Brigid Merenda

Overview

Brigid Merenda is a shareholder in the firm’s Litigation and Dispute Resolution Group and serves as the firm’s general counsel. An experienced trial lawyer, Brigid has handled cases for clients in diverse areas, including complex litigation, health care and medical staff privileges litigation, shareholder disputes, and employment law, including non-compete, trade secrets, and Title VII matters. She has also represented limited liability companies (LLCs) and corporations in general business litigation matters, assisted clients in investigations and civil enforcement proceedings brought by the SEC and the FTC, and has counseled clients in arbitration proceedings generally and those conducted before the American Arbitration Association and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA).

Representative Matters

• Represented Grammy Award winning music group and the owner of its intellectual property in a successful trademark ownership (and infringement) trial regarding use and ownership of the band’s name, blocking the improper use of the group’s name by a former, founding member of the group, and obtained a worldwide preliminary and permanent injunction.  This matter has been appealed to and affirmed twice by the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals.
• Represented business owners in resolving Federal Trade Commission investigation related to consumer advertising claims resulting in settlement to avoid seven figure fines.
• Represented business owner in the prosecution of securities fraud, breach of fiduciary duty and other claims related to the purchase of interest in an LLC.
• Represented shareholder in derivative suit for dissolution, breach of fiduciary duties and fraud regarding sale of surgical center and operation of medical entity.
• Represented university in federal court defending against claims of discrimination and prevailed in multi-week jury trial on claims of discrimination as well as counterclaims on university’s behalf.
• Prevailed before the Second District Court of Appeal upholding jury verdict in favor of university after multi-week jury trial involving claims of discrimination.
• Prevailed before the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals upholding jury verdict in favor of university after multi-week jury trial involving claims of discrimination by the university.
• Obtained temporary injunction against former employees and competitor for breach of noncompetition agreement and tortious interference on behalf of software manufacturer.
• Prevailed before the Fourth District Court of Appeal in complete reversal of multi-million dollar jury verdict leading to favorable settlement for business owner.
• Represented and counseled physicians involved in administrative peer review proceedings related to the maintenance and renewal of the physicians staff privileges.
• Represented international pool equipment manufacturer and distributor in arbitration proceedings before the American Arbitration Association in prosecuting non-competition agreements and claims of tortious interference against competitor.
• Represented former owners of companies in prosecuting claims against buyers for breach of earnout provisions.

Honors and Distinctions

• Tampa Magazine’s Top Lawyers List, 2023
• AV® Preeminent Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell
• The Best Lawyers in America, Commercial Litigation; Employment Law – Management; Labor & Employment Litigation, 2021-2024
• Florida Super Lawyers, 2016-2023
  • Florida Super Lawyers, Rising Star 2009-2015
• Florida Trend’s Legal Elite, 2016-2020, 2022
  • Florida Legal Elite, Up & Comer, 2007, 2008, 2013
• Top 30 Under 30 Professionals, Tampa Bay Business Journal, 2004
• Leadership Tampa Bay
• Tampa Connection
• University of South Florida women’s varsity basketball team, 1993-1997
  • Team captain, 1997

Professional Involvement

• Hillsborough County Bar Association, Young Lawyer’s Division
• American Bar Association
• Florida Bar Business Law Section Executive Committee

Community Involvement

• Leadership Tampa Bay Class of 2007
• USF Varsity Club Board of Directors
  • Past President, July 2019-June 2020
  • President, July 2017-June 2019
  • Secretary, 2010-2016
• USF Alumni Association Board of Directors – Athletics Representative, July 2018-June 2020
• USF Hall of Fame Selection Committee, 2019-Present
• New Tampa YMCA
  • New Tampa Family YMCA Volunteer of the Year, 2018
• Salesian Youth Center Board of Directors
• USF Property Corporation
• USF Financing Corporation, Past Chair
• Radio Color Analyst for USF Women’s Basketball Home Games, October 2012-Present
• Corpus Christi Catholic School, Parent Teacher Committee President, July 2019-Present