Lanny Russell is a partner in the Jacksonville office of Shutts & Bowen LLP, where he is a member of the Construction Litigation Practice Group.
With more than 35 years of experience in trials, mediations, and arbitrations, Lanny focuses his practice on complex construction and commercial disputes. He represents owners, developers, contractors, design professionals, and lenders in high‑value matters arising from real estate development and brokerage, vertical and horizontal construction, insurance coverage, accounting issues tied to project delivery, banking, and fiduciary relationships. His work spans contract and defect litigation, payment and performance disputes, administrative law claims affecting construction projects, and related appeals and class actions.
Lanny’s achievements have been repeatedly recognized at the highest levels. Best Lawyers in America named him “Jacksonville Lawyer of the Year” in Litigation‑Construction in 2021, 2018, 2015, and 2013, as well as in Bet‑the‑Company Litigation in 2020 and Litigation‑Banking and Finance in 2016 and 2014. His broader leadership and service to the judiciary and bar include twice serving on the Jacksonville General Counsel Selection Committee, serving as special counsel to the Florida Judicial Qualification Commission, and serving as Middle District Representative to the Eleventh Circuit Judicial Conference. He has also been published on real property litigation topics. The Jacksonville Bar Association recognized him as Lawyer of the Year in 2001.
REPRESENTATIVE MATTERS:
- Representation of real estate developers and their principal in defense of consolidated civil racketeering and fraud action in connection with sale of high-end residential real estate to approximately 100 individuals.
- Representation in multistate class action based on alleged misrepresentations and improper billing against a telecommunications company.
- Representation of owner of chain of grocery stores against an investment advisor for misrepresenting value of company during an acquisition.
- Representation of institutional lender in obtaining $24 million dollar judgment against borrower and collection of that judgment through locating and seizing borrower’s account in Swiss bank.
- Representation of Florida Judicial Qualifications Commission in connection with formal charges against three judges that led to two resignations and one removal, all affirmed by the Supreme Court of Florida.
- Representation of hotel developer in obtaining arbitration award against general contractor, final judgment against engineer and settlement of claims against architect arising out of defective design and construction of developer’s hotel.
- Representation of convenience store chain in obtaining injunction against 35 competitor stores requiring those stores’ compliance with the Florida Motor Fuel Practices Act.
- Representation of a governmental agency in the investigation of a failed sale of a utility authority.
- Lead counsel in lawsuit regarding COVID-19 loss of attraction coverage against an organization’s insurers.
- Lead counsel representing a high education institution in a lawsuit against a contractor, architect and subcontractor regarding the foundation failure of a three-building structure.
Credentials
Education
- University of Florida Levin College of Law, with honors, J.D., 1980
- Order of the Coif
- Senior Executive Editor, University of Florida Law Review
- University of South Florida, B.A., cum laude, Political Science, 1976
Bar Admissions
- Florida
Court Admissions
- U.S. Supreme Court
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
- U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida
Professional and Civic
- The Florida Bar
- Constitutional Judiciary Committee
- Florida Supreme Court Certified Circuit Court Mediator
- Chester Bedell Inn of Court, Emeritus
- Eleventh Circuit Historical Society, Inc., Trustee
- Florida Judicial Qualification Commission, Special Counsel
- Florida Supreme Court Committee on Standard Jury Instructions
- Fourth Judicial Circuit Grievance Commission, Chair
- Middle District of Florida, Grievance Committee
- Hubbard House Foundation, Inc., Board of Directors, Vice President
- Jacksonville Area Legal Aid, Inc., Board of Directors and Counsel
- Jacksonville Bar Association
- Professionalism Committee, Chair
- Fourth Judicial Circuit Professionalism Panel
- Jacksonville Public Library Board of Trustees, Chair
- University of North Florida, Vice Chair
- Middle District Court's Grievance Committee
- Fellow of the American Bar Foundation
- Fourth Judicial Circuit Judicial Nominating Commission (JNC)
Publications
Publications
- Florida Law Review – Criminal Procedure: Prosecutorial Carte Blanche in the Plea Bargain Process
- Florida Law Review – Foreign Trade Zones: “Everything Except the Customs?”
Practice Areas
Accolades
- The Best Lawyers in America®
- Lawyer of the Year, Litigation-Construction (2021, 2018, 2015, 2013)
- Lawyer of the Year, Bet-The-Company Litigation (2020)
- Lawyer of the Year, Litigation-Banking and Finance (2016, 2014)
- AV® Preeminent™ Rating, Martindale-Hubbell
- Florida Trend Legal Elite
- Florida Super Lawyers
- Jacksonville Bar Association, Lawyer of the Year (2001)
