Florida

  • February 15, 2025

    Real Estate Recap: Practice Pivot, Tariff Tax, Lennar's Lawyers

    Catch up on this past week's key developments by state from Law360 Real Estate Authority — including the latest shifts in real estate law practice, a Big Law leader's predictions for a looming tariff "tax" debate, and a look at the legal talent behind homebuilder Lennar Corp.'s $5.8 billion spinoff.

  • February 14, 2025

    DaBaby Gets Fla. Atty Sanctioned For 'Frivolous' Claims

    A Florida federal judge has sanctioned a Florida lawyer for "objectively frivolous" civil conspiracy claims brought against rapper DaBaby following an alleged altercation that happened before a scheduled performance, saying that his conduct "causes the court to question whether [he] should be appearing before any court in our district or state."

  • February 14, 2025

    Morgan & Morgan Atty Accused Of Setting Up Rape Charges

    Three men, including a real estate executive and a broker, facing sexual assault charges are asking a Florida court to force prosecutors to hand over reports by the victim's attorney at Morgan & Morgan PA, who the defendants say became part of the prosecution team and helped bring the charges.

  • February 14, 2025

    Ex-Fla. Rep's Associate Wants Sanctions For 'Sham' Lawsuit

    An associate of David Rivera has asked for sanctions against the former Florida congressman and his attorney, arguing that Rivera's suit accusing him of disclosing a confidential legal memorandum to law enforcement is "a complete sham" contrived to get discovery Rivera is not entitled to in the criminal proceeding in which he is accused of unlawfully lobbying on behalf of Venezuela.

  • February 14, 2025

    Canadian Flew Drone Over Fla. Space Force Base, Feds Say

    A Canadian man was charged with flying a drone over a U.S. Space Force Base in Florida and photographing sensitive areas of the installation without authorization, including launch complexes and submarine wharfs, according to a criminal complaint filed by U.S. government prosecutors.

  • February 14, 2025

    Fla. Criminal Defense Atty Accused Of Bribing DEA Agent

    New York federal prosecutors have charged a Florida criminal defense attorney with a scheme to bribe a U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agent in exchange for nonpublic law enforcement information, which the lawyer used to recruit and represent clients, in an indictment unsealed on Friday.

  • February 14, 2025

    Insurer Can Proceed With Miami Retaliation Coverage Dispute

    A Florida federal court partially rejected on Friday a magistrate judge's dismissal recommendations in a dispute between the city of Miami and an insurer over coverage for underlying lawsuits that allege political retaliation, allowing the parties to litigate the insurer's potential duty to defend.

  • February 14, 2025

    Fla. Crypto Operator Gets 2 Years In Prison For Wire Fraud

    A Florida federal judge sentenced a U.S. Air Force veteran and software developer to more than two years in prison on a wire fraud charge for soliciting more than $1 million from investors to pay for a cryptocurrency offering but using the funds to fuel a gambling addiction.

  • February 14, 2025

    Illinois Vs. The Internet: IP Suits Over Online Sales Stir Debate

    Brands have unleashed a torrent of lawsuits across the U.S. that group dozens of online sellers into a single complaint for allegedly peddling counterfeit products, with Chicago emerging as the preferred venue for the litigation and inspiring a local federal judge to declare it has become "Illinois vs. The Internet."

  • February 14, 2025

    Fla. Atty Disbarred After 'Serious Pattern Of Neglect'

    The Florida Supreme Court has permanently yanked the law license of former Sunshine State attorney Danialle Riggins for demonstrating a "serious pattern of neglect" with clients and other misconduct, including yelling at a judge during court.

  • February 14, 2025

    Akerman Brings On GC For Land Developer In Miami

    Akerman LLP has expanded its real estate practice in Miami with a partner who formerly served as general counsel for the land developer of a master-planned community in South Florida.

  • February 14, 2025

    Judge Leaves Curbs On DOGE Treasury Access After Hearing

    A Manhattan federal judge left in place temporary curbs on sweeping powers handed by President Donald Trump to Elon Musk's government-slashing U.S. DOGE Service Temporary Organization, after 19 states challenged the organization's access to U.S. Treasury payment systems.

  • February 13, 2025

    Wells Fargo Followed Seminoles' Orders For Trust, Jury Hears

    Wells Fargo told a Florida state jury Thursday its stewardship of a major trust for the Seminole tribe was sound, saying that the tribe asked for and received a "keep-it-safe trust" and there was no missing $800 million.

