Business Owner Gigi Stetler Files State and Federal Appeals Challenging Conflict of Interest and Dismissal in Legal Malpractice Action Against Stearns Weaver

PALM BEACH, Fla., Nov. 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Gigi Stetler, a South Florida business owner, Planet RV announced today the filing of two major appeals in her ongoing legal battle against the law firm Stearns Weaver Miller Weissler Alhadeff & Sitterson, P.A. (Stearns Weaver). The appeals seek to overturn a lower court dismissal of her legal malpractice claims and a federal bankruptcy judgment.

The state appeal, filed in the Florida Fourth District Court of Appeal (Case No. 4D2026-2974), challenges a Broward County Circuit Court order that dismissed Stetler's malpractice lawsuit with prejudice. The underlying lawsuit alleges that Stearns Weaver committed legal malpractice and breached its fiduciary duties by representing a bankruptcy trustee in matters adverse to Stetler, despite having previously served as her personal counsel from 2009 to 2013.

"The core of this appeal is whether a law firm can legally represent a party to attack the very business structure they advised their former client to create," said Stetler. "We are asking the appellate court to ensure that the rules of professional conduct and the sanctity of the attorney-client relationship are upheld."

The litigation stems from an involuntary conversion of a Chapter 11 bankruptcy (In re RV Sales of Broward, Inc., Case No. 24-10741-PDR). Stetler alleges that Stearns Weaver utilized its "GE Playbook"—strategies developed during its prior representation of her—to pursue a civil contempt judgment against her personally. During sworn testimony in the bankruptcy proceedings, Stetler stated that the consignment structure at issue was implemented specifically "on the advice of counsel... it was Stearns Weaver who had me structure my consignments like this."

The parallel federal appeal (Case No. 0:26-cv-60494-RS) in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida challenges the bankruptcy court's refusal to disqualify the firm and the subsequent entry of a $679,710.73 judgment against Stetler.

Stetler's state court malpractice action was dismissed by Circuit Judge David A. Haimes based on "issue preclusion" (collateral estoppel) related to the bankruptcy court's prior rulings. Stetler contends that the disqualification ruling in bankruptcy court does not bar a separate state court claim for damages resulting from professional negligence and breach of fiduciary duty.

Stetler, who is appearing pro se, is managing five related civil matters and three active appeals. She maintains that the public record and hearing transcripts support her claims of undisclosed conflicts of interest.

SOURCE Planet RV