Florida

  • July 11, 2025

    Real Estate Recap: NYC Zombies, Nashville Tax, Hospo Deals

    Catch up on this past week's key developments by state from Law360 Real Estate Authority — including attorney insights into New York City's zombie building scene, a BigLaw specialist's view of Nashville's rise in property taxes, and the firms that guided the top hospitality deals in the first half of 2025.

  • July 11, 2025

    Tesla Faces Trial Over Fatal Autopilot Crash In Florida

    The first third-party wrongful death case involving Tesla's autopilot system is headed to trial Monday in Miami federal court, where jurors will determine whether the autopilot was at fault for the death of a pedestrian in a Florida Keys crash.

  • July 11, 2025

    Florida Insurer Sued For Alleged Bias In Arbitration Process

    A 92-year-old Miami resident has brought a petition against one of Florida's largest property insurers over redirecting disputes away from courts and into state arbitration hearings, described as forums with biased administrative law judges who shield the company from legal liability. 

  • July 11, 2025

    Fla. Panel Sends Trampoline Park Injury Suit To Arbitration

    A Florida appeals court on Friday ruled that a trampoline park operator can arbitrate a suit brought by a man who suffered injuries in a bathroom fall, saying the trial court erred by finding that bathroom mishaps were not covered by the park's arbitration clause.

  • July 11, 2025

    FTC Looks To Extend Pause Of Noncompete Rule Appeal

    The Federal Trade Commission has asked the Fifth Circuit to keep an appeal over the commission's blocked noncompete rule on hold for another 60 days as the agency continues to mull whether it actually wants to defend the rule.

  • July 11, 2025

    11th Circ. Won't Reinstate Worker's ERISA Arbitration Award

    A divided Eleventh Circuit panel refused to restore a former water treatment company director's arbitration award of about $129,000 on claims that he should've been offered severance when demoted to a consultant, saying an arbitrator erroneously decided a federal benefits law claim the worker never raised.

  • July 11, 2025

    11th Circ. Revives Black Worker's Promotion Bias Suit

    The Eleventh Circuit revived a Black worker's suit alleging a Georgia county wouldn't promote her to a more senior tax appraisal position out of racial discrimination, ruling that a jury needs to determine whether she was held to higher standards of qualifications than her non-Black peers.

  • July 10, 2025

    Punitive Damages Ruling Deferred In Jack Nicklaus' Fla. Suit

    A Florida state court judge deferred a decision on whether he'll overrule a previous order denying punitive damages in a defamation lawsuit brought by former professional golfer Jack Nicklaus against a company he founded and two of its officers, saying there must be enough evidence to find that reprehensible misconduct occurred.

  • July 10, 2025

    Fla. Lawmakers Sue DeSantis Over Detention Center Access

    Democratic state lawmakers in Florida sued Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday to demand access to the new immigrant detention center in the Everglades the lawmakers say they were blocked from visiting last week.

  • July 10, 2025

    Insurer Wants Out Of Horse Co.'s $3.2M Theft Coverage Fight

    An insurer for an equestrian and his company that faced theft claims urged a Florida federal court to toss a coverage action from the underlying plaintiff, arguing it lacks standing to claim the insurer wasted policy benefits while defending insureds and left nothing for an eventual $3.2 million settlement.

  • July 10, 2025

    Florida Restaurateur Can't Get Shrimp TM, Fed. Circ. Affirms

    The Federal Circuit on Thursday refused to revive an author and restaurateur's bid to register a trademark for "Yucatán Shrimp" at his Florida eatery named after his crime novels, backing the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office's finding that the mark would be merely descriptive.

  • July 10, 2025

    Golfer's Defamation Suits Not Up To Par, 11th Circ. Says

    The Eleventh Circuit won't revive a pair of defamation suits by golfer Patrick Reed against media outlets he accused of defaming him by reporting accusations of cheating and criticism of his association with a Saudi Arabia-backed golf organization.

  • July 10, 2025

    Cinemex Theater Co. Gets $2.6M For Operations In Ch. 11

    A Florida bankruptcy judge approved more than $2.6 million to keep a theater company operating in its second Chapter 11 case on Thursday, allowing the funds to pay for critical vendors and goodwill expenses as the business plans another reorganization. 

