Howard L. Wander
Principal Partner/Chief Operating Officer
Howard L. Wander serves as both a Principal Partner and Chief Operating Officer at Kelley Kronenberg. Howard primarily focuses on generating new business for the firm while expanding upon current business relationships and partnerships. He is actively and directly involved in the firm’s development and growth and has been instrumental in the firm’s expansion and evolution from a local to statewide to a national platform. Howard also serves as a co-marketing partner for the firm overseeing public relations and charitable activities.
Howard joined Kelley Kronenberg in 1988 practicing Workers’ Compensation. Among the first Associates, Howard became a Partner of the firm in 1994. Prior to taking on a business development and a firm wide executive management role, Howard concentrated his practice on Insurance Defense Litigation. He represented employers, third-party administrators, and insurance carriers.
Howard’s entrepreneurial vision has led to the formation of several successful practice areas within the firm including First-Party Property, Regulated Substances, and PIP.
When the Florida’s state-run property insurer started re-underwriting its policies, Howard saw this as an opportunity to add value to the marketplace. By building strong relationships and providing unique claim handling practices and fee arrangements, the firm grew its First-Party and Third-Party insurance clientele. Additionally, Howard started the PIP defense practice. He saw this practice area as a logical extension of the firm’s insurance defense work. Kelley Kronenberg was already handling general liability cases for the insurers that have PIP claims.
Howard was unanimously elected to serve on the Board of Governors of Nova Southeastern University’s Shepard Broad College of Law. In this role, Howard works closely with the law school’s Dean and other board members to advocate and support the law school’s mission, operations, and aspirations, as well as advance NSU Law as one of the country’s leading law schools.
Howard believes that building a law firm is about doing excellent legal work and building genuine relationships. Howard leverages his trial and entrepreneurial experience to help companies and entrepreneurs anticipate legal risk and plan around any potential issues.
He is rated AV® Preeminent™ by Martindale-Hubbell, a demonstration of the highest professional and ethical standards and is the highest rating a lawyer can receive. He has received numerous accolades including COO of the Year in the Apogee Awards by South Florida Business & Wealth magazine, recognized as a “Legal Elite” by Florida Trend magazine, “Legal Impact Leader” in South Florida Business Leader magazine, and was honored as a “Leading Lawyer” in the South Florida Business Journal’s Book of Law.
- Nova Southeastern University, Shepard Broad Law Center, J.D., 1987
- Michigan State University, B.A., 1984
- Florida
- Colorado
- Florida Trend Legal Elite Notable, “Managing Partners”, 2023 – 2024
- The Boca Raton Observer, “Top Lawyers”, 2022
- Florida Legal Trend Magazine, “Legal Elite” Insurance, 2014 – 2016, 2022
- Martindale-Hubbell, AV® Preeminent ™
- South Florida Legal Guide, “Top Lawyers,” 2014 – 2021
- South Florida Business & Wealth, Apogee Awards, “COO”, Honoree, 2016
- South Florida Business Journal’s Book of Law, “Leading Lawyer,” 2012
- South Florida Business Leader Magazine, “2010 Legal Impact Leader”, 2010
Professional Associations
- The Risk and Insurance Management Society (RIMS), Member
- The Association of Workers’ Compensation Claims Professionals (WCCP), Member
- National Retail & Restaurant Defense Association (NRRDA), Member
- The Florida Association of Self Insureds (FASI), Member
- The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), Member
- The Claims and Litigation Management Alliance (CLM), Member
- Palm Beach County Bar Association, Member
- The American Bar Association, Member
- The American Trial Lawyers Association, Member
Community
- Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad School of Law, Board of Governors, 2021
- Habitat for Humanity, Member
- Speaker, Florida’s Medical Marijuana Law and its Impact on the Workplace, April 2017
- Speaker, Fraud Updates & Defense Strategies for Property Claims, June 2014
