Tim Danninger, a Gunster shareholder and member of the firm’s Business Litigation practice, has an approach to his cases that’s both old-fashioned and effective. A key aspect of his performance in court, and an essential element of his view of litigation, is simple – but not easy: hard work and dedication to always do his best in all things. He strives to be the most prepared, most knowledgeable lawyer involved in every case he handles. The record this practice has helped him create speaks for itself.

Tim is a commercial litigator whose cases have addressed everything from commercial airliner ownership to real estate issues to contract, toxic tort, and trust litigation. The bulk of his time, however, is focused on large-scale, multi-district litigation over product liability. In the course of this, he does all the things virtually every trial lawyer does – he solves problems. He litigates claims. He manages a team, tries cases, and works to resolve cases favorably for his clients. With a science-focused background, he works with expert witnesses to understand and simplify complex scientific and financial theories and concepts.

He also, however, brings an extraordinary level of effort, focus and attention to detail to his cases, which often give him the crucial, seemingly-small edge that can lead to success. Both inside and outside of the office, he pursues and absorbs information relentlessly. He plans, strategizes, and works hard in pursuit of anything that can deliver an advantage.

He also loves the challenge, and the competition, of the courtroom. If you ask him, he will tell you, straight up, that he’ll fight over anything – except marriage and crime. This energy is powered and enabled by a work ethic based on striving to be the most knowledgeable person in the room. This exhaustive preparation is fundamental to not only tactical courtroom issues, but also helps him advise clients on broader strategic issues.

Tim is as much a counselor as he is an advocate, and typically understands, in depth, his clients’ broader business goals. He is known for asking, “Why don’t we do it this way?” and often enough, the client concurs. He strives to find the weak points in an opponent’s case, get the leverage he needs, and have the negotiations necessary to work the case out. In every case he posits, “What would I do in this situation to win my opponent’s case?” He analyzes the other side’s case as well as his own, which he believes works to his advantage.

And yet, for Tim, it all comes back to the simple, remarkable game-changing power of hard work. By applying that, he delivers results for his clients.

• Served as lead counsel for plaintiff Continental Financial Services, LLC in a $5.8 million jury verdict regarding a contract dispute with Comcast
• Represented the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor of a 790-MW coal-fired power plant in bringing and defending claims against its primary subcontractor, as well as a secondary subcontractor, in arbitration
• Represented a professional sports franchise team in its bankruptcy and related contested sale process and attempted relocation
• Defended former NYSE company at trial in an adversary action brought by its distributor of LCD and LCD-related products
• Represented a beverage supplies manufacturer in claims by and against a distributor for breach of contract and fraud
• Represented hotel owner in corporate dispute
• Represented two members of limited liability company in dispute with third member and attempted buy out
• Represented lender in commercial foreclosure
• Defended a former zinc smelting operation against toxic tort claims arising out of alleged exposure to arsenic, cadmium and lead
• Defended a commercial land developer against fraud and breach of contract claims arising from a failed purchase
• Defended product defect claims made against a rental company of personal watercraft vehicles
• Represented companies in a wide range of litigation including casualty, product liability, personal injury and bad faith insurance disputes

• AV Preeminent rating as independently determined by Martindale-Hubbell
• The Best Lawyers in America®
  • Commercial Litigation, 2022-24
  • Insolvency and Reorganization Law, 2024
• Florida Trend, “Legal Elite,” Commercial Litigation, 2019-20, 2022
• Florida Super Lawyers, 2022-23

• Florida Board of Bar Examiners
  • Vice Chair, November 2023-present
  • Member, November 2020-October 2023
• Federal Bar Association, Jacksonville Chapter
  • President, 2020-21
  • President-Elect, 2019-20
  • Vice President – Membership, 2018-19
  • Vice President – Programs, 2017-18
  • Secretary, 2016-17
  • Treasurer, 2015-16
• Florida Bar Grievance Committee 4B, past Chair