Danbury Law Firm to Represent City of St. Pete Beach, Florida in BP Disaster

DANBURY, CT, July 04, 2012

The City Commission of St. Pete Beach, Florida voted to retain the Danbury, CT-based law firm of Ventura, Ribeiro & Smith to pursue recovery of the economic losses sustained by the City as a result of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, including lost tax revenues and tourist-related income. Agostinho J. Ribeiro, Managing Partner of Ventura, Ribeiro & Smith, comments, "the evidence we have obtained over the past year and a half will show the nature and extent of BP's irresponsible behavior in this matter. Our team is prepared to go to trial, and we believe we can uniquely represent governments and other claimants excluded from the settlement. Going to court is the only option that governments or those excluded from the settlement have".

Attorney Ribeiro was personally selected as co-litigator by Attorney Ronnie G. Penton of the Louisiana-based law firm, The Penton Law Firm, a lead litigator in the BP/ Deepwater Horizon Gulf of Mexico oil spill class action. The BP settlement is one of the largest settlements ever reached in Civil Litigation. Attorney Ribeiro represents numerous clients in this matter.

Attorney Penton was the first to file a lawsuit related to the BP disaster, and the only attorney designated by the U.S. Government as a "Party In Interest" against BP under the Oil Pollution Act, leading to Attorney Penton's role as lead and sole counsel in the eleven month US Coast Guard and Minerals Management Services vs. BP Trial, viewable and archived on C-SPAN (May, 2010 - April, 2011). "It is an honor to be associated with an attorney who has worked tirelessly to expose the true facts behind this historic environmental disaster", comments Attorney Ribeiro, "While other law firms competed to represent the City of St. Pete Beach, the City Commission determined that our team is the best equipped to conduct a monumental trial, if necessary, due to the experience obtained during Attorney Penton's prior trial against BP."

Attorney Ribeiro started practicing with the firm now known as Ventura, Ribeiro & Smith in 1989. In 1992, Attorney Ribeiro opened a branch office in the World Trade Center in New York City, where he concentrated in Federal Court litigation. After September 11, 2001, Attorney Ribeiro represented, pro bono, victims of the World Trade Center disaster, and was nationally honored for his volunteer efforts in this regard.

Attorney Ribeiro was named "Top 100 Trial Lawyers in Connecticut" by the National Trial Lawyers Association in both 2010 and 2011. He was elected by his peers to the Board of Governors of the Connecticut Trial Lawyers Association. He is also a member of the Leader's Forum, a select group of attorneys recognized by the American Association of Justice.

For more info, call Attorney Ribeiro at Tel: 1-203-800-8000.
www.vrslaw.com