Eric S. Adams

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 pending in Orange County, Florida.

Intellectual Property Litigation

Both individuals and businesses have turned to him for cases involving copyrights, trademarks and patents. He has also litigated matters involving trade secrets and other intellectual property for clients, 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. He is AV-rated by Martindale-Hubbell and was recently named as a 2009 Legal Elite by Florida Trend and as a 2009 Florida Super Lawyer.

Industry & Community Activities

He is an active member of industry organizations, including the American Bar Association’s Tort and Insurance Practice Section, The Florida Bar Civil Procedure Rules Committee, and the Hillsborough County Bar Association’s Trial Lawyers Section.

Mr. Adams also supports organizations in the Tampa community.  Currently, he is on the board of directors of The Tampa Connection, Inc., having previously served as its chairperson, vice-chair and secretary.  He previously served on the board of directors for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay, Inc.; and Bay Area Legal Services.

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
• Florida Super Lawyers, selected for inclusion:  2008, 2009, 2010