- Quoted, “Kelley Kronenberg Continues First-Party Expansion with New Training Program, More Hiring“, Daily Business Review, June 2021
- Featured, “Who’s Who Men of Influence“, Lifestyle Magazine, May 2021
- Featured, “Kelley Kronenberg Continues First-Party Property Insurance Expansion,” Daily Business Review, April 2021
- Featured, “Kelley Kronenberg Enters a New Era (And Its Fifth Decade)“, Attorney at Law, January 2021
- Featured, “The 561 One of Florida’s Fastest Growing Law Firms“, Boca Magazine, November 2020
- Featured, “40 Years of Building on Firm Relationships“, Miami Herald Indulge Magazine, October 2020
- Featured, “Kelley Kronenberg Celebrates 40 Years in Business“, Miami Herald Indulge Magazine, September 2020
- Featured, “Who’s Who Men of Influence“, Lifestyle Magazine, October 2020
- Quoted, “Why Convergence Makes Midsize a Sweet Spot for Insurance Defense”, Law.com, The Mid-Market Report, August 2020
- Featured, “Kelley Kronenberg named one of South Florida’s “Top Law Firms”; Seven Partners also named in the 2019 South Florida Legal Guide”, Sun Sentinel, June 2019
- Featured, “Kelley Kronenberg Honored in the 2019 South Florida Legal Guide”, Attorney at Law Magazine, June 5, 2019
- Featured, “Kelley Kronenberg named one of South Florida’s “Top Law Firms”; Seven Partners also named in the 2019 South Florida Legal Guide”, Legal Learning Series, June 5, 2019
- Featured, “Kelley Kronenberg Partners Named to 2019 South Florida Legal Guide”, CityBizList, June 5, 2019
- Featured, “Kelley Kronenberg named one of South Florida’s “Top Law Firms”; Seven Partners also named in the 2019 South Florida Legal Guide,” Sun-Sentinel, June 14, 2019
- Featured, “Kelley Kronenberg Starts Construction on New Corporate Headquarters”, Sun-Sentinel, November 9, 2018
- Featured, “Kelley Kronenberg Starts Construction on New Corporate Headquarters”, Sun-Sentinel, November 9, 2018
- Featured, “Kelley Kronenberg Named One of South Florida’s “Top Law Firms,”Attorney at Law Magazine, February 19, 2018
- Quoted, “Seven Kelley Kronenberg Partners named in the 2018 South Florida Legal Guide”, Sun-Sentinel, February 16, 2018
- Featured, “Kelley Kronenberg Named One of South Florida’s “Top Law Firms”; Seven Partners also Named in the 2018 South Florida Legal Guide”, CityBizList South Florida, February 15, 2018
- Featured, “Law Office Supports Salvation Army Donation Drive”, Sun-Sentinel, January 16, 2018
- Quoted, “Medical Marijuana Ruling In Massachusetts Could Prompt Employer Policy Changes in Florida”, Sun Sentinel, July, 27, 2017
- Featured, “Kelley Kronenberg Named One Of South Florida’s “Top Law Firms” Eight Attorneys Also Honored,” Attorney at Law Magazine, February 23, 2017
- Featured, “Kelley Kronenberg Named One of South Florida’s “Top Law Firms”; Eight Attorneys also Named in the 2017 South Florida Legal Guide”, CityBizList South Florida, February 19, 2017
- Featured, “Kelley Kronenberg named one of South Florida’s “Top Law Firms”; Eight Attorneys also named in the 2017 South Florida Legal Guide“, Sun-Sentinel, February 17, 2017
- Quoted, “A Budding Area: Medical Marijuana Attracts Nice Law Practices”, Florida Trend, January 26, 2017
- Featured, “Kelley Kronenberg Principal Partner and COO Howard L. Wander Selected as 2016 Apogee Awards Honoree, Attorney at Law Magazine, December 9, 2016
- Featured, “Kelley Kronenberg Principal Partner and COO Howard L. Wander Selected as 2016 Apogee Awards Honoree,” CityBizList South Florida, December 7, 2016
- Quoted, “Medical Marijuana Looks Like Cash Crop to Miami’s Entrepreneurs”, Miami Herald, November 17, 2016
- Quoted, “Rainmaker Q & A: Kelley Kronenberg’s Howard Wander”, Law 360, September 15, 2016
- Featured, “Kelley Kronenberg Principal Partners Howard L. Wander and Heath S. Eskalyo Named in Florida Trend Legal Elite 2016″, Legal Learning Series, July 21, 2016
- Featured, “Howard L. Wander and Heath S. Eskalyo Named in Florida Trend Legal Elite 2016″, Attorney at Law Magazine, July 19, 2016
- Featured, “People on the Move“, South Florida Business Journal, July 19, 2016
- Featured, “Kelley Kronenberg Principal Partners Howard L. Wander and Heath S. Esklayo Named in Florida Trend Legal Elite 2016,” CityBizList South Florida, July 19, 2016
