A Diverse Practice, Focused on Client Goals.

We practice in most areas of civil litigation, counsel clients as to business and commercial law matters, and provide representation in estate planning and probate law. Our areas of practice reflect the diversity and wide range of experience of our lawyers.

Complex civil litigation
Maritime law
Product liability and personal injury defense
Class action defense
Business law
Railroad law
Motor carrier law
Insurance defense
Corporate and franchise law
Real estate and construction law
Estate planning and administration
Environmental law
Labor and employment law
Constitutional litigation
Mediation and arbitration
International law
Criminal defense

Selected Cases

- Sacred Heart Health Systems, Inc. v. Humana Military Healthcare Services, Inc. and predecessor cases
  (U.S.D.C. Northern District of Florida, 2002-2010)
  Firm lawyers defended the TRICARE managed care support contractor for the Southern region in a series of putative class actions brought by hospitals alleging breach of network provider agreements. Related appeals are reported as Board of Trustees of Bay Medical Center v. Humana Military Healthcare Services, Inc. (Federal Circuit 2005 and 2006) and Sacred Heart Health Systems, Inc. v. Humana Military Healthcare Services, Inc. (Eleventh Circuit 2010). The matter was resolved after the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals reversed the trial court’s certification of a class of plaintiff hospitals. collapse
- Defense of R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Co.
  (Numerous Florida state and federal courts, 2007-2015)
  The firm has appeared as counsel defending R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. in numerous trial and appellate matters arising from the Florida Supreme Court decision in Engle v. Liggett Group, Inc. (2006), which decertified a class of plaintiffs claiming personal injury or wrongful death as a result of cigarette smoking, and allowed thousands of individual actions to proceed. The firm has also developed a nationwide fact investigation and development capability, in order to support the defense of major product liability litigation such as the smoking and health cases. collapse
- Defense of Maritrans Operating Partners in Tampa Bay Oil Pollution Litigation
  
  Firm attorneys were lead counsel, successfully defending vessel owners in the largest oil spill since Exxon Valdez and the passage of the Oil Pollution Act of 1990. The representation included prosecution of several actions under the federal maritime Limitation of Liability Act. Novel questions of law were resolved through several appeals, with decisions reported as Bouchard Transportation Company, Inc. v. Updegraff (U.S. Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals 1998), Bouchard Transportation Company, Inc. v. Florida Department of Environmental Protection (U.S. Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals 1996), and Bouchard Transportation Company,Inc. v. Updegraff (Florida Second District Court of Appeals 2002). collapse
- Defense of Class 1 Railroads in FELA and Crossing Matters
  
  Firm lawyers have successfully tried several recent Federal Employers Liability Act and crossing accident cases to juries, including Sells v. CSX Transportation, Inc. (Fourth Judicial Circuit, 2014 and First District Court of Appeal, 2015), where a judgment notwithstanding the verdict in the defendant’s favor was recently affirmed on appeal. collapse
- Carrier v. RLI Insurance Company
  (U.S.D.C. Southern District of Georgia and U.S. Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, 2010-2012)
  Firm lawyers defended an insurance coverage case on behalf of an insurer where coverage for the sinking of a luxury yacht was at issue. The case was defended on the basis that the policy did not provide coverage for this particular sinking, as it was caused by a manufacturing defect which was explicitly and unambiguously excluded from coverage. Summary Judgment was obtained in the District Court and the judgment was affirmed by the Eleventh Circuit in 2012. collapse
- Scott v. Roberts
  (U.S.D.C. Northern District of Florida and U.S. Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, 2010)
  Firm lawyers represented Rick Scott, then a candidate for governor of Florida, in a Constitutional challenge to the so-called “Millionaire’s Clause” of section 106.355 of the Florida Statutes, involving public financing of political campaigns. The matter was resolved in the client’s favor when the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals held that the statute was unconstitutional. collapse
- In re: Marmac, LLC and Godinez v. Delta Construction Specialties
  (U.S.D.C. Middle District of Florida and Eleventh Circuit Court (Miami-Dade County), 2005-2010)
  Firm attorneys defended the general contractor of a multi-lane bridge construction project over the Intracoastal Waterway in Central Florida, after a towering column of the partially completed bridge collapsed, resulting in multiple critical injuries to several workers. Related cases in federal and state courts raised difficult questions of maritime law and the law of damages. The matter was resolved after extensive discovery and extended settlement negotiations. collapse
- China International Reinsurance Co. Ltd. Litigation
  (U.S.D.C. Middle and Southern Districts of Florida, 2005)
  The firm represented a Hong Kong reinsurer in several federal cases where the client demonstrated that marine policies it supposedly had issued were in fact unauthorized by the client, including one case where an unauthorized declaratory judgment action, relating to nonexistent coverage, had been brought in its name. The unauthorized conduct at issue was enjoined by the United States District Court in Jacksonville, and appropriate additional relief was granted by the United States District Court in Miami. collapse
- Hodzic v. U-Haul International, Inc.
  (Fourth Circuit Court, Duval County, 2002-2003)
  Firm lawyers defended a product liability action involving a motor vehicle accident allegedly caused by a tow dolly, including a four-week jury trial. The matter was tried to verdict, then resolved through settlement. collapse
- In re Tug Allie-B, Inc.
  (U.S.D.C. Middle District of Florida and U.S. Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, 2001)
  Firm lawyers defended litigation involving the grounding of a tug and barge on a coral reef in a national park, with claims for natural resource damages brought under the PSRPA and other marine environmental statutes, as well as an action under the Limitation of Liability Act. collapse

501 West Bay Street, Jacksonville, Florida 32202

Areas of Practice

A Diverse Practice, Focused on Client Goals.

Fact Development Group

Selected Cases

Sacred Heart Health Systems, Inc. v. Humana Military Healthcare Services, Inc. and predecessor cases

Defense of R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Co.

Defense of Maritrans Operating Partners in Tampa Bay Oil Pollution Litigation

Defense of Class 1 Railroads in FELA and Crossing Matters

Carrier v. RLI Insurance Company

Scott v. Roberts

In re: Marmac, LLC and Godinez v. Delta Construction Specialties

China International Reinsurance Co. Ltd. Litigation

Hodzic v. U-Haul International, Inc.

In re Tug Allie-B, Inc.