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)

Robert S. Hackleman

Board of Directors
Shareholder, Litigation Department
Fort Lauderdale, FL

(954) 468-1329 Direct Dial
(954) 523-1722 Facsimile