Rinaldo Law Group
For nearly 30 years, the attorneys at Rinaldo Law Group have built a solid reputation as trustworthy professionals. Founded on the principles of “Dignity and Trust”, the firm works hard to ensure their clients receive fair compensation for ALL of their harms and losses in all types of personal injury cases.
Catherine Rinaldo
“When a client engages our firm, I want them to know that their needs and concerns are of the utmost importance to us. All matters are handled with the highest legal attention and with full respect for the sensitive nature of the circumstances.”
Catherine Rinaldo
Catherine M. Rinaldo has been a licensed attorney and member of the Florida Bar since 1985. She is the founding partner of Rinaldo Law Group which first opened it doors nearly 20 years ago. The vision then, as now is “to do everything in our power legally and ethically to right the wrongs, harms and losses visited upon our clients.” Her law firm is based on superior quality, unsurpassed personal service and referral-based growth. Ms. Rinaldo and her firm work tirelessly to secure justice and monetary compensation for their clients.
Today, Ms. Rinaldo has reached the highest level of recognition of an attorney’s competence and experience with a “Preeminent AV” rating from Martindale Hubbell and an “Excellent” AVVO rating. She is a member of the Multi-million Dollar Forum and the Million Dollar Forum. Her law firm has been accredited by the Better Business Bureau. Ms. Rinaldo is also a graduate of the Keenan Ball Trial College and serves as a faculty member.
After graduating law school, Ms. Rinaldo defended negligence claims brought against insurance industry giants such as State Farm, Liberty Mutual, USF&G and Allstate. This provided unique insight into how the insurance industry evaluates and defends claims, giving Ms. Rinaldo a clear advantage in defending her clients and securing verdicts and settlements in their favor.
In 1985, Ms. Rinaldo earned her Juris Doctorate from Tulane University Law School in New Orleans, Louisiana. While in law school, she clerked for District Attorney Harry Connick, Sr., assisting in the prosecution of crimes against the citizens of New Orleans. She was also the first law clerk hired by the New Orleans Sewerage and Water Board.
As a mother of three young adults, Ms. Rinaldo is actively involved in her children’s development as well-rounded citizens. She is also active in the community and a leader among her peers. Over the past several years, she has served as a Girl Scout Leader and on the Parish Counsel of her church.
Ms. Rinaldo and her husband are avid hikers and stay actively involved in mission work and with several local charities.
While in high school, Catherine M. Rinaldo worked for one of the preeminent female attorneys in the State of Florida, Ann Loughridge Kerr, Esquire. Ms. Rinaldo then attended the University of South Florida, finishing her undergraduate degree at George Washington University in Washington, D.C. in 1981.
While attending George Washington, Ms. Rinaldo worked on Capitol Hill as a staff assistant for the House Subcommittee on Transportation and Tourism. This Subcommittee was responsible for the drafting and passage of the Superfund and Railroad Deregulation bills.
In 1984 Ms. Rinaldo was awarded a summer fellowship with the Department of Justice, Civil Division in Washington, D.C., where she assisted in the defense of civil claims filed against the United States Government.
Mrs. Rinaldo is admitted to practice in Florida and the U.S. District Courts, as well as the U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit and the U.S. Supreme Court. She is a member of several professional organizations including:
- The Florida Bar Association
- Florida Justice Association
- Florida Justice Association Women’s Caucus
- Hillsborough County Bar Association
- Tampa Bay Trial Lawyers Association
Ms. Rinaldo is listed as AV in the Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers by Martindale-Hubell. She has achieved the ranking of “Excellent” by AVVO. She is a top rated “Exccellent” by AVVO. She is a member of the Multimillion Dollar Forum and the Million Dollar Forum. Ms. Rinaldo served on Ethics Committee 1A of the Florida Bar and is a former member of the William Terrell Inns of Court.
Nicholas Rinaldo
Nicholas F. Rinaldo, Esquire, has been a committed, driven, and passionate advocate for people in need for more than three decades. Mr. Rinaldo is licensed to practice law in the United States Supreme Court, the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida, and the Supreme Court of the State of Florida.
Mr. Rinaldo began his legal career as a trial attorney for The Hillsborough County Public Defender’s Office. In 1990, he left and went into private practice where he specialized in complex criminal defense law. Mr. Rinaldo regularly defended first degree murder cases death penalty cases, federal conspiracy and racketeering cases, white collar crimes, and numerous other felony and misdemeanor cases.
In 1997, Mr. Rinaldo changed the focus of his practice to solely helping people who were seriously injured in accidents through no fault of their own. Since that time, he has had the solemn privilege of helping thousands of persons who have been harmed due to the fault of another person or legal entity. Mr. Rinaldo has represented injured persons in all types of accident cases such as automobile, truck, motorcycle and bicycle accidents, wrongful death cases, slip and fall cases, burn cases, and all other types of catastrophic accidents.
A fourth generation resident of Tampa, Florida, Mr. Rinaldo attended H.B. Plant High School before graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Journalism from the University of Florida. He then received his Juris Doctor Degree from Stetson University College of Law where he earned the American Jurisprudence Award for Academic Excellence.
Mr. Rinaldo is also passionate about being a Reading Tutor for 3rd grade students throughout Tampa through the Lawyers for Literacy program.
Christy Emerson Bogart
Licensed Investigator and Advanced Certified Paralegal
Christy’s passion for helping people, along with her strong sense of justice landed her in the legal field. Her greatest satisfaction comes from using her fine-honed skills to solve a tough problem in a case.
Christy joined Rinaldo Law Group in April of 2012. She is a graduate of the University of South Florida. Christy is a member of the Tampa Bay Paralegal Association, Florida Justice Association, and National Association of Legal Assistants (N.A.L.A.) She holds advanced certifications in Personal Injury – Auto Accidents, and in Litigation through N.A.L.A. In addition to being a paralegal, she is also licensed as a private investigator in the state of Florida.
Christy began her career in 2004 at the State Attorney’s office in the busy Domestic Violence division. In 2006, she was hired as a Senior Paralegal at the law firm of Cohen, Jayson, & Foster, where she spent the next 5 1⁄2 years working in the Criminal Defense division. Christy is well-versed in document analysis, case management, trial preparation, and trial support.
