm at www.realtoughlawyers.com.

About Haliczer Pettis & Schwamm
Established in 1996, Haliczer Pettis & Schwamm has spent more than 25 years dedicated to seeking justice for their clients. The firm and its attorneys currently focus on representing clients in the areas of medical malpractice, wrongful death and catastrophic personal injury matters. Outside attorneys are encouraged to contact us for co-counsel opportunities. Contact us at firm@hpslegal.com to learn more.

Media contact:
Ryan Julison
Osborne, Francis & Pettis Law Firm
(321) 377-6877