Robert has practiced law in Tampa for over 30 years. His practice includes complex civil, construction and probate litigation, and he has handled cases in most of the circuit courts in Florida. He is admitted and practices before the U.S. District Courts for the Middle, Northern and Southern Districts of Florida, the Circuit Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit, the Circuit Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit and the U.S. Supreme Court. He has been involved in over 70 jury and nonjury trials as sole, associate or chief counsel. He has also handled appeals in all five of the district courts of appeal in Florida.

Martindale-Hubbell has awarded Robert an AV rating, which signifies the highest accolade a lawyer can receive for his legal ability and adherence to professional standards of conduct, ethics, reliability and diligence.

Robert has also served as a member of The Florida Bar Civil Rules Committee, as pro bono attorney for the Guardian Ad Litem Program in the 13th Judicial Circuit, and as acting chair/panel member of the 13th Judicial Circuit Ethics and Fee Arbitration Committee.
 

  • Education
    • Syracuse University, B.A. (1978)
    • Stetson University College of Law, J.D. (1981)
      •  Associate Editor, Stetson Law Review
  • Admissions
    • Florida
  • Professional Associations and Memberships
    • American Bar Association
      • Litigation Section
    • The Florida Bar
      • Trial Lawyers Section
    • Hillsborough County Bar Association
      • Trial Lawyers Section 
  • Awards and Recognitions
    • AV Preeminent® rated by Martindale-Hubbell
    • Best Lawyers in America, Commercial Litigation, 2023-2024
    • Florida Trend, "Legal Elite," 2011 
    • Tampa "Top Rated Lawyer," Litigation, 2013
    • Daily Business Review, Top Rated Lawyer, Appellate Law, 2013 
  • Civic
    • The Spring of Tampa Bay
    • Navy League
    • The Oaks of Clearwater, Director and Secretary
    • Culbreath Isles Homeowners Association, Director and Treasurer
    • Tampa Chamber of Commerce 
  • Articles and Publications
    • Co-author, "Chapter 13 Bankruptcy, The Mortgagor's Right to 'Deaccelerate' Their Mortgage," published in the Consumer Finance Law Quarterly Report, Volume 39, No. 1
  • Significant Reported Cases
    • Nightingale Home Healthcare, Inc. v. Anodyne Therapy, LLC, 589 F.3d 881 (7th Cir. 2009) – Claim of fraud regarding medical device
    • Nightingale Home Healthcare, Inc. v. Anodyne Therapy, LLC, 626 F.3d 958 (7th Cir. 2010) – Attorney fee award under Lanham Act
    • Kemin Foods, L.C. v. Omniactive Health Technologies, Inc., 654 F.Supp.2d 1328 (D.C. M.D. 2009) - Patent Infringement
    • Kemin Foods, L.C. v. Omniactive Health Technologies, Inc., 2009 WL 3157670 (D.C. M.D. Fla.) – Patent Infringement
    • Pilot Bank v. Nationwide Life Insurance Company, 2013 WL 3902655 (D.C., M.D. Fla. 2013) – Breach of contract by insurer
    • Building Materials Corp. of America v. Presidential Financial Corp., 972 So.2d 1090 (Fla. 2nd DCA 2008) – Notice of assignment of accounts receivable
    • Day v. GAF Corporation, 499 U.S. 924 (1991) – Labor Employment
    • A.J. v. Times Pub. Co., 626 So.2d 1314 (Fla. 1993) – Statutory exemption from disclosure of records
    • Hinton v. Brooks, 870 So.2d 325 (Fla. 5th DCA 2001) – Economic loss rule
    • Barley v. Albertini, 694 So.2d 843 (Fla. 5th DCA 1997) – Construction of will
    • Karaali v. Wintrust Capital Management, LLC, 2011 WL 862329 (D.C., M.D. Fla.) – Tortious interference with business relationship
    • Uralkali Trading, S.A. v. Sylvite Southeast, LLC, 2012 WL 1016777 (D.C., M.D. Fla.) – Bankruptcy Court Jurisdiction
    • Parker v. Hertz Corp.¸ 544 So.2d 249 (Fla. 2nd DCA 1989) – Assessment of ad valorem taxation
    • Moudy v. Southland Distributing Co. of St. Petersburg, Inc., 452 So.2d 1045 (Fla. 2nd DCA 1984) – Claim of fraud in business dispute
    • Bartholomew v. Bartholomew, 611 So.2d 85 (Fla. 2nd DCA 1992) – Attorney disqualification