Team

Ken Eulo

Ken Eulo grew up in Los Angeles, California. As a student, he was consistently in the top ten percent of his advanced program of classes. He was also a top athlete and served as a mentor and assistant coach on baseball teams for Mentally and Physically Challenged Children. He moved to Central Florida in 1996 and attended the University of Central Florida on a Bright Future’s Scholarship in 2000, where he studied Criminal Justice and Pre-Law. During this time, he participated in “ride-alongs” with police, where he got a close look at criminal procedures and gained an understanding of criminal law. After graduating with a Bachelor’s Degree of Science from UCF in 2005 with cum laude honors, Ken Eulo helped plan and run the first branch of the International Coffee Chain Testa Rosa, where he was offered advanced management training in Europe. However, he decided to return to his first love: The Law.

Darryl R. Smith

Darryl R. Smith, Criminal Defense and Civil Litigation attorney, was born in Staten Island, New York and raised in Piscataway, New Jersey. He graduated from the University of Pittsburgh in 2008 summa cum laude with a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice and Legal Studies. Darryl went on to attend Vanderbilt University Law School. During his law school career, Darryl Smith was recognized by Vanderbilt University Law School as a Chancellor’s Scholar, and also was named Senior Editor for the Southern Regional BLSA Law Review Journal. He graduated from Vanderbilt University Law School with his Juris Doctorate in 2011, and moved to Orlando to pursue his dream of practicing law in Central Florida.

Robert Zlatkin

Criminal Defense & Civil Litigation

Robert Zlatkin is an experienced, and dedicated Criminal Defense and Civil Litigation Attorney.  A graduate of the prestigious University of Florida’s Levin College of Law, Robert is a native Floridian with a strong connection to the Central Florida community. He graduated Cum Laude from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor’s degree in History and made a decision early on to return  to Orlando after law school to give back to the community he calls home.

As an Assistant State Attorney for the Ninth Judicial Circuit in Orlando, Robert most recently prosecuted a broad range of cases including D.U.I., battery, robbery, domestic violence, battery, and a myriad of felonies including violations of probation (VOPs). With hundreds of hours of court appearances and  successful trials, it was here that Robert honed his litigation skills and developed a keen understanding of the nuances of the law.  With his unique perspective of both sides of the criminal justice system, Robert’s clients derive significant benefit from this advantage.

Javier Chavez

Board Certified Criminal Trial Attorney

Javier Chavez was born in Denver, Colorado. Javier attended Denver North High School and went to the University of Colorado to receive a Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice. He then moved to New Hampshire and graduated from the University of New Hampshire Law School.

Mr. Chavez moved to Miami Florida and intern as an Assistant State Attorney for the Dade County State Attorney’s office. He has also worked as an investigative assistant for the Arapahoe County District Attorney’s Office in Colorado. Mr. Chavez has worked for the 9^th Circuit Public Defender’s Office as an assistant Public Defender. Mr. Chavez has also worked for the 13^th and 5^th Circuit Judicial Circuits Public Defender Offices, covering Hillsborough, Sumter, and Lake Counties.

Mr. Chavez became Board Certified in Criminal Trial Law in 2013. Mr. Chavez has tried over 180 trials, including First Degree Murder, Capital Sexual Battery, and DUI Manslaughter cases.

Kenneth Lewis

Ken Lewis is a native New Yorker; he attended the State University of New York at Albany before relocating to South Florida and enrolling at FAU where he obtained a bachelor’s degree in History in 1989. He then attended the prestigious Nova Southeastern University where he obtained his law degree in 1991. Ken Lewis is a former prosecutor, his impressive work ethic and dedication resulted in him being named chief homicide prosecutor in Orange and Osceola Counties. Mr. Lewis tried exclusively murder cases for 7 years and sex crimes for another 4 years. In total Ken Lewis has well over 200 jury trials in all areas of criminal law and has tried over 50 murder cases. Additionally, Ken Lewis has been a mock trial judge at numerous competitions and was recognized for his exceptional trial skills by being selected on the faculty of the weeklong Gerald T. Bennett Prosecutor/Public Defender Trial Training Program at the University of Florida Levin College of Law. Mr. Lewis has trained hundreds of attorneys through the Florida Prosecutors Attorneys Association.  Ken Lewis has successfully represented individuals facing felony charges across the entire State of Florida, including Orange, Osceola, Polk, Sumter, Seminole, Volusia, Hillsborough, Lake, Lee, Marion to name a few.

