Murray defines his practice simply as a trial lawyer of the people. He has dedicated his remarkable career to the representation of individuals and declines representation of corporations and insurance companies. Murray has been a founding partner of Wells & Associates and its predecessor firms since 2002. Murray has become the preferred attorney in the region for representing high profile musicians and professional athletes in all ranges of litigated matters. Murray’s cases, particularly in the area of civil rights (§1983) and wrongful death, are regularly featured in local and national media. He also regularly appears in the media as an “expert,” commenting on current legal issues. Murray is also an established criminal defense attorney, boasting an incredible successful verdict rate in defending clients charged with 1st degree Murder. Murray is further accomplished in Federal Criminal Defense where he has been a member of the CJA panel for well over a decade. Murray has successfully obtained countless millions of dollars in awards or settlements for his clients and has tried cases to juries in numerous states.

Area of Practice: Securities Litigation A partner and co-chair of the Litigation Department, Ted Wells has extensive experience in white-collar defense and complex civil and corporate litigation, including SEC investigations, healthcare fraud, FCPA, AML and OFAC investigations, high-profile environmental matters and complex class action litigation. For more than three decades, prominent business figures and politicians, and leading companies in a range of industries have entrusted their gravest legal challenges to him. In particular, Ted is among the nation’s best-regarded trial lawyers, having tried numerous multibillion-dollar cases before judges and juries. Clients have recognized Ted as “dean of the bar” and "a superior strategist with unmatched trial experience and judgment” adding that “he commands respect in every venue in which he appears" and “has the ability to command a room, whether in a court, board or meeting room.”

Denise A. Welter was born and raised in Broward County, Florida – making her a very rare native Floridian. She obtained both her Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree, majoring in Legal Studies (1999) and her Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from Nova Southeastern University (2002), all while being married and raising two sons. She has been a member of the Florida Bar since 2002. After raising her family in southeast Florida, she moved to Tampa in 2014, to be closer to one of her sons and his family. After moving to Tampa, she had the incredible opportunity to practice law with her oldest son. In 2018, when her son took another position, she began practicing in Wesley Chapel, Florida. Denise enjoys serving the community in and around Wesley Chapel and the entire Tampa Bay area. Mrs. Welter is a member of The Florida Bar and concentrates her practice in the areas of Estate Planning, Wills, Trusts and Probate. She is also a member of the National Association of Elder Law Attorneys. Mrs. Welter has handled many complicated cases and has always acted as a dedicated and knowledgeable advocate for her clients. She understands the difficult times families face during family illness and after the loss of a loved one. Her passion is to help families prepare their estates in order to leave the legacy they desire and to assist families when facing challenging times of illness and death of a loved one. When she isn’t practicing law, Mrs. Welter is involved with the local community. She volunteers for an international non-profit marriage ministry and, in a variety of ways, at her church. She enjoys days at the beach, traveling and, especially, spending time with her three beautiful granddaughters. Having practiced for many years in the area of Elder Law, Mrs. Welter has an understanding of aging and the law – and the legal interactions that may affect the elderly. Passion for the law and compassion for her clients is what drives Denise to make every client a priority.

Ed focuses primarily on appellate litigation, critical motions practice, and trial practice. He has argued before multiple federal and state appellate and trial courts; drafted and submitted scores of briefs for filing in state and federal appellate and trial courts around the country (including the Supreme Court of the United States); and handled every stage of federal and state trial litigation, from conducting depositions to presenting closing argument at trial. Before joining Hopping Green & Sams, Ed served as Florida’s Chief Deputy Solicitor General, where he helped oversee the Florida Attorney General’s civil appellate docket and coordinate the State’s practice before the Supreme Court of the United States. In addition to his litigation responsibilities, Ed also managed a team of Deputy Solicitors General, provided legal advice to both the Solicitor General and the Attorney General, and helped coordinate Florida’s approach with regard to multi-state litigation.