  • February 13, 2025

    Fla. Judge Denies Drinks Co. Ex-CEO Bid To Ax Monster Liens

    A Florida federal bankruptcy judge on Thursday declined to rule on a bid to dismiss all Monster Energy Company's claims and liens against the former CEO of the corporation that produces Bang Energy drinks, saying he lacks jurisdiction to resolve issues between two non-debtors.

  • February 13, 2025

    Fake Hedge Funder Pleads Out To $5M AI Trading Scam

    The head of Tadrus Capital on Thursday admitted lying to investors who collectively spent more than $5 million investing in his supposedly artificial intelligence-powered hedge fund, which he claimed would pay out guaranteed double-digit returns.

  • February 13, 2025

    Fla. Court Won't Undo $13M Carbon Monoxide Death Verdict

    A Florida appellate panel has upheld a jury's $13 million verdict in a suit that accused a machine rental company of failing to provide an auto repair shop owner with instructions for operating a floor resurfacer, which gave him carbon monoxide poisoning that led to his death.

  • February 13, 2025

    Spirit Airlines Ch. 11 Plan Releases Need More Consideration

    A New York bankruptcy judge said Thursday the Chapter 11 plan of budget air carrier Spirit Airlines met the conditions for approval, but also told the parties he needed more time to consider the third-party releases proposed in the plan and whether they were consensual.

  • February 13, 2025

    Cruise Co.'s Bid To Force Spa Worker Into Arbitration Fails

    A Florida federal judge denied Norwegian Cruise Line's bid to force a masseuse's negligence and unseaworthiness lawsuit into Bahamian arbitration, saying the company isn't a signatory to her underlying employment agreement and that it failed to establish an exception to send the case out of court.

  • February 13, 2025

    Insurers Say Adjuster Must Cover $66M Suit Over Boat Death

    Insurers told a North Carolina federal court that a company they contracted with failed to perform its agreed-upon adjustment duties on claims related to a 2021 fatal Florida boat accident and didn't pay legal fees when a more than $66 million suit erupted over the incident.

  • February 13, 2025

    4th Judge Rejects Trump's Take On Birthright Citizenship

    A Massachusetts federal judge on Thursday joined three other U.S. district courts in blocking President Donald Trump's executive order limiting birthright citizenship, rejecting the administration's interpretation of the 14th Amendment.

  • February 13, 2025

    NYC Man Pleads Guilty To $62.8M Crowdfunded CRE Scheme

    A New York City man who raised $62.8 million through commercial real estate platform CrowdStreet for sham developments in Atlanta, Georgia, and Miami Beach, Florida, has pled guilty to a federal wire fraud charge.

  • February 13, 2025

    Sidley Brings On Holland & Knight M&A And VC Pro In Miami

    Sidley Austin LLP expanded its Miami office this week with a former Holland & Knight LLP partner and ex-SoftBank deputy general counsel specializing in cross-border mergers and acquisitions and other transactions and venture capital work.

  • February 13, 2025

    Artist Sues Over Sculpture Left After Property Sale

    An artist says he is owed $175,000 for a sculpture on the grounds of a home in a wealthy Massachusetts waterfront enclave, left there by a friend who sold the property nearly five years ago, according to a lawsuit filed in state court.

  • February 13, 2025

    Judge's Bias Justifies Reviving Insurance Row, Fla. Panel Says

    A man whose legal counsel was disbarred while his insurance suit was pending will have another chance to pursue his claims, a Florida state appeals court has determined, reversing a lower court order that threw out the suit for delays and moving the case to another judge after finding evidence of potential "bias or prejudice."

  • February 13, 2025

    Miami Judge Won't Move Suit Over I-95 Crash That Killed 4

    A Miami judge ruled Thursday that she would not move a lawsuit over a multivehicle pileup that killed four people to Indian River County court, after finding that the trucking company and driver had failed to show that Miami is a substantially inconvenient forum for them.

Expert Analysis

  • Striking A Balance Between AI Use And Attorney Well-Being

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    As the legal industry increasingly adopts generative artificial intelligence tools to boost efficiency, leaders must note the hidden costs of increased productivity, and work to protect attorneys’ well-being while unlocking AI’s full potential, says Ed Sohn at Factor.

