BUSINESS LITIGATION AND BUSINESS LAW

Lawyer Michael Cavendish has practiced law in downtown Jacksonville, Florida since the late 1990s, and in 2017 founded Cavendish Partners, P.A.

We work in federal and state courts, in northeast Florida and beyond. Listed annually in Best Law Firms in America, we are known for complex commercial litigation.

We go to court for companies, both very large and very small, as well as for entrepreneurs, executives, shareholders, investors, and landowners. Our clients are nearby, and also in every corner of the United States. From offices in downtown Jacksonville, we work closely with referring attorney colleagues. We measure our longest referring attorney relations in decades.

Our aim, our purpose, is representing you in the manner you deserve.

Whether you are local in the communities of Jacksonville, or further removed, we offer legal representation informed by intelligence, prudence, and common sense.

When you need representation in a business lawsuit, or business legal advice, find out how Cavendish partners with you.

WHO WE ARE

Cavendish Partners, P.A. is listed each year in the peer-reviewed Best Law Firms in America and Michael Cavendish is listed in the peer-reviewed Best Lawyers in America, in each of our primary practices:

Commercial Litigation

Banking and Finance Litigation

Real Estate Litigation

WHO WE REPRESENT

We deliver our services to leading individuals who demand experience, savvy, prudence, and good management of legal projects from their lawyer. We represent large corporations, small start-ups, and state and local governments.

Our roster of active clients includes manufacturers, finance companies, banks, real estate investors, inventors, IT companies, non-profits, and well-known corporate giants.

ABOUT MICHAEL CAVENDISH

Michael Cavendish has practiced law in downtown Jacksonville since 1998. He is named annually to the U.S. News listing of the "Best Lawyers in America." Since the launch of his firm, Cavendish Partners, P.A., U.S. News has awarded the firm the Best Law Firms in America designation every year.

For more than two decades, Michael’s clients have included corporations ranging in size from Fortune 100 market leaders to closely-held family businesses, private individuals, state agencies, and municipal bodies.

Michael’s legal work and legal writing has appeared in the proceedings of the United States Senate, the Florida Senate, as well as in the permanent research annotations of the Florida Statutes and the Florida Arbitration Code.

He is the winner of two awards from The Florida Bar, the Sanders Award for Legal Writing (2000) and the Crumbley Award for Legal Management (2010).

He holds an AV-Preeminent designation from Martindale- Hubbell, and he currently serves as a Master in the St. Augustine Inn of Court.

Michael is a graduate of the University of Florida College of Law, Order of the Coif, and received his bachelor's degree from Florida State University, where he is a member of the FSU Varsity Club.

OUR AREAS OF PRACTICE

Commercial Litigation

Corporation, LLC, and Partnership Disputes

Appeals

Environmental Litigation

Financial Services and Banking Disputes

IRS Liability Based FACTA | FBar | Crypto

Property Rights and Real Estate

Shareholder, Director, and Officer Claims

Trademark and Trade Secret Litigation

RECENT CLIENT RESULTS

Enforcement of covenant not to compete - Judgment for Employer

Defense of contract to develop real property - Judgment for Defendant

Enforcement of contract for marketing services - Judgment for Plaintiff

Enforcement of asset purchase agreement - settlement for Plaintiff

Enforcement of trade secret rights - Judgment for Plaintiff

Defense of environmental indemnity contract - Judgment for Defendant

Enforcement of aviation services software contract - settlement for Plaintiff

Enforcement of financial product indemnity contract - Judgment for Plaintiff

Defense of first right of refusal contract to sell commercial real estate - settlement for Defendant

Defense of trade secret rights - Judgment for Defendant

Internal Investigation - alleged corporate fraud in insurance claim handling

Internal Investigation - alleged improper practices in environmental liability reporting

Internal Investigation - alleged improper management actions by executive supervising employees

LEGAL BUDGETING

Like other firms providing legal services in civil courts in the area of commercial litigation, we charge for our services according to hourly attorney fees that are invoiced on a monthly basis.

We enjoy a reputation for getting our projects done with efficiency and a lower than average legal expense, whether we are being compared firm to firm, or project to project.

Delivering financial satisfaction along with top-tier legal work is one reason why our firm enjoys numerous repeat clients, from the largest companies to the individual person needing legal assistance in business, real estate, or commercial matters, and frequent referrals, where other lawyers refer their valued clients to us for a special project.

APPEALS AND CERTIORARI

Our firm has successfully handled appeals in business and commercial disputes, constitutional and local government law, family law and dissolution of marriage proceedings, probate and guardianship law, and real property disputes.

