Director
Tripp Scott
Paul O. Lopez, a director for Tripp Scott, has served as the law firm’s chief operating officer since 2017, and has chaired the firm’s Litigation Department since 2010.
Mr. Lopez has a national litigation and trial practice and regularly argues before federal and state courts on behalf of his various nationwide and local clients. Some professional recognition and highlights include:
- Fourth District Court of Appeal Judicial Nominating Commission 2019-present (appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis as a Florida Bar Appointee)
- Fourth District Court of Appeal Judicial Nominating Commission 2014-2018 (appointed by Gov. Rick Scott as a Florida Bar Appointee)
- Fourth District Court of Appeal Judicial Nominating Commission 2001-2010 (Chairperson 2007-08) (Gov. Jeb Bush and Gov. Charlie Crist Appointee)
- Commissioner 17th Circuit Judicial Nominating Commission 1999-2001 (Gov. Jeb Bush Appointee)
- Florida Business & Wealth, Leaders in the Law and selected as Lawyer of the Year in the category of Labor & Employment (2015)
- South Florida Legal Guide Top Lawyers in Florida in Business Litigation and Employment and Labor Law (2009-present)
- Florida Super Lawyers, Selected for Inclusion in categories of Business Litigation and Employment and Labor Law (2006-present)
- Florida Trend’s Florida Legal Elite, Selected for Inclusion in Labor & Employment law (multiple years)
- Executive Committee and Board Member of the Broward County Chapter of the Federal Bar Association (Treasurer, Vice-President, President-Elect and President (2010-11)
He has successfully litigated and tried numerous high-exposure jury and non-jury trials in both federal and state court throughout his career and has developed a reputation for being one of South Florida’s best trial lawyers and litigators. He has tried a wide variety of cases throughout his career for some of South Florida’s largest companies and employers such as ADT Security Services, Clear Channel Communications, the South Florida Water Management District and a host of other regional companies. Further, he has developed an expertise by way of his experience handling trials involving disputes between members and shareholders of corporations under Ch. 605 and Ch. 607 of the Florida Statutes including, but not limited to, prominent law firms in the South Florida community. A significant part of his practice also focuses on defending companies and investigating companies for claims for sexual harassment and race discrimination in the workplace, violations of the Family Medical Leave Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Fair Labor Standards Act. He has handled over hundred cases involving the enforcement or defense of non-compete agreements under Florida’s Non-Compete Statute 542.335 and the disclosure of trade secrets under Florida’s Trade Secret Act and its federal counterpart. Paul is likely one of the only lawyers in South Florida who has successfully litigated and tried cases involving violations of the Federal and Florida Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO). Additionally, he has vast experience handling cases involvingFlorida’s Private and Public Whistle Blower Acts, business partnership disputes, breach of licensing and royalty agreements, fraudulent misrepresentation, intellectual property disputes under the Federal Lanham Act. . He has successfully defended a number of class actions brought under the Fair Labor Standards Act and in connection with Florida’s Unfair and Deceptive Trade Practices Act on behalf of various clients. He has handled scores of evidentiary hearings for his clients to successfully secure or defend against the entry of preliminary injunctions in various business and employment disputes. Often times, companies retain him on the eve of trial to serve as lead counsel when the facts of a case are extremely challenging and the exposure is significant. Lopez prides himself on his track record before judges and juries and his ability to take a complex set of facts and make them understandable to judges and juries in order secure a just verdict or result for his clients.
Additionally, judges seek his counsel and involvement in particularly complex cases by appointing him to serve as a Special Master to oversee discovery and to assist the court with various other pre-trial motions in these cases. Lopez is a Supreme Court Certified Mediator and Qualified Arbitrator. In that regard, Judges have appointed him to serve as an arbitrator in over a hundred cases throughout his career and routinely appoint him to serve as a mediator in difficult cases.
Having over 25 years of experience litigating business and employment disputes, Paul also uses these skills to draft and negotiate various agreements for his clients, including vendor and licensing agreements and agreements between companies and their employees. He routinely negotiates and drafts high-level executive compensation and severance packages and reviews and edits his clients’ written employment policies and handbooks.
His clients seek his counsel and experience many times prior to implementing layoffs in the workplace to seek his opinion and advice regarding their potential exposure when terminating employees who fall into certain protected classes. Lopez also frequently provides training to his corporate clients in the areas of pre-suit dispute resolution, workplace anti-harassment and anti-discrimination policies. He also lectures and writes prolifically in these areas.
His clients range from Fortune 500 companies such as Covidien, ADT Security Services, Clear Channel Communications, AutoNation, Enterprise Fleet Leasing, Inc., to governmental entities such as the South Florida Water Management District, to mid-sized regional companies with revenues between $25 to $500 million dollars and high-net worth individuals and entrepreneurs.