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Published on: July 28, 2025

Women Driving Women: Uber’s New Pilot Program to be Unveiled in Certain Cities. What to Know.

Uber announced Wednesday the launch of its new “Women Preferences” feature, allowing women drivers and riders to choose to be matched with other women for their drive.

“At Uber, we believe that when we make our platform better for women, we make it better for everyone,” officials with the ride-sharing platform said in a statement. “Across the US, women riders and drivers have told us they want the option to be matched with other women on trips. We’ve heard them — and now we’re introducing new ways to give them even more control over how they ride and drive.”

Uber is slated to launch pilot programs in Los Angeles, San Francisco and Detroit within the next few weeks.

Published on: July 28, 2025

Florida Mom Accused of Leaving Toddler in Car Outside Theater. What to Know.

By Leesfield & Partners

Police have accused a mother of locking her toddler, 2, in a car outside a Florida movie theater when the girl became too “disruptive,” according to reporting from local media Monday, July 21.

The 18-year-old woman, of Lake City, has since been charged with neglect of a child without great bodily harm. The woman’s name is not being released to protect the identity of her children.

The incident happened on Saturday, July 19, when the mother took the toddler and her siblings to the movies. However, once inside, the 2-year-old girl allegedly caused “multiple disruptions.”

Published on: July 21, 2025

Who Is a Trial Lawyer? All Rise! (No Fries!)

By Leesfield & Partners

There is a healthy inter-generational discussion about the value of courtroom appearances versus digital and remote Zoom litigation. Depending upon age, law school demographics, “quality of life issues” and a long-vested belief and admiration for adversary experience before the court and jury, legitimately different perspectives are advanced. Two seemingly unrelated recent anecdotes capture the essence of the trial lawyers’ dilemma:

Ira Leesfield, the Founder and Managing Partner of Leesfield & Partners.

The bailiff of a well-respected member of the judiciary had to admonish “trial lawyers” in open court for failing to rise when the judge entered the bench. This ancient custom of respect and judicial protocol was unknown to these inexperienced lawyers about to commence trial. Reports of this omission caught the attention of jurists and experienced advocates across the state. In a completely different setting, a well-established and recognized national restaurant refused to allow “take-out” French fries with the food order placed by a customer. At the desk, the manager publicly expressed “our fries just don’t travel well, and we want customers to be satisfied and accepting of our food.” No matter what the plea, no fries “to go.” If you wanted to enjoy a great dinner of ribs, coleslaw and fries, it was going to be in the dining room. This is an interesting way to capture the disparity of conflict for an earnest, developing trial lawyer!

Published on: July 10, 2025

Hialeah Woman Airlifted to Hospital After Dog Attack Tuesday. What to Know.

By Leesfield & Partners

A woman was airlifted to Jackson Memorial Hospital Tuesday with non-life-threatening injuries after being attacked by a dog.

The woman, according to reporting from WSVN Miami, was a caretaker at the home where the attack took place around 11 a.m. in Hialeah. She was bitten on both of her arms.

Following the attack, the dog was detained in a cage awaiting officials with animal control after its owner surrendered it into the custody of Miami-Dade Animal Services. In footage broadcasted by WSVN, it looked as though the dog was an American bulldog. A similar dog, allegedly of the same breed, was seen lounging in a kennel in the home’s backyard.

Published on: June 25, 2025

Man Killed in Officer-Involved Shooting Named by Police in Miami. What to Know.

By Leesfield & Partners

Police have named the man who was killed in an officer-involved shooting following a chase in North Miami-Dade as 24-year-old Kristofer Lazaro Laboy.

Laboy, who was driving a yellow Corvette, is said to have fled from deputies with the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office when they attempted to conduct a traffic stop Tuesday afternoon. The traffic stop was initiated near Northwest 62^nd Street and Northwest 22^nd Avenue.