Clients not advised by counsel who are facing an appeal should keep in mind that appeals have deadlines for the filing of briefs and lesser court papers which, if missed, can result in a loss or a failure to preserve an appellate argument. Because of this, our firm does not accept appellate engagements without the client’s signature on our firm’s engagemernt agreement which lists all such deadlines. Prospective appellate clients should not form the belief that merely sending an email or leaving a voice message with our law firm will result in our engagement as appellate counsel.

Referring counsel and clients seeking assistance with an appeal or appellate court representation may contact Michael Cavendish for more information.

REPRESENTING FLORIDA LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ON CERTIORARI

In matters of first- and second-tier certiorari review of decisions by agencies of local government, including city and county commissions, planning and zoning boards, and code enforcement boards, our firm represents Florida local governments—the public side of the certiorari challenge, exclusively.

We work with City and County Attorneys, City Managers, and local government administrative personnel, upon request, to counsel on the effective legal defense of certiorari challenges (and local code-based or statutory appeals to a circuit court), and we defend petitions for certiorari before Florida Circuit Courts and District Courts of Appeal.

Many of our firm’s successful engagements in defending local government against certiorari challenges have turned on our long experience in litigating matters of title, zoning, easement, land use, or riparian rights on behalf of Florida local governments. Effective certiorari practice depends on familiarity with private property law and the public-facing law of state and local government, combined with a nuanced understanding of standard of review and the permissible scope for certiorari actions.

In our certiorari practice, our firm has represented Florida local government agencies against petitioners ranging from large publicly-traded corporations to mid-market development and construction firms to individual landowners.

News

Cavendish Partners Re-Awarded "Best Law Firm in America" by U.S. News

November 3, 2024, New York, NY. Cavendish Partners, P.A. is has been re-awarded the “Best Law Firm in America” designation by U.S. News.

U.S. News has ranked the firm “Tier 1” in the market subspecialty of real estate litigation, and “Tier 3” in the commercial litigation, and banking and financing litigation subspecialties.

U.S. News is recognized as the leading, authoritative source of ratings and rankings information for U.S. law firms, hospitals, physicians, and other major institutions and professions. Cavendish Partners, P.A. has won this recognition every year since the firm’s 2017 launch.

Cavendish Wins for Complex Trust at Trial, Appeal, and Post-Trial

February 28, 2023, Jacksonville, FL. Cavendish Partners, P.A. brought a multi-year lawsuit to a successful conclusion, representing a complex family trust, by winning on all contested issues raised by parties attempting to dissolve the trust and seize trust assets; the firm prevailed at summary judgment, on appeal, and in post-appeal continued attempts at litigation.

Business Tort and Trade Secret Claims Involving Cryptocurrency Defeated

February 1, 2023, Tampa, FL. Cavendish Partners, P.A. joined with a coalition of legal counsel to defend the officers, directors, and shareholders of a $100MM technology sector startup against a federal lawsuit commenced by a rival accusing the defendants of misappropriation of trade secrets involving cryptocurrency technology, and illegal competition. The lawsuit against the Cavendish Firm clients was dismissed with prejudice.

Cavendish Recovers RICO Claim Funds

January 15, 2023, Orlando, FL. Cavendish Partners, P.A. successfully recovered on behalf of a client a sum exceeding $500,000, by pursuing a Civil RICO remedy against two business groups accused of illegal competition, aiding and abetting breaches of fiduciary duties, and Civil RICO violations, resulting in a favorable cash-based settlement.

MICHAEL CAVENDISH - BIO

Michael Cavendish practices law in the field of commercial litigation. His services for clients each year involve lawsuits and trial advocacy, out-of-court counseling and contracting, and conducting or defending investigations for private organizational clients.

Michael's litigation practice is concentrated in corporate law disputes, banking and commercial finance disputes, complex real property disputes, consumer class action and privacy disputes, IT and IP centered disputes, and complex contract, business tort and business unfair trade practices lawsuits.

Michael is listed annually in U.S. News' Best Lawyers in America in three areas of practice: commercial litigation, banking and finance litigation, and real estate litigation.

He has been A.V. rated by Martindale Hubbell since 2005, and is currently rated A.V. / Preeminent.

In addition to appearing in federal and state courts for clients in Northeast Florida, Michael has successfully represented clients requesting his counsel in lawsuits situated in New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Charlotte, Columbia, Indianapolis, Omaha, New Orleans, Dallas, Houston, Milwaukee and Los Angeles.

