Biographies

Paul O. Lopez, a director with Tripp Scott, chairs the firm's labor and employment practice.

AV-rated by Martindale Hubble, Lopez is a trial lawyer with extensive jury and non-jury trial experience who has handled over a hundred trials and evidentiary hearings.  Lopez was recognized in 2009 as a Top Lawyer in the categories of Labor & Employment Law and Commercial Litigation by the South Florida Legal Guide, the preeminent publication that identifies the top one percent of lawyers in the region.  He has also been recognized since 2006 as a Florida Super Lawyer in the category of labor and employment law and business litigation, which is based on a peer-nominated selection of the top-five percent of lawyers in Florida. As part of his labor and employment practice, he has represented clients in Federal Court throughout the State, before the EEOC and the Department of Labor regarding workplace-employment practices and compliance issues. Throughout his career, he has handled numerous lawsuits, arbitrations and mediations in employment matters, including non-compete and trade secret litigation, federal overtime lawsuits and claims involving sexual harassment, race discrimination, Family Medical Leave Act and the American with Disabilities Act.  In addition, he has successfully tried, arbitrated and mediated complex commercial-litigation matters involving partnership disputes, corporate dissolutions, corporate wind-downs and receiverships.  He also prepares and reviews companies' employment manuals and policies, employment agreements, severance packages and non-compete agreements.  His clients range from mid-sized regional firms to Fortune-100 companies. 

Lopez is a Supreme Court Certified Civil Mediator and Qualified Arbitrator.  Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush appointed Lopez to serve on the Judicial Nominating Commission for the 17th Circuit in Broward County and the Judicial Nominating Commission for the Fourth District Court of Appeal of Florida, for which Lopez served as Vice-Chair in 2006-2007.  In July of 2007, Florida Governor Charlie Crist re-appointed Lopez to serve an additional four-year term on the Judicial Nominating Commission, where Lopez served as Chairman during the 2007-2008 term. 

In 2002, he was accepted into the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, an elite organization that recognizes lawyers who have obtained verdicts or settlements of $1 million dollars or more.  In addition, he was appointed as a Special Master to preside over discovery matters in the extended trial unit of the 17th Judicial Circuit for Broward County.

Lopez holds a law degree from Stetson University, where he was on the Dean's list, served on Law Review, earned the Book Award in Pre-Trial Practice, served as a teaching fellow and clerked for the Honorable Judge Elizabeth Kovachevich in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida.   He holds a bachelor's degree in telecommunications from the University of Florida.

Employment and Commercial Litigation Experience (Highlights)

Defeated a former employee's claim of termination due to race discrimination against client, the South Florida Water Management District.  The highly publicized, two-week long, race-discrimination trial in federal court involved extremely sensitive and incendiary racially charged allegations made by a former employee of the District, who sought a verdict of more than $1 million dollars.

Defeated prominent South Florida physician's claims for more than $30 million dollars for disgorgement of profits and other substantial damages under the Lanham Act for the unauthorized use of his name and likeness in advertising materials disseminated throughout the United States on behalf of clients, Eyeglass World Inc. and the Laser Vision Institute LLC, following a two-week trial in Broward County Circuit Court and six years of litigation.

Defeated a former employee's claim under the Family Medical Leave Act on behalf of client, Clear Channel Communications, in a week-long arbitration in which the employee claimed that the company had failed to reinstate her to a substantially equivalent position upon returning from leave. 

Defeated former employees of client, ADT Security Services Inc., by successfully obtaining injunctions in a $500,000 non-compete and tortious interference case, where the former employees attempted to set up a competing business under fictitious names and divert hundreds of clients to their new business. 

Defeated a former high-level executive of a closely held South Florida company by successfully obtaining an injunction against the executive after it was established that he had violated his non-compete agreement and stolen trade secrets and other confidential and proprietary information belonging to the company.

Successfully obtained injunction on behalf of a national healthcare client against business competitor and former employees pursuant to non-hiring agreement with business competitor and non-competition agreements with employees where the trial court found that legitimate business interests were established under Section 542.335, Florida Statutes (Florida's Noncompetition Statute) due to the solicitation of clients, a showing that trade secrets existed under Ch. 688. (Florida's Uniform Trade Secrets Act), and because the former employees were provided with extraordinary training as defined by Florida law.

Defeated a former shareholder of a closely held South Florida company by successfully obtaining an injunction against the shareholder by proving that the former shareholder had stolen company's trademark, trade dress and trade name in competing business venture.

Defeated landlord on behalf of a prominent South Florida private businessman after seven years of litigation relating to a claim for a security deposit and for damages associated with a long-term residential lease.  After the trial, he recouped all of his client's attorney's fees and costs which were in excess of $100,000 from the opposing side.

Defeated former employee of client, American Recruiters Inc., by successfully obtaining an injunction against the former employee after proving that he violated his non-compete agreement by soliciting customers of the company shortly after he was terminated by the company.

Defeated a former employee of client, American Recruiters Inc., by successfully obtaining an injunction against a former employee after providing that the employee violated his non-compete agreement and had stolen customer lists and other confidential, proprietary information belonging to the company after his resignation.

Defeated efforts by a former employer of a private individual client to obtain an injunction under a valid non-compete agreement by establishing and proving at an evidentiary hearing that the former employer had no legitimate business interests in obtaining injunction against his client, and then secured attorney's fees for the former employee when the case settled.

Successfully orchestrated the defense and settlements of numerous class-action overtime lawsuits brought under the Fair Labor Standard Act by former employees of South Florida clients throughout the federal courts in the United States District Courts for the Southern and Middle Districts.

Successfully orchestrated the defense and settlements of numerous claims brought under the Americans with Disabilities Act against South Florida clients throughout the federal courts in the United States District Courts for the Southern and Middle Districts.

Served as an arbitrator on over 50 arbitrations dealing with issues ranging from employment matters, complex commercial litigation matters and personal injury cases.

Seminars Presented (Highlights):

Employment Law Update in Florida, November 7, 2007

Small Business Workshop Series/Greater Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce, January 12, 2007

Family and Medical Leave Act Seminar, June 21, 2006

Payroll Management in Florida, June 3, 2004

Articles:

Harassment Is No Joke, But It May Start With One. Sun-Sentinel, November 29, 2007

More Employers Face Caregiver-Related Suits. USA Today, October 25, 2007

Handling Sexual Harassment. Rental Management, October 2007

What They' Are Not Telling You About Non-Compete Agreements. Health Leaders,   September 20, 2007

Non-Compete Agreements Not Iron-Clad. Florida Real Estate Journal, September 16-30,     2007

Avoiding Litigation That Will Keep You Awake At Night.  South Florida Business Journal,      August 10-16, 2007

It's Not Easier to Sue Boss. Sun-Sentinel, March 31, 2005

What New OT Rules Mean. South Florida Business Journal, July 16-22, 2004

Licensed to Practice: 

Florida
United States District Court for the Southern District
United States District Court for the Middle District
11th Circuit Court of Appeals