  • July 10, 2025

    Ex-Bank CEO Depo Blocked On 5th Amendment Concerns

    A Florida federal judge Thursday blocked the deposition of a former Puerto Rican bank CEO in a suit alleging a $28 million fraud while a related criminal case is pending against him, but suggested the plaintiffs move forward requesting other documents and depositions that would not implicate the CEO's Fifth Amendment right.

  • July 10, 2025

    Fla. High Court Revives Ex-Steak 'N Shake Worker's Bias Suit

    The Florida Supreme Court backed the reinstatement Thursday of an ex-Steak 'n Shake worker's disability bias suit claiming he was fired after suffering a back injury, ruling he didn't need to invoke the state's civil rights law in his presuit bias charge to pursue his claims in court.

  • July 10, 2025

    11th Circ. Revives Case Over $3.1M Glassware Verdict Debt

    The Eleventh Circuit has revived a case over $3.1 million in debt resulting from a jury verdict finding that two glass companies had copied the designs of another business, saying a lower court was wrong to find that the infringing companies' bankruptcy had wiped the debt out.

  • July 10, 2025

    11th Circ. Tosses Satellite Co.'s $829K Finder's Fee Suit

    The Eleventh Circuit said Wednesday that a $829,000 award in favor of a satellite technology company should be tossed, writing that a Florida federal court didn't have jurisdiction over the case.

  • July 10, 2025

    Fla. Atty Suspended After Conviction In Embezzlement Case

    The Florida Supreme Court has suspended a lawyer who was found guilty at a June retrial of embezzling from an Orlando law firm where she worked as a paralegal before acquiring her law license.

  • July 10, 2025

    11th Circ. Keeps County Win In Prison Promotion Bias Row

    The Eleventh Circuit kept intact a Georgia district court's decision to toss a county prison counselor's suit claiming she was passed over for promotion because of her gender, ruling Thursday that she lacked evidence to support a discrimination claim.

  • July 10, 2025

    Judge Clears Karol G, Dutch DJ Of Song Ripoff Allegations

    A Florida federal judge has tossed claims from flautist and composer René Lorente alleging Colombian singer Karol G and Dutch DJ Tiësto's song "Don't Be Shy" copied elements of one of his songs, doubting the testimony of Lorente's expert witness.

  • July 10, 2025

    Bitcoin Scammer Hit With 12 Years Over Restitution Failure

    A federal judge in Manhattan slammed a bitcoin fraudster with a 12-year prison term Thursday for allegedly refusing to repay $20 million to an entrepreneur whose cryptocurrency he admitted to stealing, imposing punishment anew at a resentencing over strenuous defense objections.

  • July 10, 2025

    Judge Preserves Meritage Stucco Defect Coverage Claims

    A Texas federal judge largely sided with Meritage Homes in a lawsuit to force AIG to cover $11 million paid out to hundreds of homeowners that complained of construction defects on stucco homes in Texas and Florida.

  • July 10, 2025

    Fla. Can't Enforce Residency Rule On Some Canvassers

    A Florida federal judge has issued a preliminary injunction blocking state officials from enforcing residency and citizenship requirements for paid canvassers aligned with some sponsors and supporters of ballot initiatives, finding the blanket ban violates the First Amendment.

  • July 10, 2025

    Another Atty Sanctioned For Allegedly Hallucinated Case Law

    A Florida judge on Wednesday issued a blistering order against an attorney who became the latest of many to face sanctions over filings with case law suspected of being hallucinated by generative artificial intelligence, ordering him to take AI ethics courses and repay opposing counsel's fees.

  • July 09, 2025

    The Villages' Health Provider Gets Preliminary DIP Funding

    A Florida bankruptcy judge preliminarily approved a $39 million debtor-in-possession financing plan for The Villages Health System LLC, which provides healthcare services to 55,000 residents of the best-known retirement community in America and filed for Chapter 11 protection last week.

Expert Analysis

  • A Look At Florida's New Protected Series LLC Legislation

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    A new law in Florida enhances the flexibility of using limited liability companies as the entities of choice for most privately held businesses, moving Florida into a small group of states with reliable uniform protected series legislation for series LLCs, says Louis Conti at Holland & Knight.