Michael maintains permanent attorney admissions to a variety of federal district courts in major U.S. cities and has appeared pro hac vice (by courtesy) in a number of U.S. jurisdictions.

Prior to opening Cavendish Partners in 2017, Michael practiced law with McGuireWoods, LLP, Gunster, Yoakley and Stewart, P.A., and Boyd & Jenerette, P.A.

Michael has served as a board member, committee member, or officer for the following organizations: American Bar Association, The Florida Bar, Jacksonville Bar Association, Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce, Jacksonville Transportation Authority, Museum of Contemporary Art - Jacksonville, Florida Humanities Council, Riverside Presbyterian Church, and Community Connections of Jacksonville.

OLDER NEWS

In 2021 Michael Cavendish was cited for the first time in the University of Chicago Law Review, in the article Trademark Law Pluralism, 88 U Chi, L. Rev. 1025 (Sept. 2021). Michael Cavendish has practiced in the area of trademark and intellectual property litigation in state and federal courts since 1999.

In 2020 Michael Cavendish and colleagues from the office of the City Attorney of the City of St. Augustine prevailed in a multi-year lawsuit concerning alleged private development rights pertaining to a major commercial development in the City’s historic quarter.

In 2019 with the release of the new legal opinion of Florida’s First District Court of Appeal in Managed Care of North America, Inc. v. Florida Healthy Kids Corporation, No. 1D16-5700 (Fla. 1st DCA March 20, 2019), Michael Cavendish and colleagues from the Gunster law firm obtained an appellate victory protecting the proprietary trade secrets of their client, a leading Florida health benefits provider.

In 2018 Michael Cavendish was cited for the first time in the Oklahoma Law Review, in the article by Robert T. Sherwin, Associate Professor of Law at Texas Tech University, 'Shoot First, Litigate Later: Declaratory Judgment Actions, Procedural Fencing, and Itchy Trigger Fingers,' 70 Okla. L. Rev. 793.

In 2017 the journal article by Michael Cavendish The Concept of Arbitrability Under the Florida Arbitration Code, 82 November Fla. Bar J. 10 (November 2008), was cited in Domke on Arbitration, the Nova Law Review, and the Lexis-Nexis practice guide Business Litigation in Florida, following an earlier selection of the work by the Florida First District Court of Appeal opinion in Perdido Key Island Resort Development, L.L.P. v. Regions Bank, No. 1D11–4009 (Fla. 1st DCA 2012), and inclusion of the writing in the proceedings of the Florida Senate.

In 2016 Michael Cavendish joined a civic delegation promoting Jacksonville's arts and industries in Bristol, United Kingdom, and co-lead a multi-day engagement between Jacksonville business and culture leaders, Jacksonville visual and performance artists, and their U.K. counterparts. The JAXBRS event coincided with the Jax Chamber's annual London goodwill visit, scheduled during the NFL Jaguars' game at Wembley Stadium.

In 2011 Michael Cavendish served a year as Chairman of a commission created by the Florida Legislature in SB 2470, the Northeast Florida Regional Transportation Study Commission.

In 2010 Michael Cavendish was involved in a human rights campaign that ended with the release of American hostage Aijalon Gomes from North Korea. Cavendish would later receive a written commendation from former President Jimmy Carter for his advocacy efforts.

In 2007 Michael Cavendish received an appellate court victory for his client, the petitioner in Goebert v. Lee County, FL, No. 06-10606 (U.S.C.A. 11th Circuit 2007). The Goebert opinion established a new constitutional law standard for the procedure for enforcing the rights of prisoners denied medical treatment. Since its release, the opinion has been cited by American courts, law journals, and secondary sourcebooks more than 1,000 times.

In 2006 Michael Cavendish was featured in the October 2nd edition of BusinessWeek discussing recent trial court work on mortgage repurchase obligations in the secondary mortgage market in the news story "Bad Blood Over Bad Loans."

OFFICE LOCATION

IN DOWNTOWN JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA

200 West Forsyth Street, Suite 1300, Jacksonville, FL 32202

HOW TO CONTACT US

To contact us to request a consultation, please use one of the following methods:

Email Telephone

mcavendish@cavpartners.com (904) 515-5110

Additional areas served in Metro Jacksonville: Arlington, Atlantic Beach, Baymeadows, Intracoastal West, Jacksonville Beach, Neptune Beach, Ponte Vedra Beach, Riverside and Avondale, San Jose

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