Alexis Sykes

Alexis Sykes is a former prosecutor for who has been dedicated to her community for 15 years. Her legal career spans the state of Florida to include criminal law practice in Jacksonville, Orlando, Miami, and Panama City. She was formerly a homicide prosecutor for the 9th Judicial Circuit in Orlando, Florida.  Prior, she has served as the Chief of Violent Crimes in Orlando, a Felony Division Chief in Panama City, a Homicide Major Crimes Prosecutor in Jacksonville, and in the Career Criminal Unit in Miami. She also was a Visiting Professor at Florida A&M University College of Law where she taught Legal Research & Writing to first year law students. She has tried over 90 jury trials. Ms. Sykes was a previous recipient of the Rookie of the Year Award for prosecutors in Jacksonville and a Certificate of Appreciation in Orlando because of her dedication to the communities she served. 

Kortney Daly

Attorney

Kortney Daly was born in Clearwater, Florida. Kortney attended Palm Harbor University High school and St. Petersburg College simultaneously during her last two years of high school. She obtained her Associates Degree upon completion of high school. She then moved to Orlando to attend the University of Central Florida where she majored in Legal studies with a specialized focus in Criminal law and Individual liberties, as well as a focus in litigation and Advocacy.

After graduating from the University of Central Florida in 2015, Kortney continued her education at Stetson University College of Law. While in law school, Kortney focused on clinical education and practical experiences to prepare her for the practice of law. She completed an internship or clinic every semester she was eligible during her legal education. She worked as judicial intern for the Honorable Judge Thane Covert researching issues and watching court every day to get a sense of the day to day in a criminal court room. She then interned for the United States Attorney’s Office in the Middle District of Florida where she researched complex issues and wrote motions for the US Attorney’s Office.

Scott Messinger

As a US Army Ranger, Scott Messinger pledged to “Lead the Way!” Scott now brings that same determination and hard work to defending his clients.

Following his service as an Infantryman in the 75th Ranger Regiment, Scott pursued a career in the humanities, studying history and English. While in graduate school, Scott lectured in English composition at colleges in South Florida. He capped this formal education by earning a Ph.D., in American Literature, from the University of Miami. By the time he graduated, however, Scott had become aware that although teaching was rewarding, something was missing: the knowledge conveyed to students seemed to evaporate at the end of each semester. Lessons imparted couldn’t be accurately gauged in terms of lessons learned. Scott then realized that his true calling lay not in academia but in applying his learning to the area in which he could affect material change: the arena of justice.

Luz Root

Luz Root was born in Argentina and moved to the United States to pursue a collegiate tennis scholarship. She attended Point University in Georgia and was a full-time student athlete. Although English is her second language, she was on the Dean’s List and Honor Class Member all four years of college. Luz graduated top of her class, Magna Cum Laude, with a Bachelor in Business Management and a Minor in Biblical Studies.

Luz moved to Orlando, Florida, to continue her education at Barry University School of Law, where she received an academic scholarship. Throughout law school, she interned at NeJame Law, where she found her passion for Criminal Defense. During her Internship, she assisted in defending cases, both in State and Federal Court. She worked on several felony cases, including armed robbery, child pornography, drug trafficking, burglary, aggravated battery, DUI manslaughter, and first-degree murders.

Rose Hernandez

Rose Hernandez grew up in Fort Myers, Florida. She moved to Central Florida in 2008 while in high school. After graduating from Celebration High School in 2010, she attended the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida, where she studied Criminology and Linguistics. She also obtained a teaching certificate to teach English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL). During this time, she worked with a non-profit organization tutoring at-risk elementary, middle, and high school students in Micanopy, Florida.

