Tonya J. Meister

Tonya Meister is admitted to practice before The Supreme Court of the United States, The Florida Supreme Court, all Florida State courts, the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida, and the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida.

Ms. Meister has been a member of the Florida Bar since 2003. She is legal counsel for Port Ministries International. She is on the Admiralty Law Committee of the Florida Bar and the Advisory Board of the Space Coast Seafarers Ministry. She is also a member of the Southeastern Admiralty Law Institute, the Dade County Bar Association and the Brevard County Bar Association.

Ms. Meister has served as a crew member on live aboard dive excursion passenger vessels. She is a NAUI dive master, successful competitive sailor and former captain of a sailing team.

Graduating from University of Central Florida with a Bachelor of Arts in 1997 and Cum Laude from Barry University School of Law with a Juris Doctor in 2002, she was also a semifinalist in an Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers trial team competition.

Serving as crew aboard a vessel while finishing college, Ms. Meister saw firsthand the legal needs of crew members and passengers. Ms. Meister focused her legal study on maritime law, also working for an admiralty attorney while completing coursework.

Upon admittance to the Florida Bar in 2003, Ms. Meister began working in maritime law at Morgan and Barbary, P.A. in Melbourne, Florida. Ms. Meister helped injured crew and passengers, and helped recover unpaid wages and a way home for a crew stranded on a bankrupt cruise ship.

Gaining experience in maritime practice, she then was hired as an attorney at Lipcon, Marguilles, and Alsina, P.A. in Miami. During her time there, Ms. Meister gained extensive experience in a variety of maritime cases. Ms. Meister was privileged to submit an Amicus Brief to the United States Supreme Court in an important case to protect crew members.

Throughout her experiences, Ms. Meister saw the need for a firm that understands the specific needs of crew members and passengers who have suffered and need a voice for justice. Meister Law was formally incorporated in 2008 in order to meet those needs.