Find Lawyers in Florida, United States for Commercial Litigation
Practice Area Overview
Litigation increasingly occurs in various venues, from state and federal courts to private arbitrations and administrative hearings. Proceedings can involve business-to-business disputes or any number of government agencies. Understanding the motivations and outlook of each of the litigation participants is important for determining weak points to exploit and strong points that will persuade the audience in question. During the past decade, commercial litigators have seen a dramatic uptick in multidistrict and inter-disciplinary litigation, making the stakes higher, the cases more complex, the parties more numerous and the discovery more complicated and unwieldy. Firms that are able to develop and implement a creative legal approach to each individual problem, efficiently focus on the key legal and factual issues, and master and manage the various aspects of these complex matters will be the busiest in the years to come.
In the current challenging economic climate, commercial litigators are under increasing client pressure to keep costs in check, which has both sides testing the efficacy of alternative fee arrangements and the scope of reasonable discovery. Whether the “death of the billable hour” is ultimately realized, the keys to a commercial litigator’s success will continue to be strong client relationships, thought leadership, practical management skills, deep experience, and personal commitment.
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Cities
Sami R. Achem, Jr. practices in the area of general defense litigation, with an emphasis upon complex litigation involving premises liability, automobile negligence, products liability, trucking/transportation, indemnification disputes, insurance disputes, Lemon Law litigation, landlord/tenant litigation, and negligent security. Mr. Achem has been recognized by Best Lawyers of America since 2023. He was also elected to Florida Super Lawyers as a Rising Star for 2017-2021. He is as an AV Preem...
David Ackerman defends law firms in professional malpractice and legal ethics actions. A Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, clients value his litigation experience and strategic insight in resolving disputes through trial and appeals, negotiation, or arbitration. Ranked by Chambers USA , where he is described as “an even-keeled, thoughtful and smart attorney,” he is repeatedly recognized by Florida Trend’s Legal Elite and included in The Best Lawyers in America...
A. Brian Albritton concentrates his practice on “white collar” criminal defense; False Claims Act and Qui Tam litigation; defending regulatory enforcement actions brought by government agencies, including unfair/deception trade practice actions brought by the Federal Trade Commission and state attorneys general; regulatory compliance; and complex commercial litigation, including the prosecution and defense of claims relating to trade secret theft, non-competition agreements and ot...
Martin J. Alexander , one of the founding partners of Holland & Knight’s West Palm Beach office, practices general commercial and corporate litigation in state and federal courts. His practice includes the representation of corporate and individual clients of the firm in wide-ranging contractual and business disputes. Mr. Alexander handles matters concerning the sale and transfer of stock ownership, securities law violations, minority shareholder rights, non-compete agreements, and ...
Carter Andersen has extensive experience handling complex civil litigation matters in both state and federal courts and in alternative dispute resolution settings, including arbitration and mediation. Mr. Andersen handles contract and commercial litigation disputes, construction and real estate disputes, professional malpractice matters, employment law disputes and other litigation matters. Before joining Bush Ross, Mr. Andersen practiced general commercial litigation with Jones Day in Washin...
A former Assistant U.S. Attorney with a focus on public corruption and national security, Jacqueline Arango is co-chair of Akerman’s White Collar Crime & Government Investigations Practice. She leads a team including former federal prosecutors, senior enforcement lawyers at the SEC, and government lawyers representing corporations, financial institutions, boards of directors, and individuals in government investigations, regulatory enforcement matters, grand jury probes, internal in...
Richard Alan Arnold is a nationally recognized trial lawyer specializing in complex litigation. He has tried antitrust cases for plaintiffs and defendants. During his over 30 years of concentration on these cases, his practice has emphasized individual plaintiff cases rather than class action or mass action representation. He has represented public companies, entrepreneurial individuals, and privately-held companies in plaintiff’s antitrust cases in a wide variety of industries, includi...
