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BACKGROUND: Kim Hernandez Vance is a commercial litigation attorney in the Tampa office of GrayRobinson. Kim represents clients in cases involving creditors' rights, banking regulation and defense, real and personal property rights, foreclosures, replevins, landlord-tenant disputes, uniform commercial code litigation and other matters. She is an ?AV? rated lawyer by Martindale-Hubbell, which is the highest rating given by this service. Kim is a second generation Tampa native and great granddaughter of Casimiro Hernandez, the founder of the world famous Columbia Restaurant in Ybor City. She was born in Tampa, Florida on November 24, 1960. Kim attended local schools, earning a B.A. in Accounting, in 1985. She passed the CPA exam and began a career in public and corporate accounting as an auditor, specializing in banking and financial institutions, with the firm of Hacker, Johnsen, Cohen & Grieb, CPA's. In 1987, Kim went in-house with Barnett Banks, Inc., as an internal auditor for the holding company. During her tenure with Barnett, she supervised a professional staff of up to eight auditors and was responsible for financial and compliance audits of almost every functional area of the bank, along with corporate accounting, the corporate money desk, the student lending division, and the mortgage banking company. Kim was also responsible for drafting the policies and procedures manual for the audit department, using the risk based audit approach adopted by the bank in an effort to streamline the audit process and eliminate waste. In 1995, Kim entered Stetson College of Law, graduating in the top 5% of her class. Since passing the Florida Bar, her experience has encompassed a diverse commercial litigation practice. Most recently, Kim earned her certification as a Circuit Civil Mediator. Her civic activities include the Ybor City Rotary Club and The Spring of Board of Trustees, Boyscouts of America and Gulf Ridge Council Hispanic Outreach Committee. Prior to joining GrayRobinson, Kim was a partner with the Tampa firm of Cohn, Cohn, P.A. EDUCATION: University of West Florida, B.A. (Accounting, 1985) Stetson University College of Law, J.D. (cum laude, 1997) Phi Delta Phi Deans List/Honor Roll Academic Achievement Scholarship Who's Who Among American Law Students Semifinalist ? 1997 National Tax Competition 1997 Worker's Compensation Competition Moot Court Board PROFESSIONAL: The Florida Bar Hillsborough County Bar Association (HCBA) Tampa Bay Bankruptcy Bar Barney Masterson Inn of Court, 1997-1999 Ferguson-White Inn of Court ? Barrister Member AV Rated ? Martindale-Hubbell (2004) Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council (2006-2009) Admitted to Practice: State of Florida (1998) United States District Court, Northern District of Florida United States District Court, Middle District of Florida United States District Court, Southern District of Florida Professional Certifications: Certified Public Accountant, State of Florida (1987) Certified Civil Circuit Mediator ? Supreme Court of Florida (2004) PUBLICATIONS AND SEMINARS: Co-Author and Lecturer ? Consumer Lending Regulatory Compliance, National Business Institute, 2002. Co-Author and Lecturer ? Florida Foreclosure, Bankruptcy and Title Issues, National Business Institute, 2004. Co-Author and Lecturer ? Successful Judgment Collections in Florida, National Business Institute, 2004. CIVIC: Rotary Club of Ybor City Ybor City Chamber of Commerce The Spring of Tampa Bay Board of Trustees 2005-2006; Community Involvement Committee Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce Boyscouts of America Gulf Ridge Council Hispanic Outreach Committee. | 