Meet Our Lawyers

Efrain Carlos, Esq.

Managing  Partner 

Efrain is the co-founding partner of R+C Litigators. Efrain has 23 years of substantial litigation experience and is a veteran trial lawyer. Efrain provides clients with sound legal advice and innovative business solutions. Clients often retain Efrain for his extensive litigation knowledge and ability to deliver results in and out of the courtroom. He routinely helps clients navigate the legal system and provides cost-effective legal representation. Efrain’s ability to evaluate a case early on and look ahead at the turns and pitfalls that each case presents while eyeing trial strategy is a talent and depth that sets him apart from his adversaries.

Efrain handles a diverse array of cases throughout Florida and in other state and federal jurisdictions throughout the United States. Efrain’s law practice focuses on claims brought under the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act (LHWCA), Defense Base Act (DBA) as extended by the LHWCA, passenger and crew claims, marine insurance disputes, salvage claims, vessel collisions, groundings, navigation & piloting errors, cargo damage claims, bills of lading disputes, marine subrogation & recovery, marina and shipyard owners’ liability, Jones Act, Death on the High Seas Act (DOHSA) and Limitation of Liability Actions (LOLA).

Efrain also represents insurers and private companies in premises liability claims, product liability, toxic tort (asbestos/mesothelioma), professional liability (E&O and D&O claims), first and third-party claims,  and commercial litigation matters. Efrain has defended bad faith claims, complex insurance disputes and appellate issues in connection with nearly all of his areas of concentration. 

Efrain is a Florida approved continuing education (CE) instructor and is available for speaking engagements to provide CE seminars or CE courses for insurance industry professionals and adjusters to meet their CE licensing obligations.  

As a licensed sailing captain, Efrain is highly familiar with the inner workings of vessels and the USCG protocols needed to safely operate vessels. Efrain works closely with marine surveyors and marine experts to ensure each client’s interests are well protected during all phases of pre-suit and litigation with the goal of providing cost-effective legal representation and speedy resolution to clients.

Before launching his legal career, Efrain was a law clerk to  U.S. Chief Magistrate Judge Stephen T. Brown (retired), United States District Court, Southern District of Florida, and also clerked for Judge Nancy J. Pollock (retired), Eleventh Judicial Circuit, Miami-Dade County. He also was a Special Agent Intern in the Miami Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives where he participated in alcohol and drug raids throughout South Florida.

BAR ADMISSIONS
Florida

EDUCATION
Nova Southeastern University, J.D., 2001
Articles Editor, Nova Law Review
Technical Teams Editor, Moot Court Honor Society
Editor, Journal of International & Comparative Law
Florida State University, B.S., 1995

COURT ADMISSIONS
U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit
U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida
U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida
U.S. District Court, Northern District of Florida 


Elis M. Rojas, Esq.

Managing Partner

Elis is the co-founding partner of R+C Litigators.  Elis has a decade of significant litigation and trial experience. Elis is dedicated to passionately representing her clients and delivering legal solutions that are cost-effective to conserve time and resources. She is committed to productive communication and to efficiently designing case strategies tailored to each client’s needs.

Elis focuses her practice on representing the interests of employers and insurance carriers in claims brought under the Defense Base Act (DBA), Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act (LHWCA), and War Hazards Compensation Act (WHCA). She has obtained favorable results for her clients before the Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs (OWCP), the Office of Administrative Law Judges (OALJ) and in mediations.

Elis has extensive experience representing clients in all aspects of insurance defense litigation, including premises liability, general liability, first and third-party property claims, products liability, professional liability and maritime claims. Elis previously practiced law at a national law firm where she gained considerable litigation and trial experience at the state and federal levels through her tenacious advocacy for leading retailers, manufacturers, and transportation companies.

Prior to private practice, Elis worked as a law clerk to Judge Harvey Erwin Schlesinger, United States District Court, Middle District of Florida, and with Magistrate Judge Thomas E. Morris, United States District Court, Middle District of Florida. Working behind the scenes at the courthouse provided Elis the opportunity to gain invaluable understanding of the judicial system and practicing law at the highest ethical standards.

Elis has been a featured panelist at WCI – Workers’ Compensation Institute Annual Conference and has been recognized numerous times as a “Rising Star” by Florida Super Lawyers (2019-2022).

BAR ADMISSIONS
Florida

EDUCATION
Florida Coastal School of Law, J.D., 2014
University of Florida, B.S., 2010

COURT ADMISSIONS
U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida
U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida


Jessica M. Gomez, Esq.