Harsh concentrates in the areas of domestic and international corporate transactions and related business dispute resolution. He counsels public and privately held companies as a boardroom advisor and a courtroom advocate in high-stakes corporate matters. Harsh serves as general counsel for businesses with a prominent national or international presence. His general counsel practice focuses on preventative counseling and business structuring. Harsh advises clients on mergers, acquisitions, con...
Michael Austin focuses his practice on complex commercial litigation matters, arbitration and regulatory investigation matters, with a particular emphasis in the healthcare industry. Michael serves as co-chair of the firm’s healthcare litigation team, and represents a wide range of healthcare clients, including health systems, hospitals, ambulatory surgical centers, diagnostic imaging companies, home health agencies, and medical and physician practice. Mike handles a variety of complex ...
Rudwin Ayala is a Trial Attorney at Morgan & Morgan, focusing his practice in Products Liability. Prior to joining his current firm, Rudwin was a named partner at a Florida law firm where he focused his practice in Plaintiff's medical malpractice and catastrophic personal injury. He has also handled commercial litigation matters throughout his career. Rudwin received his Bachelors from Quinnipiac University Magna Cum Laude in 2007 and his Juris Doctor as a Goodwin Scholar from Nova Southe...
David Banker is an experienced civil trial lawyer who has tried a broad range of cases in federal and state courts involving products liability, employment discrimination, medical negligence, personal injury, commercial disputes and consumer disputes. Mr. Banker has also litigated mass tort and class action cases involving prescription drugs, medical devices and consumer products.
F. GREG BARNHART , a senior partner at Searcy Denney Scarola, Barnhart & Shipley, P.A., is recognized as one of America’s leading trial lawyers. He is Board Certified in Civil Trial Law by The Florida Bar and regularly handles cases throughout the United States. In addition to being named in The Best Lawyers in America for the past 25 years, Mr. Barnhart has been recognized as one of the Legal Elite in Florida Trend magazine, named a Top Lawyer in South Florida magazine, and listed ...
Brad is an experienced litigator who has handled a wide array of business, intellectual property, and class action disputes. He is consistently recognized by his peers as one of the leading business litigators in Florida. Brad is also a trusted advisor to clients who regularly turn to him to navigate complex business issues.
Hamden was born in Clearwater, Florida, and is a third-generation lawyer. Hamden attended Florida State University, where he obtained his Bachelors of Science degree in 1976, followed by his Master’s Degree in Criminology in 1979. Hamden attended Oklahoma City University Law School, and graduated with Honors, in 1983, and after serving as a staff attorney, to the Honorable Patricia Robinson, First District Court of Appeal, he attended the University of Florida, where he obtained his Mas...
Jill F. Bechtold practices in the area of civil litigation, where she focuses on medical and professional liability defense, employment disputes, product liability defense, business litigation, trucking litigation, and insurance defense. Jill’s clients include drug and medical device companies, business owners, physicians, hospitals, trucking carriers, and insurers. She represents clients in state and federal court actions as well as arbitrates matters under the Florida Arbitration Code...
Brooke Beebe is a partner in the Bonita Springs and Orlando offices. Ms. Beebe focuses her practice in the areas of general commercial and civil litigation, with an emphasis in construction litigation, landlord-tenant law, first-party property, sex trafficking/human trafficking defense, medical malpractice and employment law. Ms. Beebe has experience handling Errors and Omissions claims, including those brought against insurance brokers and agents. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from th...
Christopher N. Bellows is an appellate attorney who has handled complex civil appeals in the Supreme Court of Florida, all Florida District Courts of Appeal and the federal appellate courts. Mr. Bellows also has significant experience in complex commercial litigation, including areas of contract law, Uniform Commercial Code, business torts, foreclosures, receiverships, replevins, construction disputes, landlord-tenant litigation, product liability, personal injury, first amendment, employment...
