By Susan R. Wenner
Herald Publisher/ Editor
For over 60 years Richard (Dick) Louis Mamele has called the Sanford-Lake Mary area home but his big accomplishment is the 50 years he has served as a local attorney.
It was his father that brought him to Sanford in 1960 when he was assigned to the Naval Air Station as a Naval Commander. Graduating from Bishop Moore High School, Mamele enjoyed years of football and baseball on the team and was later inducted into the Bishop Moore Hall of Fame. He later graduated from the University of Florida College of Law in 1974. Mamele was married twice and has 2 children and 3 grandchildren.
It was in 1975 that Mamele was sworn into the Florida Bar and began practicing law in Sanford with a firm that eventually became known as Hutchison, Mamele and Coover, P.A. After 5 decades of serving the community, he has many fond memories.
“Although I was interested in criminal trials as a teenager, it seemed like a lot of stressful work,” he said. “I chose the science track in high school and spent the first two years of college completing pre-med/dental courses with the goal of becoming an orthodontist with my best friend. However, I was convinced by a very influential Georgia trial lawyer that ‘I needed to do something out of my comfort zone’ and that the challenges of being a trial lawyer would be more satisfying for me.”
He shared that during his time at the University of Florida, he participated in his first criminal law clinic, as a senior in law school. This involvement provided him with excellent courtroom experience.
“I have had the privilege of litigating and trying criminal defense and divorce cases in county, circuit and federal district courts as far south as Miami Dade County and as far north as the Federal District court in Florence, South Carolina,” he cited. “My current focus is mediating high conflict marital and family law cases.”
Mamele also has received many accolades from his many years of practicing as an attorney such as Board Certified Marital and Family Law Specialist, Supreme Court Certified Mediator, Founding member of American Academy of Financial Certified Litigators ("AAFCL”), Past President of the Seminole County Bar Association, Past President of the Seminole County Legal Aid Society, Past President of the Seminole Inn of Court and Barrister, Barrister in the Central Florida Inn of Court, Certified Collaborative Lawyer, the first recipient of the Seminole County Bar Association Gray-Whigham Award for “professionalism,” a recipient of the "Legacy of Service Award" from the Seminole County Bar Association Legal Aid Society for “outstanding service and continued support for pro-bono work for 50 years.”
He has also been recognized by Super Lawyers, Florida Legal Elite and the Martindale Hubbel Preeminent Law Firm.
In addition to his many achievements, Mamele has been very involved in the community and for 30 years served as the General Counsel for the Lake Mary Heathrow Festival of the Arts, as well as, seven years being actively involved in coaching baseball and football for Lake Mary Little League, Pop Warner football and continued coaching baseball and football at the middle school level.
All in all though, Mamele added that he has been truly grateful for the privilege and honor of representing clients during their most challenging times.
“To be entrusted with the responsibility of defending a wrongfully accused citizen of capital murder and facing the death penalty, was both and a enormous challenge and great privilege,” he said. “Given the responsibility to protect children caught in the middle of highly emotionally charged shared-parenting (custody) fights taught me the importance of litigating with sensitivity to the drama of the warring parents and utilizing the many resources available to shield children from the conflict.”
He also mentioned that “Kenny Chesney said, ‘you only get one or two songs in life.’ I am so grateful that the practice of law has allowed me to sing my life’s song in a courtroom for the past five decades.”
When speaking of the knowledge he has learned in all his years of practice, Mamele stated, “As a board certified marital and family law specialist, it is my responsibility to continue studying and stay current with the ever-changing laws in our field. My philosophy in negotiating settlements and arguing cases in Court has been to follow a tried and true maxim: ‘First seek to understand, then seek to be understood,’”
As far as the future, he still has plans to “continue mediating high conflict family law cases for as long as I can bring value to the process,” but in addition, he looks forward to spending more time with his children, grandchildren, family and friends. Yet, some travel to the mountains of Western Carolina, playing more piano and golf was also on the list as well as just cherishing every day with people he loves.
For information about legal services with Richard Mamele email [email protected] , call 407-322-4051 or go to
