Attorney At Law • Managing Partner
Board Certified • Business Litigation
Robert Eckard is the founding partner in this litigation firm. He established the firm in 2000 after leaving the State Attorney’s Office, 6th Judicial Circuit, where he prosecuted both felony and misdemeanor criminal cases and is Board Certified in Business Litigation by the Florida Bar (less than 300 lawyers in the State of Florida are Board Certified in Business Litigation). Rob’s background, training and experience in both business litigation and criminal defense makes him uniquely qualified in handling business crimes. He has tried over 40 jury trials and over 100 bench trials. From 2000-2005 Mr. Eckard handled employment litigation cases.
In the area of civil litigation, Rob has litigated cases against government entities such as the United States Federal Trade Commission, the United States Securities And Exchange Commission, the Internal Revenue Service, the Florida Attorney General’s Office, the United States Treasury Office. Rob has also litigated cases involving: Non-Compete Agreements, Trade Secret Agreements, Automotive Floor Plan Agreements, Unfair Deceptive Trade Practices, Civil RICO, Telemarketing Sales Rule and Do Not Call Violations (TCPA).
In the area of criminal defense, Rob has represented individuals, both targets and witnesses, in state and federal courts in Florida and around the country. His representation has included cases involving, grand jury proceedings, drug related charges, Trading with the Enemy Act, bribery, conspiracy, health care fraud, securities fraud, embezzlement, visa fraud and other white collar crimes and parallel proceedings.
Rob’s past and present clients include a commercial airline, commercial national automobile dealer franchises, commercial trucking company, professional athletes, financial services company, restaurants, private equity lenders, real estate development companies, sports memorabilia company, health/fitness clubs, marketing agency, telemarketing companies (both national and international), national fire and water restoration company, insurance companies and insurance agents, churches, agricultural business’ and an entertainment service company.
BACKGROUND & EDUCATION
Robert Eckard is a native of New York and has been living in Florida for over 30 years. Rob is a 1998 graduate of Stetson University College of Law (honors). He also holds an LL.M. degree in International Law and Business from Stetson University College of Law. Rob was a former member of the US/Cuba Legal Forum, a not for profit organization designed to foster ties with Cuban Lawyers in Cuba, to normalize trade relations between the United States and Cuba and to explore legal issues effecting U.S. entities doing or wishing to do business there.
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS & ADMISSIONS
He was admitted to the Florida Bar in 1999 and is admitted to practice in Washington, D.C. and admitted to practice in Texas and before the United States District Court for the Middle, Northern and Southern District of Florida, the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals, the Florida Supreme Court, the United States Court of International Trade, the United States Supreme Court, and the United States Tax Court.
AWARDS & DISTINCTIONS
Rob has been nominated to Florida Trend’s Legal Elite in Commercial Litigation in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019 and 2020.
In 2015, Rob was appointed by the Pasco County Board of County Commissioners to the Pasco County Charter Advisory Board.
From 2017-2019, Rob served on the Florida Bar’s 6th Judicial Circuit Grievance Committee.
Rob was selected as a Super Lawyer for excellence in practice. Only 5 percent of the attorneys in Florida are selected to Super Lawyers in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021.