Bridget Berry maintains a national civil trial practice, concentrating in employment and class action; financial services; real property and title insurance; and construction litigation. She counsels clients relating to business disputes, and advocates on behalf of clients in jury and non-jury, state and federal court actions, including collective and class actions, arbitrations and administrative proceedings. Bridget is admitted to practice in The Supreme Court of the United States; the U.S....
Lo Bielby is an experienced trial and appellate lawyer who appears throughout Florida in all Courts, representing business as well as state and municipal entities with complex commercial and civil litigation, smoking and health cases, medical product disputes, regulatory administrative matters, employment, medical cannabis regulatory items, and select criminal matters. Lo is regularly listed in The Best Lawyers in America and has completed more than 100 jury trials, as well as bench and admin...
Stacy D. Blank practices primarily in the area of appellate and general commercial litigation. She has litigated appeals in the Florida District Courts of Appeal, the Florida Supreme Court, and the United States Circuit Courts of Appeals for the Fifth and Eleventh Circuits. She has handled appeals and trial court litigation in numerous subject areas including trust and estates, antitrust, employment law, state and federal taxation, environmental law, family law, administrative law, intellectu...
Patrick Brackins received his undergraduate degree in political science from the University of Florida and, in 2006, his Juris Doctor degree from St. Thomas University School of Law. Patrick moved to Orlando in 2006, where he began his career as a staff attorney for Florida’s Ninth Judicial Circuit Court. Prior to joining Shepard, Smith, Hand & Brackins, P.A., from 2008 to 2016, Patrick served as the career law clerk for a United States Magistrate Judge in the Orlando Division of th...
Lenore Brakefield is a Naples native and graduated cum laude from the University of Florida Levin College of Law. She focuses her law practice on civil and commercial litigation, including construction litigation matters. Lenore also handles local government law, code enforcement violations, community association law, real estate law, and contract and transactional matters. Additionally, Lenore is a Certified Financial Litigator (CFL™) by the American Academy for Certified Financial Lit...
Karl Brandes practices in the areas of civil trial and commercial litigation. His practice includes petroleum marketing litigation; franchise and other trade regulation litigation; class action litigation; environmental litigation; construction litigation for engineer, architect, contractor and developer clients; condominium litigation; professional liability litigation for lawyer and engineer clients; computer litigation; personal injury litigation, including insurance and self-insured defen...
Alex obtained his J.D. degree from the George Washington University in 1996. Currently, Alex litigates franchise disputes, general commercial disputes and trade secret disputes in state and federal courts. In addition, Alex has handled numerous franchise and commercial disputes in arbitration proceedings throughout the country. Alex has also served as an arbitrator in actions between franchisees and franchisors. He is a member of the Florida Bar and is admitted to practice in Unites States Di...
Chuck has been a member of the Florida Bar since 1981 and has a diverse commercial and business litigation practice. Those areas include real estate litigation, special asset work, employment disputes, probate litigation, construction litigation, personal injury, and a wide range of civil and business related litigation matters. He was previously employed at Harper, Kynes, Geller and Buford, P.A. and joined Johnson Pope in 2007. He is board certified by the Florida Bar in business litigation....
Robert Burlington is Managing Member and co-founder of the firm. In his more than 35 years of practice, he has litigated and tried to completion a wide variety of jury and non-jury trials in state and federal courts. He has served as lead counsel in multiple arbitrations. These cases include business torts, commercial and real estate contract disputes, securities transactions, class actions, as well as many aspects of state and federal employment litigation. He has built his practice by assis...
Steve is chairman of the firm and head of its Litigation Department. Steve is a trial lawyer, with his practice centered on complex commercial litigation and insolvency matters. Steve has a successful record in extended jury trials in major business disputes. Steve represents plaintiffs and defendants in contract, business torts and corporate governance disputes. His insolvency experience includes lead representation of debtors and creditors in chapter 11 reorganizations of publicly held comp...
