Bell Lawyers

I am a business law attorney focusing on small companies, start-ups and non-profits. I also assist foreign entrepreneurs with their immigration needs in starting a business.

Clay Smith has a very diverse background, having grown up in Florida, California, and Iran. Clay attended high school in Stockton, California (Benjamin Franklin) and in Jacksonville, Florida (Ed White and Douglas Anderson School of the Arts). After high school he joined the United States Marine Corps, where he served honorably for 5+ years until his humanitarian discharge to provide living assistance for his younger brother, also a Marine, who broke his neck and was rendered quadriplegic. During the period shortly after his discharge, Clay performed a variety of jobs, including ditch digging. Along the way, he...

Earle W. Peterson, Jr., AV rated by Martindale-Hubbell, has had a distinguished career practicing law and serving as a judge on Florida's circuit and appellate courts. Prior to joining the Carlyle Appellate Law Firm in 2006, Mr. Peterson was a judge on Florida's Fifth District Court of Appeal, where he was elected Chief Judge and served in that capacity from 1995-1997. In addition to handling appellate litigation matters within The Carlyle Appellate Law Firm, Mr. Peterson is available to assist other appellate lawyers throughout Florida by conducting mock oral arguments in significant cases and providing appellate consultation and strategic evaluations...