After graduating from the University of Florida in 2014, Rose returned to Central Florida. She spent some time teaching ESOL in Orlando before returning to school to pursue her law degree. In 2015, Rose began attending Florida State University College of Law in Tallahassee, Florida. During law school, she participated in clinical programs with FSU Law’s Public Interest Law Center, where she worked on juvenile dependency, immigration, and criminal cases. She also worked for the Florida Department of Financial Services in the Office of the General Counsel, where she helped prosecute insurance agents for violations of their licensure requirements. During this time, she was a member of the Journal of Transnational Law and Policy, and President of the student organization Advocates for Immigrant and Refugee Rights.

Daniel De Liguori

Family Law – Of Counsel

Daniel De Liguori grew up in Long Island, New York. Throughout his youth Daniel has always excelled in athletics and when he was not attending school, he dedicated his time to his family’s construction business. Upon graduating Highschool in 2007 Daniel began his Undergraduate Studies at Pace University in Westchester, New York. Daniel later transferred to Hofstra University in New York where he earned a bachelor’s degree in business management and administration in 2011. Following his graduation from Hofstra University, Daniel accepted an internship with an International Business Law Firm in Buenos Aires, Argentina where he worked directly for the Managing Partner from January 2012 through July 2012. Upon his return from his internship, Daniel attended Barry University School of Law in Orlando, Florida where he earned his Juris Doctorate in 2015. Since being admitted to the Florida Bar Daniel has focused his career on Immigration, Family Law, and Civil Litigation.

Cynthia Knackmuhs

Senior Paralegal

Cynthia Knackmuhs is a Senior Paralegal at the Smith & Eulo Law Firm with over 20 years of experience in Criminal and Civil law. She is a graduate of Grandview University with a B.A Degree in Paralegal/Criminal Justice in which she earned in 2015. Cynthia has held multiple government positions with Osceola, Orange, and Seminole Counties, and is a Notary Public in the State of Florida.

After entering the legal field, Cynthia worked as a Court Specialist for the Criminal, Traffic and Civil Divisions of the Osceola and Orange Count

y Clerk’s Office for several years. She also worked in the Polk County District Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Iowa over 6 years, the Seminole County State Attorney’s Office, and in the private sector in personal injury, family law, probate, juvenile, corporate, criminal and civil law.

Shelan Roofe

Senior Paralegal

Shelan is an Orlando native. She graduated from Valenica College with a degree in Paralegal Studies and continued on at the University of Central Florida obtaining her Bachelor’s in Legal Studies and a Masters in Criminology. Shelan has over 13 years of legal experience and is a Florida Registered Paralegal.  Shelan is very friendly, kind-hearted, and dedicated to assisting the Caribbean community. She is also bilingual in Haitian – Creole.

During her free time, she loves to travel, sing, and spend time with her three beautiful daughters.

Amelia Torres

Senior Paralegal

Amelia is originally from the Dominican Republic, residing in Florida for over 35 years. After working in Real Estate in Central Florida she decided to go back to school and completed an associate degree in Paralegal studies, subsequently a bachelor’s in legal business.  She now has over 10 years of experience working in the legal field.

She loves being outdoors,  she is into sports, running, cycling, loves the beach and enjoys life to the fullest.

Rodeferledine Alexis

Senior Paralegal

Rodeferledine “Rode” is originally from Port-de-Paix, raised in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, she moved to the United States at the age of 12. She attended Boca Raton Community High School, then she went onto attend Florida International University in Miami FL, where she obtained a Bachelors Degree in Criminal Justice and a Minor and Paralegal Studies. Later, she attended Lynn University where she obtained a Master’s degree in Criminal Justice. In her spare time Rodeferledine likes to help the community by planning events for domestic violence survivors, food packaging for shelters and homeless individuals.