Craig M. Spanjers

 

Florida Bar Number 221521

Mr. Spanjers is a partner in Floyd, Sammons & Spanjers, P.A., in Winter Haven, Florida, specializ­ing in trial work and estate planning. He was born in Dickinson, North Dakota in 1951 to Dr. and Mrs. Arnold J. Spanjers. After living for a short time in Detroit, Michigan, during his father's radiology residence, he moved to Florida where he grew up and where he has spent most of his adult life. Mr. Spanjers graduated second in his class from Winter Haven High School in 1969. He attended Georgia Tech for his undergraduate work, during which time he also worked in the engineering department of Delta Air Lines, as a co-op student. He graduated from Georgia Tech in 1974 with a bachelor's degree in industrial and systems engineering (with high honors). He attended law school at the Universi­ty of Florida and graduated with a juris doctor degree (with honors) in 1976. He was admitted to the Florida Bar in 1976, to the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida in 1980, to the United States Supreme Court in 1980, and to the United States Court of Appeals (Fifth Circuit in 1980, Eleventh Circuit in 1995).

Mr. Spanjers worked with The Stanley Wines Law Firm since graduating from law school into 2003. During this time he served as lead counsel on numerous civil trials, both jury and non-jury. This trial practice focused on several areas, including personal injury and wrongful death cases, construction lien matters, contract matters and insurance coverage matters. Mr. Spanjers has worked on numerous appeals in the appellate courts of the State of Florida. During the course of his practice with The Stanley Wines Law Firm, Mr. Spanjers also represented a number of professional clients in licensing cases, malpractice defense cases, hospital privilege matters and employment contract disputes. Coming from a family of physicians (father, brother and sister are all medical doctors), Mr. Spanjers has many ties with the medical community and good understanding of the day-to-day issues facing medical practitioners at this time. Mr. Spanjers received an "AV" Rating from the Martindale-Hubbell legal directory. This rating, based upon recommendations from attorneys who practice in the same area, is the highest rating given by Martindale-Hubbell.

In 2003 Mr. Spanjers went of counsel with The Stanley Wines Law Firm and began working as a member of the Nolen/Spanjers Commercial Real Estate Team. This team included Mike Nolen, Sr., and Mr. Spanjers’ wife, Gloria. This was the beginning of a period of tremendous activity in real estate in central Florida, especially in the areas of commercial and vacant development land sales. Mr. Spanjers gained considerable insight into real estate transactions and contracts for the sale and purchase of large tracts of land. In 2005, the Nolen/Spanjers Team was the top commercial real estate group in the Southern Region for Coldwell Banker Commercial.

In March, 2007, Mr. Spanjers joined the Floyd, Sammons & Spanjers, P.A., where he is currently serving as the primary litigation attorney for the firm. He is also developing a practice in elder law and related matters.

Mr. Spanjers and his wife, Gloria, have been married for over 33 years. They have two children, a daughter, Courtney, 29, and a son, Joey, 27, both of whom graduated from Georgia Tech in Business Management. Mr. Spanjers and his wife belong to and are active members of the Corpus Christi Catholic Communi­ty in Celebration, Florida. Mr. Spanjers is also active in the Cursillo Move­ment of the Catholic Diocese of Orlando. Mr. Spanjers has served on the Planning Board for the City of Winter Haven, on the Board of Directors and the Board of Governors for the Polk Museum of Art, on the Board of Directors of Theatre Winter Haven, and on the Board of Directors of the Women's Resource Center. He has been involved in numerous community activities including coaching of youth soccer and baseball, organizing of road races and serving as the Chairman of the Crime Prevention Committee for the Winter Haven Area Chamber of Com­merce. Mr. Spanjers is an avid scuba diver, runner and cyclist. He and his wife have recently taken up kayaking.