Day

November 21, 2016

The more time you spend in South Florida, Bob Kelley says, the more you realize just how much there is to do in the water.

The renowned plaintiffs attorney would know: He has a lifetime of exploring the region’s underwater attractions under his belt. He’s also the founder of the world’s first — and, to his knowledge, only — underwater bar association, and his tales of group outings are sure to arouse the envy of any non-coastal-dwelling colleague.

bob-kelleyThere’s the time Kelley and DiveBar took a trip to the Bahamas to swim among 10-foot tiger sharks in their breeding ground. Then there’s the Belize dive in which they encountered some unexpected visitors.

“We were in 100 feet of water, crystal clear, waiting to see whale sharks, because they spawn there the time of year we were there, creatures 50 to 100 feet long,” Kelley said. “And while we were waiting to see sharks, a big school of dolphins came in — they were playing with us, watching us. … It was a spectacular day.”

Kelley, the managing partner of Kelley/Uustal PLC, is best known for winning a client $300 million — one of the largest-ever tobacco company verdicts for an individual — and for winning a wrongful death trial against …

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