- Featured, “People on the Move,” Sun-Sentinel, July 19, 2016
- Quoted, “Plantation Law Firm Organizes Girl Scout Cookie Collection for the Troops,” Our City Plantation,May 2016 issue
- Quoted, “Kelley Kronenberg Cares”, Sun-Sentinel Society, April 21, 2016
- Featured, “Kelley Kronenberg Continues Firm-wide Philanthropic Initiative with a Girl Scout Cookies Collection for the Troops”,Tampa Bay Newswire,March 31, 2016
- Featured, “Kelley Kronenberg Continues Firm-wide Girl Scout Cookies Collection for Troops,” Attorney at Law Magazine, March 30, 2016
- Featured, “Kelley Kronenberg Continues Firm-wide Philanthropic Initiative with a Girl Scout Cookies Collection for the Troops,” CityBizList South Florida, March 30, 2016
- Featured, “Kelley Kronenberg Named a Top Law Firm in South Florida“, Attorney at Law Magazine,March 28, 2016
- Featured, “Kelley Kronenberg Named One of South Florida’s “Top Law Firms”; Seven Partners Also Named in the 2016 South Florida Legal Guide,” CityBizList South Florida, March 28, 2016
- Featured, “Top Lawyers“, South Florida Legal Guide, January 2016
- Featured, “Statewide Business: Firm Shifts Into High-Growth Mode”, South Florida Legal Guide, January 2016
- Featured, “Kelley Kronenberg COO Howard Wander Selected to Participate in Susan G. Komen BigWig Fundraiser”, Attorney at Law, December 11, 2015
- Quoted, “BigWigs help women battle breast cancer”, Florida Jewish Journal, November 2, 2015
- Quoted, “A stylishly Saks BigWigs Key To The Cure,” PBG Lifestyle Magazine, October 28, 2015
- Featured, “Komen, Saks hold shopping weekend, introduce BigWigs fundraising group”, Palm Beach Daily News, October 20, 2015
- Featured, “Meet Komen’s Big Wigs”, Palm Beach Illustrated, October 2015
- Featured, “People on the Move”, Sun-Sentinel, October 16, 2015
- Featured, “Kelley Kronenberg COO Howard Wander Selected to Participate in Susan G. Komen BigWig Fundraiser”, Attorney at Law Magazine, October 16, 2015
- Featured, “Kelley Kronenberg Ranked 26 Out of Top 100 Law Firms in Daily Business Review’s Review 100”, CityBizList, July 23, 2015
- Featured, “Kelley Kronenberg Ranked No. 23 Among South Florida Law Firms by the South Florida Business Journal”, Citybizlist, July 14, 2015
- Featured, “Kelley Kronenberg Ranked No. 23 Among South Florida Law Firms”, Attorney at Law, July 14, 2015
- Quoted, “Legalization of Marijuana“, Constructor Magazine, December 2014
- Featured, “Kelley Kronenberg Featured in Attorney at Law Magazine”, Kelley Kronenberg, October 9, 2014
- Quoted, “Quotable”, South Florida Business Journal, September 19, 2014
- Quoted, “Medical Marijuana: South Florida Law Firm Beefs Up, Betting on Legalization“, Sarasota Herald-Tribune, September 15, 2014
- Quoted, “Medical Marijuana: South Florida Law Firm Beefs Up, Betting on Legalization”, South Florida Business Journal, September 12, 2014
- Featured, “Howard L. Wander Named in Florida Trend Legal Elite 2014”, Attorney at Law, July 11, 2014
- Featured, “People on the Move”, Sun-Sentinel, July 8, 2014
- Featured, “People on the Move”, South Florida Business Journal, July 8, 2014
- Featured, “Top Lawyer”, South Florida Legal Guide, 2014
- Featured, “Legal People on the Move”, Daily Business Review, July 29, 2013
- Featured, “People on the Move“, South Florida Business Journal, July 23, 2013
- Featured, “Kelley Kronenberg Shareholder Howard L. Wander Named in Florida Trend Legal Elite 2013“, Sun-Sentinel, July 22, 2013
- Featured, “Kelley Kronenberg Shareholder Howard L. Wander Named in Florida Trend Legal Elite 2013″, CityBizList, July 2, 2013
- Featured, “Legal Elite, Florida Trend Magazine, July 2013
- Featured, “Kelley Kronenberg West Palm Beach Managing Partner Howard Wander named a Leading Lawyer in the Book of Law“, Sun Sentinel, July 25, 2012
- Featured, “Kelley Kronenberg West Palm Beach Managing Partner Howard Wander named a “Leading Lawyer” in the Book of Law”, CityBizList, July 24, 2012
- Quoted, “Healthy Living Profile”, Palm Beach Post, July 26, 2011
- Quoted, “Admit your mistakes: How humility can help you get ahead“, Smart Business Florida, March 2011
- Quoted, “Profile on Howard Wander”, Boca Raton Observer, February 2011
- Featured, “2010 Legal & Accounting IMPACT Leaders“, South Florida Business Leader Magazine, September – October 2010