  • Navigating Court Concerns About QR Codes In FLSA Notices

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    As plaintiffs attorneys increasingly seek to include QR codes as a method of notice in Fair Labor Standards Act collective actions, counsel should be prepared to address judicial concerns about their use, including their potential to be duplicative and circumvent court-approved language, say attorneys at Shook Hardy.

  • Opinion

    State Bars Must Probe Misconduct Claims, Even If It's The AG

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    The Florida Bar’s recent refusal to look into misconduct allegations against Attorney General Pam Bondi is dangerous for the rule of law, and other lawyer disciplinary bodies must be prepared to investigate credible claims of ethical lapses against any lawyer, no matter their position, say attorneys James Kobak and Albert Feuer.

  • Series

    Playing The Violin Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Playing violin in a string quartet reminds me that flexibility, ambition, strong listening skills, thoughtful leadership and intentional collaboration are all keys to a successful legal practice, says Julie Park at MoFo.

  • Employer Tips As Deepfakes Reshape Workplace Harassment

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    As the workplace harassment landscape faces the rising threat of fabricated media that hyperrealistically depict employees in sexual or malicious contexts, employers can stay ahead of the curve by tracking new legal obligations, and proactively updating policies, training and response protocols, say attorneys at Littler.

  • State, Fed Junk Fee Enforcement Shows No Signs Of Slowing

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    The Federal Trade Commission’s potent new rule targeting drip pricing, in addition to the growing patchwork of state consumer protection laws, suggest that enforcement and litigation targeting junk fees will likely continue to expand, says Etia Rottman Frand at Darrow AI.

  • Series

    Law School's Missed Lessons: Practicing Self-Care

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    Law schools don’t teach the mental, physical and emotional health maintenance tools necessary to deal with the profession's many demands, but practicing self-care is an important key to success that can help to improve focus, manage stress and reduce burnout, says Rachel Leonard​​​​​​​ at MG+M.

  • What Expanding Merchant Code Regs Mean For Processors

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    Arkansas and South Dakota recently joined a host of other states that restrict payment processors' usage of merchant category codes with laws that include noteworthy prohibitions against maintaining registries of firearms owners, with ramifications for multistate payment systems, say attorneys at Mayer Brown.

  • ABA Opinion Makes It A Bit Easier To Drop A 'Hot Potato'

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    The American Bar Association's recent ethics opinion clarifies when attorneys may terminate clients without good cause, though courts may still disqualify a lawyer who drops a client like a hot potato, so sending a closeout letter is always a best practice, say attorneys at Thompson Hine.

  • Series

    My Opera And Baseball Careers Make Me A Better Lawyer

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    Though participating in opera and the world of professional baseball often pulls me away from the office, my avocations improve my legal career by helping me perform under scrutiny, prioritize team success, and maintain joy and perspective at work, says Adam Unger at Herrick Feinstein.

  • A Look At DOJ's Dropped Case Against Early Crypto Operator

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    The prosecution of an early crypto exchange operator over alleged unlicensed money transmission was recently dropped in Indiana federal court, showcasing that the U.S. Justice Department may be limiting the types of enforcement cases it will bring against digital asset firms, say attorneys at Greenberg Traurig.

  • 8 Ways Lawyers Can Protect The Rule Of Law In Their Work

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    Whether they are concerned with judicial independence, regulatory predictability or client confidence, lawyers can take specific meaningful actions on their own when traditional structures are too slow or too compromised to respond, says Angeli Patel at the Berkeley Center of Law and Business.

  • New Law May Reshape Fla. Employer Noncompete Strategy

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    With Florida's CHOICE Act taking effect this week, employers should consider the pros and cons of drafting new restrictive covenant agreements with longer noncompete or garden leave periods and enhanced enforcement mechanisms, say attorneys at Vedder Price.

  • Series

    Law School's Missed Lessons: Communicating With Clients

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    Law school curricula often overlook client communication procedures, and those who actively teach this crucial facet of the practice can create exceptional client satisfaction and success, says Patrick Hanson at Wiggam Law.

  • Employer Best Practices For Navigating Worker Separations

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    As job cuts hit several major industries, employers should take steps to minimize their exposure to discrimination claims, information leaks and enforcement challenges, such as maintaining sound documentation, strategic planning and legal coordination, says Mark Romance at Day Pitney.

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