Eric S. Adams

When it comes to finance and commerce, Eric S. Adams speaks the language of his clients. With his accounting experience and economics degree, Mr. Adams understands the issues that affect businesses.   He is a partner in Shutts & Bowen's Tampa office where he practices in the firm's Litigation Practice Group.  He focuses on four primary litigation areas: construction, real estate, intellectual property and commercial.

Construction Litigation

In the construction industry, Mr. Adams works with owners, contractors, and insurers to address disputes.  He has extensive experience with design, defect, delay, and insurance coverage aspects of construction litigation, as well as issues related to the interplay of liability between architects, engineers, and contractors.  Mr. Adams’ construction litigation efforts include hurricane-related moisture-intrusion cases, as well as litigation involving Florida Building Commission product approval, large public works projects, and coastal residential tower projects involving complicated product and insurance coverage issues.

Real Estate Litigation

In real estate, Mr. Adams works with owners, developers, builders, and Community Development Districts (CDDs) on dispute matters. He also has extensive experience in eminent domain and inverse condemnation matters, as well as easement and property boundary disputes.  Mr. Adams’ real estate litigation experience includes involvement in the Pinecastle Jeep Range cases in Orange County, Florida.

Intellectual Property Litigation

Both individuals and businesses have turned to him for cases involving copyrights, trademarks and patents. He has litigated matters involving trade secrets and other intellectual property, while also helping to enforce or to defend the enforcement of non-competition agreements.  Mr. Adams’ intellectual property litigation experience includes representing builders in copyright cases, centering around alleged home design infringement.

Commercial Litigation

Business torts and director and officer liability are two areas where Mr. Adams serves his general business clients.  He also represents them in insurance cases and against charges involving Florida and federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, among other areas.

Background

Mr. Adams served as an accountant with Coopers & Lybrand (now Price Waterhouse Coopers), before joining Shutts & Bowen.

Reported Opinions

• Kraft Co., Inc. v. J & H Marsh & McLennan of Florida, Inc., 2006 WL 1876995 (M.D.Fla.2006)
• Marsh U.S.A., Inc. v. Walpole, Inc., 2005 WL 2372006 (M.D.Fla. 2005)
• Healthcare Parking Systems of America, Inc. v. Midili and Hospital Parking Remedies, Inc., 853 So. 2d 418 (Fla. 2d DCA 2003)
• Martin v. Mentor Corp., 142 F.Supp.2d 1346 (M.D.Fla. 2001)
• Hunt Ridge at Tall Pines, Inc. v. Hall, 766 So.2d 399 (Fla. 2d DCA 2000)
• Sutherlund ex rel. Sutherland v. Pell, 738 So.2d 1016 (Fla. 2d DCA 1999)
• Kinney v. University Community Hospital, Inc., 718 So.2d 183 (Fla. 2d DCA 1998)
• Spinelli v. Capital One Bank, 2009 WL 700705 (M.D. Fla. March 14, 2009)

Recognition

• Martindale Hubbell A-V Rated
• Florida Trend's Florida Legal Elite, selected for inclusion: 2006, 2007,  2008, 2009, 2010, 2011
• Florida Super Lawyers, selected for inclusion:  2008, 2009, 2010, 2011

Education

• Florida State University, J.D., cum laude, 1996
• Marshall University, B.B.A., magna cum laude, Economics & Spanish, 1992
• University of Oxford (Christ Church) England, 1990
• University of Valencia, Spain, 1991

Bar Admissions

• The Florida Bar

Court Admissions

• U.S. District Court for the Northern, Middle and Southern Districts of Florida
• U.S. Court of Appeals, 11th Circuit

Affiliations

• American Bar Association
• Hillsborough County Bar Association
• Bay Area Legal Services, Board of Directors (2003 - 2007)
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa, Inc., Board of Directors (2002 - 2006)
• Tampa Connection, Board of Directors (2005 to present), Secretary (2006), Vice Chair (2007), and Chair (2008)