  • Empathy In Mediation Offers A Soft Landing For Disputes

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    Experiencing a crash-landing on a recent flight underscored to me how much difference empathy makes in times of crisis or stress, including during mediation, says Eydith Kaufman at Alternative Resolution Centers.

  • Series

    Being An Artist Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    My work as an artist has highlighted how using creativity and precision together — qualities that are equally essential in both art and law — not only improves outcomes, but also leads to more innovative and thoughtful work, says Sarah La Pearl at Segal McCambridge.

  • How Judiciary Can Minimize AI Risks In Secondary Sources

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    Because courts’ standing orders on generative artificial intelligence and other safeguards do not address the risk of hallucinations in secondary source materials, the judiciary should consider enlisting legal publishers and database hosts to protect against AI-generated inaccuracies, say attorneys at Lankler Siffert & Wohl.

  • How Attorneys Can Break Free From Career Enmeshment

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    Ambitious attorneys can sometimes experience career enmeshment — when your sense of self-worth becomes unhealthily tangled up in your legal vocation — but taking the time to discover and realign with your core personal values can help you recover your identity, says Janna Koretz at Azimuth Psychological.

  • 11th Circ. Ruling Offers Refresher On 'Sex-Plus' Bias Claims

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    While the Eleventh Circuit’s recent ruling in McCreight v. AuburnBank dismissed former employees’ sex-plus-age discrimination claims, the opinion reminds employers to ensure that workplace policies and practices do not treat a subgroup of employees of one sex differently than the same subgroup of another sex, say attorneys at Bradley Arant.

  • Lawyers With Disabilities Are Seeking Equity, Not Pity

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    Attorneys living with disabilities face extra challenges — including the need for special accommodations, the fear of stigmatization and the risk of being tokenized — but if given equitable opportunities, they can still rise to the top of their field, says Kate Reder Sheikh, a former attorney and legal recruiter at Major Lindsey & Africa.

  • Opinion

    Judicial Committee Best Venue For Litigation Funding Rules

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    The Advisory Committee on Civil Rules' recent decision to consider developing a rule for litigation funding disclosure is a welcome development, ensuring that the result will be the product of a thorough, inclusive and deliberative process that appropriately balances all interests, says Stewart Ackerly at Statera Capital.

  • The Strategic Advantages Of Appointing A Law Firm CEO

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    The impact on law firms of the recent CrowdStrike outage underscores that the business of law is no longer merely about providing supplemental support for legal practice — and helps explain why some law firms are appointing dedicated, full-time CEOs to navigate the challenges of the modern legal landscape, says Jennifer Johnson at Calibrate Strategies.

  • Navigating Fla.'s Shorter Construction Defect Claim Window

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    In light of recent legislation reducing the amount of time Florida homeowners have to bring construction defect claims, homeowners should be sure to understand their rights and responsibilities regarding maintenance, repairs and inspections set forth in developer-drafted documents, say Brian Tannenbaum and Nicholas Vargo at Ball Janik.

  • Series

    Beekeeping Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    The practice of patent law and beekeeping are not typically associated, but taking care of honeybees has enriched my legal practice by highlighting the importance of hands-on experience, continuous learning, mentorship and more, says David Longo at Oblon McClelland.

  • What To Know About New Employment Laws In Fla.

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    Florida employers should familiarize themselves with recent state laws, and also federal legislation, on retirement benefits, teen labor and heat exposure, with special attention to prohibitions against minors performing dangerous tasks, as outlined in the Fair Labor Standards Act, say Katie Molloy and Cayla Page at Greenberg Traurig.

  • Opinion

    Legal Institutions Must Warn Against Phony Election Suits

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    With two weeks until the election, bar associations and courts have an urgent responsibility to warn lawyers about the consequences of filing unsubstantiated lawsuits claiming election fraud, says Elise Bean at the Carl Levin Center for Oversight and Democracy.

  • How Cos. Can Build A Strong In-House Pro Bono Program

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    During this year’s pro bono celebration week, companies should consider some key pointers to grow and maintain a vibrant in-house program for attorneys to provide free legal services for the public good, says Mary Benton at Alston & Bird.

  • Series

    Home Canning Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Making my own pickles and jams requires seeing a process through from start to finish, as does representing clients from the start of a dispute at the Patent Trial and Appeal Board through any appeals to the Federal Circuit, says attorney Kevin McNish.

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