Police initiated the stop because of illegal tints on his car windows, according to reporting from The Miami Herald. What ensued was a chase that lasted for about a mile — involving a helicopter to help police track down the car — and ended in an apartment community near Northwest Fourth Court and Northwest 85^th Street.

Published on: June 12, 2025

Four Children Dead, Nine Injured in Florida Suspected Drunk Driving Crash. How Leesfield & Partners has Represented Victims for 48 Years.

By Leesfield & Partners

A drunk driving suspect ploughed through a popular Fort Myers taco stand Monday, killing at least four children and injuring nine other people.

Luis Alejando Velasquez Herrera, 20, of Fort Myers, was charged with one count of driving under the influence and nine counts of being involved in a DUI crash with property damage or personal injury, according to reporting from The Miami Herald. The incident happened around 11:15 p.m. Monday at the La Mexicana Taco Stand on Palm Beach Boulevard.

Velasquez Herrera is accused of striking the outdoor seating area, which consists of picnic style tables situated beneath the shade of a tent. At least two families were in the area at the time. The children who were killed include a 16-year-old, a 15-year-old, a 9-year-old, and a toddler, 3. The other nine who were injured were taken to a local hospital for non-life-threatening injuries.

Published on: June 2, 2025

Firefighter Injured in Lumber Warehouse Fire in Miami. What to Know.

By Leesfield & Partners

Friday morning fire at Miami lumber warehouse injured at least one firefighter as emergency responders battled the flames.

Firefighters were called out to the Little River Building Home Supply, 7737 NE Second Ave., at around 6:06 a.m. There was heavy smoke coming from the building.

No one was inside the building when the fire broke out, however, as firefighters continued to battle the flames, they were forced to evacuate due to structural concerns.

Published on: May 19, 2025

The Road to Motor Vehicle Accident Results: What You Should Know About Seeking Damages

By Leesfield & Partners

A seemingly mundane trip to the grocery store or a tiring commute home after a long day’s work can quickly turn into a driver’s worst nightmare.

About 400,000 car accident victims discover this annually in Florida with many suffering severe and permanent injuries. As a personal injury law firm with nearly five decades of experience litigating cases just like these, Leesfield & Partners knows that the “road to recovering damages” can be a daunting one.

Here’s a basic guide to what plaintiff’s should know when seeking damages for injuries caused by an accident on Florida roads. For a more in-depth breakdown or for a free consultation, call Leesfield & Partners at 800-836-6400.

Published on: May 14, 2025

Washington Boy, 13, Killed in E-Bike-Related Incident; Leesfield & Partners’ Outspoken History with Micromobility Devices.

By Leesfield & Partners

A family has lost their 13-year-old son after he hit a metal cable in a “freak accident” while riding his e-bike through the neighborhood, according to local media.

Emiliano Munoz, of Everett, Washington, was playing with friends at a neighborhood field on May 2. As he left on his e-bike, he took a shortcut through a yard where he did not see a braided cable strung up between two bollards in the grass.

The boy ran into the cable and cut his vocal cords, a spokesperson for the family told local media.

Published on: May 14, 2025

Seminole County Pastor Accused of Sexually Abusing Children. How Leesfield & Partners has Represented Victims and Survivors for Nearly Five Decades in Florida.

By Leesfield & Partners

Police in Sanford, Florida, are asking anyone with information on a local pastor who they believe has sexually abused multiple children in his congregation.

Yersson David Solarte Basto, 33, was charged with sexual assault on a victim under 18 years old and lewd and lascivious molestation of a victim under 16, according to reporting from The Miami Herald.

Solarte was a pastor at IPUL Pentecostal Church in Sanford, or Iglesia Pentecostal Unida Latinoamericana Orlando Norte, during the alleged abuse. The crimes were reported to police “after the most recent incident,” according to local media. The victim said she was abused by Solarte on multiple occasions before he “expressed his love for her” and she “refused his advances.” After that, the girl told police he “tried making her jealous” by abusing her sister.