Jay J. Dermer

Jay J. Dermer is a fourth-generation Floridian and third-generation native of Miami Beach. Upon graduating cum laude with a degree in Philosophy from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst he returned to South Florida and attended the Shepard Broad College of Law at Nova Southeastern University where he excelled in trial advocacy. He was awarded the 2013 Best Advocate at the prestigious Buffalo-Niagara Invitational Mock Trial Tournament. In 2014, Jay was selected as one of sixteen law students from around the nation to compete in the National Top Gun Mock Trial Tournament at Baylor University. Additionally, Jay earned the Schlesinger Scholarship for Excellence in Trial Advocacy and graduated with an honor in Excellence of Trial Advocacy by the National Institute of Trial Advocacy (NITA). Following law school, Jay began his legal career as an Assistant Public Defender for the 20^th Judicial Circuit Office of the Public Defender in Fort Myers from 2015 to 2017 where he represented thousands of indigent clients on various charges ranging from misdemeanors to felonies. He rose quickly to the Felony Division and was one of the fastest attorneys to gain such a promotion. After two years as an Assistant Public Defender, Jay was sworn in as a prosecutor and served his community as an Assistant State Attorney with the Office of the State Attorney for the 15^th Judicial Circuit in Palm Beach County. As an Assistant State Attorney from 2017 to 2020, Jay handled cases ranging from misdemeanors to punishable by life felonies on charges including, but not limited to, DUI, Animal Cruelty, Armed Robbery, Elder Abuse, Armed Burglary, Drug Trafficking, and Attempted Murder. Jay has tried nearly 50 jury trials in his time as both a criminal defense attorney and prosecutor. Jay resides in Miami Beach with his amazing wife and adorable daughter. When he’s not fighting for his clients you can find him with his family, writing poetry, or fly-fishing.