Overview

Greg Brown takes a transactional approach to litigation, keeping a constant eye on the economic rationale of every case, while collaborating with clients on their overall business goals.

Greg’s practice primarily focuses on what he calls, “business divorce” – partnership disputes, business separations and non-compete litigation. He has litigated some of the most significant cases in the state under Florida’s non-compete statute, and has several trial and appellate victories to his credit, on which he is often asked to lecture. His practice also includes real estate-related commercial and construction litigation, concentrating in the representation of homebuilders, developers and contractors. He also focuses a portion of his practice on representing sureties in contract and commercial bond matters, and creditors in bankruptcy proceedings.

Greg has represented several of the nation’s largest homebuilders in matters ranging from class action defect litigation to turnover and post-turnover homeowner association disputes, and has secured defense verdicts and judgments in recent multi-million dollar jury and non-jury trials. He also successfully argued a bankruptcy appeal firmly establishing the superiority of a surety’s equitable rights to contract proceeds over the claim of a Chapter 7 bankruptcy trustee, creating significant national precedent.

He is active in the community, concentrating most of his efforts on public education initiatives. Greg is a past president of the John B. Gorrie Foundation. He proudly helped to found a statewide moot court program, the Robert J. Simms Mock Trial Competition, and Hill Ward Henderson’s Scholarship Program.

Greg, who has four children, has been a baseball and soccer coach for all of his children’s teams, a den leader and an avid supporter of the Plant High School Chorus Program and the Pink Panthers a cappella group. He coached the Riverview High School Mock Trial Team for over a decade, leading them to seven consecutive county championships, one state final, several top-five finishes and one top-15 national finish. Greg also remains involved with the University of Pennsylvania and University of Florida alumni associations.

Honors

  • AV Preeminent® Rating, Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review
  • Florida Law Related Education Association: Attorney of the Year (2000, 2005)
  • Florida Super Lawyers (2007-2024)
  • Florida Trend’s Legal Elite (2009-2011, 2013-2014, 2019, 2021)
  • Florida Trend’s Legal Elite - Up and Comers (2007-2008)
  • Hillsborough County Bar Association: Outstanding Young Lawyer (2005)
  • Order of the Barrister
  • Super Lawyers Business Edition (2009-2015)
  • The Best Lawyers in America® (2013-2025)

Credentials & Experience

Education

University of Pennsylvania, B.A., 1990

University of Florida College of Law, J.D., 1996, cum laude: Justice Campbell Thornal Moot Court Board

Bar Admissions

American Bar Association

The Florida Bar

Hillsborough County Bar Association

Federal Bar Association

Tampa Bay Bankruptcy Bar Association

Court Admissions

All Florida State Courts

All Federal Courts in Florida

Professional & Civic

Community & Professional

  • John B. Gorrie Foundation Board: President (2015)
  • The Florida Bar: Civil Procedures Committee Member
  • The Florida Bar Foundation: Board of Directors
  • Leadership Tampa Graduate
  • Palma Ceia Golf & Country Club 

Newsroom

News & Insights

Articles & Publications

  • "FTC’s Proposed Rule to Ban Noncompetes May Have Significant Effect on Healthcare Industry" HR Daily Advisor, June 29, 2023
  • “Indemnity Lawsuits – Being Practical While Chasing the Money” (Michelle Smith Cotto, Jodi Smith, Wendy Clime, Emily W. Morrell, co-authors/presenters).  Southern Surety & Fidelity Claims Conference, April, 2015. 
  • “Negotiating and Drafting Effective Indemnity Agreements: Enforcing Rights of the Surety, Holding the Surety Harmless, and Overcoming Defenses to Indemnifying the Surety." Co-Presenter, ACI Conference, 2012. 
  • “To Serve & Protect: A Surety’s Obligations, Rights and Best Practices When Handling Disputed Claims” (Bennett Acuff, co-presenter). 23rd Annual Southern Surety & Fidelity Claims Conference, April, 2012.
  • “Putting Excessive Attorneys’ Fees Claims Out to Pasture – Relying on a Statutory Cap to Prevent Motor Vehicle Dealer Bond Sureties From Being Milked Like Cash Cows.” (Erik Raines, Gary Horst, co-presenters). 23rd Annual Southern Surety & Fidelity Claims Conference, April, 2012.
  • “Legal Project Management for the Surety Client.” Presenter, 22nd Annual Southern Surety & Fidelity Claims Conference, 2011.
  • “State Statutory Requirements Concerning Fidelity Bonding and D & O Insurance for Condominium Associations & Home Owners’ Associations.” Presenter, 22nd Annual Southern Surety & Fidelity Claims Conference, 2011. 
  • "You are Cordially Invited... to Wisconsin: Litigating the Mortgage Fraud Fidelity Claim on Friendly Turf." (Paige Greenlee, Bennett Acuff, co-presenters). 21st Annual Southern Surety & Fidelity Claims Conference, April, 2010. 
  • Direct Examination. (Erik Raines, co-author). Chapter 10, Florida Civil Trial Practice 8th Edition, 2010.
  • Southern Surety and Fidelity Claims Conference Publications, 2000-2007
    • Surety Update. (April, 2007). 
    • Protecting Your Indemnity Rights and Collecting on Your Judgments. (April, 2006). 
    • The Surety's Right to Indemnification; and What is Good Faith Anyway. (April, 2005). 
    • Chapter 10: Direct Examination, Florida Civil Trial Practice, 7th Ed. 2005
    • Clapper, Cone and National Fire: Oh Equitable Subrogation Rights, Wherefore Art Thou? (April, 2004)
    • Perils and Promise of Common Law Bonds: Limiting the Scope of Eligible Payment Bond Claims. (April, 2003). 
    • Recent Developments in Fidelity Law. (April, 2002) 
    • The Surety Update. (April, 2001). 
    • Subsequent Remedial Measures: How to Handle the Typical (and Not so Typical) Occurrences in Your Principal's Bankruptcy Case. (April, 2000). 

Published Decisions

  • Hakes v. Orlando’s Auto Specialists, Inc.
    77 So.3d 196 (Table, Text in WESTLAW), Unpublished Disposition 2011 WL 6793974 5D10-2375
    District Court of Appeal of Florida, Fifth District. December 20, 2011
  • Lennar Homes, LLC v. Priority Developers, Inc.
    3 So.3d 1255 (Table, Text in WESTLAW), Unpublished Disposition 2009 WL 622951 2D08-3484
    District Court of Appeal of Florida, Second District. March 11, 2009
  • In re Steve A. Clapper & Associates of Fla.
    339 B.R. 789 2006 WL 617994 ADV. 00-438, 2:04-CV424FTM33DNF, BANKR. 9:99BK13102AL
    United States District Court, M.D. Florida, Fort Myers Division. March 10, 2006
  • Capitol Indem. Corp. v. Heidkamp
    312 B.R. 437 2003 WL 23643606 2:01-CV-427FTM
    United States District Court, M.D. Florida, Fort Myers Division. May 05, 2003
  • Nova information Systems, Inc. v. Greenwich Ins. Co.
    Not Reported in F.Supp.2d 2002 WL 32075792 6:00CV1703ORL31 KRS
    United States District Court, M.D. Florida. December 13, 2002
  • U.S. ex rel. Alderson v. Quorum Health Group, Inc.
    171 F.Supp.2d 1323 2001 WL 1480549 8:99-CV-413-T-23TGW
    United States District Court, M.D. Florida, Tampa Division. November 08, 2001
  • Poe v. Hillsborough County
    695 So.2d 672 1997 WL 268914 90,223
    Supreme Court of Florida. May 22, 1997
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