Overview
Rob Gough handles various types of commercial, construction and personal injury litigation.
He has worked extensively with the firm’s product liability defense group defending automobile and truck manufacturers and with our automotive dealership clients. He has defended manufacturers and sellers of drugs and medical devices, consumer products, recreational equipment, and recreational vehicles in state and federal courts and in arbitration proceedings.
Rob routinely handles personal injury claims for insurance companies and self-insureds stemming from automotive and trucking accidents, premises liability, negligent security and exposure to toxins. He has assisted our automotive, construction, manufacturing, mining, and transportation industry clients after work place injuries with OSHA and MSHA investigations and defended them against individuals and government agencies claiming violations of state and federal law.
Over the years, Rob has handled numerous contractual disputes in an array of industries involving the enforcement of restrictive covenants. He routinely litigates trade secret and non-compete cases in state and federal courts and before the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority and prior to that arbitrated several matters with the National Association of Securities Dealers. He has also handled cybersquatting and domain name disputes in arbitrations before the National Arbitration Forum.
Rob has also defended a number of class-action lawsuits in various industries with allegations ranging from construction defects, to consumer protection claims, to improper collection efforts, to illegal lending, to improper sales tactics, to toxic torts.
Rob and his family are members of Hyde Park United Methodist Church. He remains active in the community and is involved with various organizations, charities and not for profits, including Hyde Park Preservation Inc., WEDU, The Economic Club of Tampa, Meals on Wheels of Tampa, Inc., and Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla.
Honors
- AV Preeminent® Rating, Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review
- Florida Trend’s Legal Elite (2009)
- The Best Lawyers in America® (2013-2025)
Credentials & Experience
Education
University of Florida, B.A., 1987
University of Florida College of Law, J.D., 1990, Honors
Bar Admissions
American Bar Association
The Florida Bar
Hillsborough County Bar Association
Court Admissions
All Florida State Courts
Florida Federal Courts: Northern, Middle and Southern Districts
Professional & Civic
Community & Professional
- Meals on Wheels of Tampa, Inc.
- Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla
- Palma Ceia Golf & Country Club
- Defense Research Institute
- Florida Defense Lawyers Association
- WEDU PBS: Board of Directors
Newsroom
News & Insights
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- 8.30.13Firm News
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- 5.29.12Firm News
Published Decisions
- Merrill Lynch v. Murvin
WL 528605 609-CV-329-ORL-18DAB United States District Court, M.D. Florida, Orlando Division, March 2, 2009 - Variable Annuity Life Ins. Co. v. Hausinger
WL 1196009 2D05-5305 District Court of Appeal of Florida, Second District, May 5, 2006 - Biomet, Inc. v. Fleury
WL 2806679 2D04-5179 District Court of Appeal of Florida, Second District, October 28, 2005 - Jacobs v. Home Depot U.S.A., Inc.
WL 23126168 01-944-CIV-BANDSTRA, 01944CIVMIDDLEBROOKS United States District Court, S.D. Florida, July 16, 2003 - CH2M Hill Southeast, Inc. v. Pinellas County
WL 336309 95-02932 District Court of Appeal of Florida, Second District, June 20, 1997 - Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner, & Smith Inc. v. Kurgis
WL 4710919 208-CV-777-FTM-99DNF United States District Court, M.D. Florida, Fort Myers Division, October 23, 2008 - Fleury v. Biomet, Inc.
WL 22955935 2D02-2103 District Court of Appeal of Florida, Second District, December 17, 2003 - Universal Imports, Inc. v. Federal Exp. Corp.
WL 2952843 808-CV-00309-T-30TGW United States District Court, M.D. Florida, Tampa Division, July 30, 2008 - Walack v. Worldwide Machinery Sales, Inc.
WL 21999384 8:00-CV-275-T-23EAJ United States District Court, M.D. Florida, Tampa Division, July 28, 2003