Associate Attorney

Jessica is an Associate Attorney at R+C Litigators, where she primarily focuses her litigation practice on civil and insurance defense, admiralty and maritime law and Defense Base Act (“DBA”) claims as extended by the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act.

During her time in law school, Jessica was a member of the Student Ambassador Program, Society of Bar and Gavel, Tenants Rights Clinic and the Immigration Clinic. Additionally, she worked with Professor Joshua Mintz as his research assistant for a short course on Emerging Forms of Philanthropy and the Role of Private Foundations in Effecting Social Change. Jessica also gained a wide variety of legal experience as a Special Projects Intern in New York City with the Immigrant and Refugee Services for Catholic Charities Community Services and as an intern with Bacardi-Martini, Inc., in Coral Gables. Prior to joining R+C Litigators, she worked as a law clerk for a Florida-based law firm, where she assisted in the handling of a variety of insurance litigation and coverage dispute matters.

BAR ADMISSIONS
Florida

COURT ADMISSIONS
Florida

EDUCATION
University of Miami School of Law, Juris Doctorate,  2020
University of South Florida, Bachelor of Arts, Political Science and Criminology 

LANGUAGES
Spanish 


R+C Litigators 

Selection of Representative Cases & Wins

Routinely handle and defend Lloyd's of London Syndicates in several practice areas.

Obtained a summary judgment decision in a DBA claim involving benefits exposure of more than $3 million brought by former employee who alleged mandatory flu shot caused her to develop Neuromyelitis Optica and temporary paralysis.

Defeated summary judgment brought by co-defendant in premises liability action, thereby compelling the co-defendant to contribute funds toward settlement of claim.

Obtained low nuisance settlement in premises liability action seeking personal injury damages in excess of policy limits.

Obtained dismissal with prejudice of federal action brought by foreign seaman seeking back wages and penalties against vessel and vessel owner.

Obtained favorable settlement for Lloyd's of London in rem action and in personam liability action on west coast of Florida.

Obtained permanent injunction in multi-million dollar residential real estate breach of contract action brought by original buyer against the seller and subsequent new buyer (construction developer) of property in Key Biscayne, Florida.

Served as lead local defense counsel for major talc supplier/distributor in asbestos-mesothelioma claims involving serious personal injury and death and worked closely in the joint defense with leading manufacturers and retailers.

Served as local defense counsel in federal court for medical manufacturer and supplier of nail clipper that broke while in use causing serious hand  injuries to physician podiatrist and favorably resolved case.

Served as lead defense counsel for national marine insurer in boat explosion (CTL) incident that occurred in the navigable waters of the Bahamas resulting in LOLA being filed in the U.S. District Court, S.D.Fla., and worked closely with marine surveyors and fire experts to limit insured-vessel owner's and marine insurer's economic exposure.

Served as lead defense counsel in bare boat sunset charter incident where passenger fell through open deck hatch while vessel was underway and favorably argued, among other defenses, enforcement of forum selection clause and valid waiver agreement.

Served as defense and monitoring counsel in multi-district class action litigation involving Blue Cross Blue Shield.

Served as bad faith and coverage counsel to AIG, Travelers, Zurich, N.A., The Hartford, Markel, Chubb, and ACE.

Represented insurer in suit by policyholder over two large commercial properties claimed to have suffered damage from Hurricane Irma. Adverse depositions of Plaintiff’s expert witnesses led to favorable settlement for client.

Lead counsel for the defense of surplus lines carrier for Hurricane Matthew claim by church alleging breach of contract, bad faith and statutory violations arising from underpayment of the loss. Adverse depositions of Plaintiff’s experts caused Plaintiff to reduce its demand over $1 million.

Obtained dismissal with prejudice in a million-dollar suit for personal injuries against national transportation company.

Represented national home health equipment provider in manufacturing and design defect, failure to warn and breach of warranty claims involving an adjustable bed that allegedly caused serious personal injuries to consumer.

Represented an American home appliance brand in numerous matters arising from personal injury due to alleged equipment failures and claims of design and manufacturing defect and failure to warn.

Represented various domestic and London insurers in coverage analysis, EUOs and complex insurance coverage declaratory judgment actions and pre-suit bad faith actions.   

Served as co-counsel in shareholder derivative dispute brought by the co-founder of Ultra Music Festival against former business partners alleging breach of a memorandum of understanding, breach of fiduciary duties, corporate waste, civil conspiracy and other claims in the Eleventh Circuit Complex Business Litigation Division.