Trenam

People First. Lawyers Second.

Patrick M. Causey

Shareholder

St. Petersburg
200 Central Avenue
Suite 1600
St. Petersburg FL 33701


Direct Line: (727) 824-6157

Fax: 727-820-3971

Email: pcausey@trenam.com

Patrick M. Causey

Overview

Patrick is a civil trial lawyer. He represents clients in a variety of commercial matters including franchise disputes, non-competition and confidentiality agreements, breach of contract, class actions, fraud, commercial torts and trade secrets litigation. Patrick also dedicates a significant portion of his practice to defending lawyers in legal malpractice cases. Additionally, Patrick has experience assisting clients obtain and protect intellectual property rights in Federal Court and in front of the United States Trademark and Patent Office, with a particular emphasis on trademarks.

Representative Clients

Commercial Litigation

  • Represented a fork lift manufacturer in breach of contract matters against vendors, customers and competitors
  • Represented a medical supply company in litigation against a former executive and his new employer for breaching a non-competition and confidentiality agreement and misappropriation of trade secrets
  • Represented a Fortune 500 company in litigation involving allegations of trade secret misappropriation
  • Represented financial institution in dispute over fraudulently issued check; obtained summary judgment on key claims raised by the plaintiff, which led to a favorable settlement for the client
  • Represented a physician’s association accused of violating Florida's Fair Debt Collection Practices Act
  • Defended corporations against charges of violating Federal and Florida consumer protection statutes

Legal Malpractice Defense

  • Represented a lawyer and law firm sued for legal malpractice in connection with a malicious prosecution matter. Successfully obtained summary judgment on damage claims totaling $60 million and helped obtain settlement for client on favorable terms, avoiding trial
  • Represented a lawyer and law firm sued for legal malpractice and breach of fiduciary duty in a claim brought by the FDIC. The case was successfully appealed in favor of the lawyer and firm at the 11th Circuit
  • Represented a lawyer and law firm sued for legal malpractice, breach of fiduciary duty and fraud in connection with business advice provided to an attorney going through a divorce
  • Represented international law firm in legal malpractice action involving the sale of a multi-million property
  • Represented a lawyer and law firm sued for legal malpractice, breach of fiduciary duty, and fraud in connection with litigation over the sale of a multi-million dollar business
  • Represented a lawyer and law firm sued for legal malpractice and breach of fiduciary duty in connection with a trademark infringement action. Obtained dismissal of $80 million in damage claims and a settlement on favorable terms for the client avoiding trial
  • Represented a law firm sued for violating Federal and Florida Fair Debt Collection Practices statutes

Intellectual Property

  • Represented a manufacturer of e-cigarettes in several litigation matters involving enforcing trademark and other intellectual property rights
  • Represented a water excavation company in litigation before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board against a former employee and competitor who sought to obtain a trademark on the client’s proprietary information. Successfully obtained a dismissal of the trademark application for fraud on the TTAB
  • Represented a nutritional bar company identify and acquire three trademarks for its business name and primary slogan
  • Represented a local boutique market protect its common law copyrights against competitor infringing the same
  • Represented a bank against third parties using the bank’s trademarks in connection with a fraudulent investment scheme.

Honors and Distinctions

  • AV Preeminent Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell
  • Florida Super Lawyers, Rising Star 2015-2018

Professional Involvement

  • St. Petersburg Bar Association
  • American Bar Association
  • The Florida Bar
  • Hillsborough County Bar Association
    • Young Lawyers Division
  • Defense Research Institute
    • Trial Tactics Committee, Membership Chair
    • Deposition Institue Program, Vice-Chair, 2017

Community Involvement

  • The Kind Mouse Board of Directors, 2017
  • Greenlight Pinellas, Business Litigation Council, 2013-2014
  • Pediatric Cancer Foundation, Johny Ferlita Memorial Fishing Tournament, Planning Committee, 2012
  • YMCA Youth Basketball Coach, 2010-2013

Publications

Presentations

  • "Best Practices to Avoid Legal Malpractice Claims," Speaker, Hillsborough County Bar Association Martial and Family CLE, October 2018.
  • "Best Practices for Consumer Protection Statutes," Presenter, Tampa Bay Association for Financial Professionals Quarterly Conference, October 2018.
  • "Best Practices to Avoid Legal Malpractice," Presenter, Worklaw Networking Meeting, October 2017.
  • "Who's Coming With Me? Ethical Considerations Facing Lawyers Switching Firms," Presenter, Annual Florida Bar Board of Governors Meeting, July 2017.
  • "Best Practices to Avoid Legal Malpractice Claims," Speaker, DRI Trial Tactics Seminar, March 2017.
  • "Discovery to Expect in a Legal Malpractice Case Against You: Avoiding Future Issues," Speaker, Florida Bar Young Lawyers Division, Basic Discovery CLE, 2015.
  • "10 Best Practices to Avoid a Legal Malpractice Claim," Speaker, DRI Trial Tactics Webinar, 2015.
  • Judicial Panel Moderator, Florida Bar Young Lawyer Practicing with Professionalism CLE, 2014, 2015.

Patrick M. Causey

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