Mr. Campbell is the founding member of Campbell Law Firm PLLC, a litigation boutique. He specializes in complex litigation involving creditor’s rights, securities, commercial torts, product liability, and bankruptcy issues. Mr. Campbell grew up in South Florida. He graduated from Chaminade-Madonna College Preparatory School with high honors in 1972 and went on to attend both college and law school at the University of Florida. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Banking and Fi...
Christopher Carver supervises and conducts all aspects of federal and state civil litigation at trial and appellate levels, including case management, motions and pleadings, oral argument, depositions and written discovery, mediation, and trial. Areas of practice include arbitration, admiralty and maritime, antitrust, civil rights and electoral law, class actions, contracts, covenants not to compete, general commercial litigation, insurance law, injunctive proceedings, internet issues, intell...
Jose A. Casal practices in the areas of business and real estate litigation, international litigation and arbitration, and bankruptcy and creditors’ rights. He has handled civil trials in both Florida state and federal courts, and has conducted international arbitrations in both Miami and New York. His representative matters include corporate and partnership disputes, real estate and title insurance claims, receiverships, workout transactions, international litigation, banking litigatio...
Marko Cerenko is a go-to commercial and real estate litigator known for taking on the most complicated and sophisticated legal issues and business disputes. Marko is known for consistently shaping winning litigation strategies for clients by developing creative approaches that create successful results around high-level commercial, real estate and business tort cases. As a strong advocate for his clients’ interests and by custom tailoring his approach based upon specific needs or goals,...
Michael L. Chapman is a member of Holland & Knight's senior management team, serving as the firm's general counsel. In this role, Mr. Chapman is legal advisor to management and the firm's Directors Committee and works to ensure that the firm operates in full compliance with all legal requirements, bar ethics standards, its partnership agreement and core principles. For more than 20 years, Mr. Chapman has practiced as a commercial trial lawyer. He has extensive experience handling disputes...
Robert Chaskes is an esteemed trial lawyer with more than 35 years of experience in a wide range of complex commercial litigation, including jury and bench trials in state and federal courts across the United States. Among other matters, Mr. Chaskes has defended numerous class actions and has tried cases involving securities fraud claims, trademark disputes, trade secrets, non-compete and other restrictive covenants, insurance coverage disputes, lender-liability claims, and shareholder disput...
Michael Chavies is one of the most prolific and recognized trial lawyers in South Florida, having been lead counsel on and presided as a judge over hundreds of bench and jury trials. His 13 years on the civil bench has uniquely positioned him to try cases in nearly every courtroom, State and Federal, in Florida. Recognized by Law360 in its “Minority Powerbroker” series for his leadership and influence in the legal community, Michael focuses on mentorship and professional developme...
Rachel Chewning is a partner in the Jacksonville office. She practices in the areas of Product Liability, Catastrophic and Personal Injury, Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Litigation, Consumer Law, Commercial Litigation, Liquor Liability Defense, Trucking Accident Defense, Class Action, Vehicle Negligence, Premises Liability and General Civil Litigation. Her practice focuses on providing aggressive representation to clients on both a local and national level and participating as local couns...
Allison Christensen concentrates her practice in litigation, focusing on Southwest Florida (Collier and Lee Counties) but also throughout the State of Florida. She embraces the opportunities that litigation presents to resolve disputes among people who are unable to do so themselves. Patient, dedicated and resourceful, Allison works to give a voice to people whose interests are not being considered and, especially in the probate litigation area, often allows her to ensure that decedents' plan...
Joseph C. Coates III focuses his practice on securities litigation, regulatory and class actions and serves as the head of the West Palm Beach Securities Litigation Group. Joe has represented most of the major broker/dealers in all aspects of their business, including federal and state courts, regulatory matters, and arbitrations. His representation of clients include appearances as appellate counsel in securities litigation cases in federal and state courts. Joe also focuses on shareholder d...
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