SVL Team

Clients that hire Sorenson Van Leuven, PLLC, gain access to expert attorneys and team of highly trained support staff. The lawyers have more than a combined total of 50 years legal experience in representing and advising clients. We work efficiently and effectively to deliver legal services in a cost effective manner. Meet our team below

James E. Sorenson

E-mail: jim@svllaw.com

Practice Areas: Collections, Bankruptcy, Foreclosure, Consumer Protection Litigation, Civil Litigation

Bio: Jim earned his Bachelor of Science degree, magna cum laude, from Liberty University in 1993 and his Juris Doctorate, high honors, from The Florida State University in 1996. Jim is a licensed attorney in both Florida and Georgia. He is a member of the American Bankruptcy Institute and is past President of the Northern District Bankruptcy Bar Association. Jim is admitted to practice before the Federal Courts in the Northern, Middle and Southern Districts of Florida and Georgia and the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals. He regularly conducts seminars and workshops on collections, bankruptcy and consumer protection issues. In addition to representing clients in state and federal court, Jim also has developed an expertise advising Credit Union clients on how to effectively manage and operate a successful collections department.

Jim is the author of Collections is Not a Dirty Word, a book on effective and efficient collections departments and more information about the book can be found here: https://collectionsbook.com. Jim won the Legal Excellence Award for Literary Distinction in November 2021.

D. Tyler Van Leuven

E-mail: tyler@svllaw.com
Practice Areas: Collections, Bankruptcy, Foreclosure and Civil Litigation
Bio: Tyler earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and Business Administration from Presbyterian College in 1995 and his Juris Doctorate from Mercer University in 1999. Tyler is a licensed attorney in both Florida and Georgia. Prior to forming Sorenson Van Leuven, Tyler was a shareholder with the firm of Williams Gautier, an associate with Mowrey & Biggins, P.A. and a Staff Attorney with the Florida Public Service Commission. His previous practice included civil and commercial litigation, local government law, adversarial bankruptcy proceedings, appellate proceedings and legislative affairs. Tyler is admitted to practice before the Federal Courts in the Northern, Middle and Southern Districts of Florida and Georgia. Tyler’s practice focuses on all aspects of creditor rights, bankruptcy and civil litigation.

J. Blair Boyd

E-mail: blairb@svllaw.com
Practice Areas: Collections, Bankruptcy, Foreclosure and Civil Litigation
Bio: Blair earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in History and Social Sciences from The Florida State University in 2003 and his Juris Doctorate from Florida Coastal School of Law in 2006. Prior to joining the firm, he was an associate at Williams Gautier Law Firm and he worked at the Public Defender’s Office for the Second Judicial Circuit in Tallahassee, Florida. He is admitted to practice before the Federal Court in the Northern, Middle and Southern District of Florida. Blair’s practice focuses on all aspects of creditor rights, bankruptcy and foreclosure actions. Blair is a member of the Tallahassee Bar Association.

Stephen Orsillo

E-mail: steve@svllaw.com
Practice Areas: Collections, Foreclosure and Civil Litigation
Bio: Stephen earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science and History in 2005 from Florida State University and his Juris Doctorate in 2010, from Stetson University College of Law. Prior to joining the firm, Stephen was an associate at both Williams Gautier Law Firm and a large, multistate, real estate law firm where he practiced primarily in the area of foreclosure law. He is admitted to practice in Florida and before the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida. Stephen’s practice focuses on all aspects of creditor rights, foreclosure and civil litigation.

Zaydee Portomene

E-mail: zaydee@svllaw.com
Practice Areas: Collections and Civil Litigation
Bio: Zaydee studied law at the Havana University, Cuba, from 2008 to 2010. In Cuba, she gained significant experience working for different law firms and provincial and municipal courts. She also earned her Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice, magna cum laude, from Florida International University in 2015 and her Juris Doctorate, cum laude, from Florida International University College of Law in 2019. As a law student, she worked as research assistant for the FIU Law’s International & Graduate Studies Department and she was also a member of the editorial board for the World Arbitration and Mediation Review. Also, she was a member of the FIU International Arbitration Team. Zaydee is a licensed attorney in Florida. Zaydee is fluent in English and Spanish.

Koren Hardy

E-mail: koren@svllaw.com
Practice Areas: Collections and Civil Litigation
Bio: Koren earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in History with a minor in Art History, magna cum laude, in 2016 from Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. She earned her Juris Doctorate from Wake Forest University School of Law in 2019. She is a licensed attorney in Florida. While in law school, she was a member of the Wake Forest Journal of Law & Policy her second year and an Executive Editor of the Wake Forest Journal of Law & Policy her third year. She also spent a semester working in the Wake Forest University School of Law’s Elder Law Clinic.

Cathi Barineau

E-mail: cathib@svllaw.com

Office Manager

Bio: Cathi Barineau grew up in Tallahassee, Florida, and has worked in law firms for over thirty years. She has worked as both a legal assistant and an office manager. Cathi has worked with Jim and Tyler for over twenty years. Cathi handles all bookkeeping functions at the firm and countless other administrative tasks that keep our office running smoothly and enable us to serve our clients.

Whitney Whitaker

E-mail: whitneyw@svllaw.com

Chief Inspection Officer

Bio: Whitney Whitaker grew up in Tallahassee, Florida, and has worked with Jim and Tyler for over ten years. She focuses on making sure that we take care of our clients and deliver services that are consistent with our service standards. Whitney also handles our client engagement events.