Kendra Eleanor Parris

After graduating summa cum laude with a degree in philosophy, I attended Florida State University to receive my juris doctorate. I worked as assistant general counsel for three years at the Florida Department of Corrections, where my focus was administrative rulemaking. Afterward, I joined Oglethorpe, Inc. - one of Florida's largest mental health and substance abuse treatment providers. Specifically, my work focused on Baker Act issues, compliance, Medicaid, Medicare, and legal trends regarding mental health and substance abuse care in Florida and the nation.

I commenced my own practice in 2016. My experience working for a Baker Act receiving facility poised me to understand the intricacies of Florida's Mental Health Act, involuntary civil commitments, and the legal aspects of psychiatric care in particular (such as rights to refuse medication, the hearing process and objections to magistrates' reports, and habeas proceedings to request release from civil commitment status). My firm brings civil suits against providers that violate patients' express statutory rights and constitutional rights.

My practice also focuses on probate and adult guardianship, both of which are often linked to civil commitment issues. Both the probate process and guardianship process are complex and lengthy; my experience working with the state's largest agency on administrative rulemaking has come in handy when dealing with the many agencies that might be involved in probate and guardianship matters. Additionally, I prepare estate plans on the front end to ensure that when probate and trust administration become necessary, my clients have all of their ducks in a row.

Finally, I take postconviction cases on a pro bono basis in order to assist inmates who have exhausted all of their appeals and need help through the labyrinth of rules and case law governing corrections of sentences and vacating convictions.

As a member of the Orange County Bar Association, I am a jury advisor and judge for the county's Teen Court Program. I am also a devoted mental health advocate for professional and personal reasons. Several years ago, I was sexually assaulted; this experience had a domino effect on my life and led to consequences far beyond the immediate trauma (in fact, leading to the 30-day  Bar suspension noted on this page). I understand the importance of the issue from the provider, patient, and attorney perspective, and I try to assist families through what I personally know to be a very difficult time in their lives.