• 2003, State of Florida

• University of Florida (J.D., magna cum laude, 2003; ARNP/MSN, magna cum laude, 1998)
• University of Sofia (M.Ed., High Honors, 1991)

Sofia, Bulgaria

Antonia Smillova

Antonia M. Smillova is a shareholder in Wicker Smith’s West Palm Beach office, where her work is focused on the defense of hospitals in a variety of medical care issues, including malpractice, hospital administration, credentialing, patient safety, and Amendment 7 investigations.

Antonia holds a Masters of Science in Nursing and certification as an Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner, magna cum laude, from the University of Florida. Prior to her legal career, she was employed as an RN and APRN at Shands Hospital at the University of Hospital in Gainesville, where she provided direct patient care in the Medical Intensive Care/Cardiac Care Unit, the Liver Transplant Department, and as a Hyperbaric Chamber Specialist. During her nursing career, she had an article published in a peer-reviewed journal and frequently assisted the hospital in developing their patient safety policies and procedures and transplant protocols. She also provided education to resident physicians, mid-level providers, and nurses on a variety of healthcare and clinical issues.

Antonia received her law degree from the University of Florida Levin College of Law in 2003 and joined the firm upon her graduation. Since then, she has used her extensive medical background to advance her legal practice in the defense of hospitals and their affiliated providers. Antonia represents multiple hospitals and hospital systems throughout South Florida, from Indian River County all the way to Miami-Dade County. She also serves as a consultant for major national and international corporations on issues related to the development and implementation of electronic medical records, audit trails, Amendment 7 strategies, and other healthcare-related issues.

Meticulous and detailed, Antonia engages in thorough discovery and develops all possible defenses of a case before advising her client on the best course of action. She has prevailed in a variety of dispositive motions such as Daubert motions, motions for summary judgment, and motions to dismiss. However, when there is no choice but to try the case, Antonia is a zealous advocate with the knowledge and skill to succeed on her client’s behalf.

Antonia’s clients trust her to advise them on medical malpractice issues, patient safety procedures and hospital policies. In addition to her litigation practice, she frequently presents continuing education lectures to hospitals and their affiliated staff on a variety of subjects, including nursing documentation issues, neurology and stroke care, labor and delivery, ICU care, emergency room and operating room procedures. She has also presented lectures designed to assist healthcare providers understand the litigation process, risk management and mitigation strategies.

A native of Sofia, Bulgaria, Antonia lives in Palm Beach County and is fluent in English and Bulgarian.

• The Florida Bar
• Palm Beach County Bar Association (Medical Legal Committee, Member; Technology Committee, Member)