Robert S. Hackleman

Robert S. Hackleman is a shareholder, chair of the firm’s Litigation Department and serves on Gunster Yoakley's board of directors. Mr. Hackleman has over 25 years of extensive litigation experience in federal and state courts in Florida and other jurisdictions. He joined the firm in 1990.

Practice Areas

Prosecution and defense of substantial lawsuits in federal and state court, including commercial and corporate disputes, securities, unfair competition, intellectual property and other diverse matters.

Representative Matters

Class Action Counsel to Governor Charlie Crist (2008)
Counsel to Hard Rock Café International regarding adequacy of $965
million dollar sale from Rank Group, plc, to Seminole Hard Rock
Entertainment
Memorylink, Inc. v. FTD, served as a lead trial counsel for defendant in
multimillion dollar patent case before Judge King and obtained
jury verdict for defendants.
Tronzo v. Biomet, served as lead trial counsel for plaintiff in patent,
Lanham Act, and commercial tort case and obtained $55 million
dollar jury verdict for plaintiff.
Colonial Guild v. Matthews, served as lead trial counsel for plaintiff in
unfair competition and commercial tort case before Judge Ferguson
and, after settling with primary defendants during trial, obtained a
jury verdict against remaining individual defendant.
Rich Valley B.V. v. Starer, served as lead trial counsel for defendant in
a case involving a complex loan transaction arising out of a tender
offer for the securities of a public company, which resulted in a
judgment for the defendant.

Education

Vanderbilt University School of Law, J.D., 1979
University of the Pacific, B.S., 1975

Professional Associations and Memberships

Vice Chair, Florida Supreme Court Judicial Nominating Committee (2008)
The Florida Bar, admitted 1979
United States District Court
Southern and Middle District of Florida
United States Court of Appeals
Eleventh, Fifth and Federal Circuits

Honors

AV Rated (means his legal ability and ethical standards are
very high to preeminent) as independently determined
by Martindale-Hubbell.
Best Lawyers in America 2007

Recent Publications

Helping the Client Make the Right Decisions, in Inside the Minds:
Best Practices for Class Action Litigation (Aspatore Books, 2007)