Brian Blair

Brian C. Blair has a national trial practice that includes a broad range of experience in complex commercial litigation, real estate and construction law. Brian has handled litigation in state and federal courts throughout Florida, and has served as lead counsel in cases in Texas, New York, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, Ohio, New Jersey, Kansas, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Pennsylvania and California.

Brian has broad experience in construction and commercial litigation representing and counseling real estate developers, hotel owners, restaurant owners, real estate investment trusts, shopping center owners, national retail chains, general contractors, subcontractors, and a wide variety of business owners through various contract issues, litigation, business torts, real estate litigation and statutory claims.

Brian also has experience litigating construction disputes, including claims for construction defects, delay damages, contract disputes, liens and insurance coverage issues. Brian is a frequent lecturer on various litigation topics and has been quoted in numerous publications, such as USA Today, The National Law Journal, Atlanta Business Chronicle, the Orlando Sentinel and Orlando Business Journal.

Experience :

• Represented one of the largest metropolitan cities in the South over claims related to defective construction of a water treatment plant built for the Olympic Games.
• Defended an international general contractor against claims asserted by a roadway subcontractor for public works construction related to widening of a major state highway.
• Served as counsel for multiple publicly traded or worldwide construction companies on construction claims and litigation associated with construction of one of the nation’s largest airport terminals and taxiways.
• Defended claims related to design and construction defects for large theme parks.
• Served as lead counsel for a national class action brought against a retail chain, involving 5,000 stores that were allegedly designed and constructed in violation of Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
• Served as lead counsel in defense of a class action brought under Florida’s Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act relating to gift cards, resulting in dismissal of action.
• Represented a Fortune 500 company in asserting claims for civil racketeering against a criminal enterprise consisting of a former executive and family members who devised an intricate marketing scheme to defraud our client out of millions of dollars.
• Represented the largest retail mall owner in the United States related to evictions of large anchor tenants along with defenses of counterclaims related to lost profits.
• Obtained summary judgment in favor of a Fortune 500 company defending claims brought by a party seeking lost profits from a billboard lease.

Memberships :

• American Bar Association, Litigation Section, Construction Law Section
• Federal Bar Association
• Florida Bar Association

Community :

• Rosen College of Hospitality Management: Advisory Board
• Red Cross of Central Florida , Past Board Member

Education :

• J.D., Samford University Cumberland School of Law, 1992; Editor-in-Chief and Associate Managing Editor, American Journal of Trial Advocacy; American Jurisprudence Book Awards, Torts II and Constitutional Law II; Phi Delta Phi
• B.A., University of Florida, 1989

Admissions :

• U.S. Supreme Court
• U.S. District Court, Northern District of Florida
• U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida
• U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida