Our Civil Trial Attorneys

A practicing lawyer in Tampa for more than 35 years, Rich has extensive experience in complex civil trials, is rated “AV” by Martindale-Hubbell and is board certified in both civil trial law and business litigation. He has been selected by his peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America every year since 2003 in both civil trial and commercial litigation, and is one in a distinguished group of attorneys who have been listed in Best Lawyers for 10 years or longer.

In addition, Rich has been selected by his peers as a Florida Super Lawyer from 2006 through 2019, as well being listed in the top 100 lawyers in the State in 2006 and 2007. In 2007, he was also listed by Law Dragon as one of the 500 leading plaintiff lawyers in America. Rich has won multi-million dollar jury awards in commercial, personal injury, and professional liability litigation, and has served as lead trial counsel in four trials receiving national attention. He is a widely published legal author whose articles have appeared in the Hillsborough County Bar Association journal, the Lawyer, and in the Trial Lawyers Section of The Florida Bar publication, The Advocate.

Practice Focus:
Medical Malpractice
Serious Personal Injury
Wrongful Death
Insurance Coverage Disputes
Professional Liability
Corporate Litigation
Products Liability

Board Certifications:
Civil Trial Law
Business Litigation

Bar admissions:
The U.S. Supreme Court – 1985
U.S. Court of Appeals, 11th Circuit – 1981
U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida – 1977
U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida – 1975
The Florida Bar – 1974
Ohio Bar – 1973

Representative community involvement:
Rich has an abiding interest in advancing ethics and professionalism, and in assuring that underprivileged citizens enjoy equal access to the justice system. To that end, he has chaired the Florida State Commission on Ethics, the Governor’s Task Force to Promote Ethics in Government (1990) and he chaired the Professional Standards Committee for the Hillsborough County Bar Association which led to the statewide adoption of the Guidelines for Professional Conduct. Rich also served as Chair of the Board of Directors of Southern Legal Counsel, Inc., a not-for-profit public interest law firm that provides representation to disadvantaged citizens on matters with broad implications for the legal system.

Representative professional affiliations:
Florida Bar Association

• Past Chairman of the Trial Lawyers Section (1998-1999)
• Board of Governors, Past Member (1999 – 2003)
• While serving on the Board of Governors, Rich was twice a member of the Executive Committee, Co-Chair of the Multidisciplinary Practice Committee, Chair of the Multijurisdictional Committee, and Chair of the Legislative Committee.
• Professionalism Committee (1992 – 1995)

Hillsborough County Bar Association

• Past President – 1995-1996 (Centennial Year)
• Board of Directors (1993 – 1997)
• Trial Lawyers Section, Chair (1996 – 1997)
• Trial Lawyers Section, Executive Council, member (1991 – 1997)
• Professional Standards Committee, Chair (1993 – 1994)

American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA)

• Past President of the Tampa Bay chapter (1997 – 1998)
• Fellow of the ABOTA Foundation (2003 – Present)

Stetson College of Law

• Adjunct Professor of Trial Advocacy (2003)

Education:
University of Cincinnati, J.D., 1973

Miami University, B.A., 1970

Awards:
1999 William Reece Smith Award for Public Service

Michael Fogarty “In the Trenches” Award for excellence in civil litigation

President’s Award of Merit for work on the Florida Board of Governors

David M. Caldevilla adds significant appellate experience to the firm, having served as lead appellate counsel in a wide range of cases. Prior to joining the firm, he served as Staff Attorney to Judge Jack R. Schoonover at the Florida Second District Court of Appeal. He also served as General Counsel to the Municipal Gas Authority of Florida, and has served as special counsel to Sumter County in eminent domain matters, and as hearing officer in utility franchise cases in Hillsborough County. He is a Board Certified Appellate Lawyer, and “AV” rated by the Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory.

Dave is listed in “Best Lawyers” in Appellate Practice in 2013 – 2019, in Florida Trend’s “Legal Elite” in 2008 and 2010-2019 and in Tampa Bay Magazine’s “Top 50” Tampa Bay Area lawyers in 2013. He is also listed as a Florida Super Lawyer in Appellate Practice in 2008 through 2019, as well as a Top 100 Florida Super Lawyer in 2018 and 2019, and Top 50 Tampa Bay Super Lawyer in 2016.

Practice Focus:
Appeals
Administrative
Civil Litigation
Environmental
Eminent Domain
Government

Board Certifications:
Appellate Law

Bar admissions:
The Florida Bar – 1987
U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida – 1988
U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit – 1989
U.S. Supreme Court – 1998

Representative community and bar involvement:
Dave has served our community through participation in several volunteer programs. He is a past member and Co-Chair of Bay Area Legal Services’ Phonathon Committee. He has served on the Board of Directors of For The Children, Inc., a non-profit corporation that strives to support “special needs” foster children. He is a former Board member of Bright Horizons of Tampa Bay, Inc., a non-profit pre-school for at-risk children. Through his involvement in Tampa Connection, Dave assisted the Hillsborough County Guardian ad Litem Program in developing a strategic plan to improve volunteer recruitment and retention. Dave has participated in the Bay Area Volunteer Lawyers Program sponsored by Bay Area Legal Services and the Hillsborough County Bar Association, and has also been involved in fundraising activities for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Bay Area Legal Services, the American Heart Association, and the United Way.

In 2017, Dave was appointed to serve as Chair of The Florida Bar Appellate Practice Certification Committee for the 2017-2018 term. David previously served as Vice Chair of the Committee. The Appellate Practice Certification Committee is a standing committee of The Florida Bar and is responsible for the evaluation of competency, experience, and professionalism of attorneys seeking board certification in the area of appellate practice.

In 2015, Dave was appointed to serve a 3-year term on The Florida Bar’s Appellate Practice Board Certification Committee. Dave was a member of the Florida Bar’s Appellate Court Rules Committee from 2008 through 2014. He served as the Committee’s Secretary from 2013 through 2014.

In July 2008, Governor Charlie Crist appointed Dave to serve a second 4-year term on the Judicial Nominating Commission for the Florida Second District Court of Appeal. Dave served as Vice Chairman from July 2007 to August 2008, and thereafter was chairman through July 2009. He continued to serve as a member of the Commission until October 2012.

In May 2008, Dave received the “Chair Service Award” for outstanding service to the City, County and Local Government Law Section of The Florida Bar.

Education:
Florida State University, J.D., with honors, 1986

University of South Florida, B.A., 1984

Publications:
“Attorney’s Fees and Costs in Administrative Proceedings,” The Florida Bar, Administrative Law Section Newsletter, Vol. XI, No. 1 (October 1993)

“Environmental Permits Can Support Showing of Reasonable Necessity for Order of Taking,” The Hillsborough County Bar Association Lawyer, Vol. 4, No. 5 (Feb. 1994)

“Perfecting Appeals of Final Orders Issued by State Agencies,” The Hillsborough County Bar Association Lawyer, Vol. 4, No. 8 (May 1994)

Dave co-authored Chapter 10 on “Post Trial Motions” and Chapter 14 on “Appeals Under the Florida Administrative Procedure Act” of the Lawyers Cooperative Practice Guide Florida Trial & Appeal, American Inns of Court Civil Procedures Series (1997).

“Substantial Changes to Construction Plans May Nullify Condemnor’s Offer of Judgment,” The Hillsborough County Bar Association Lawyer, Vol. 12, No. 2 (October 2001)

Contributor, The Pro Se [Self-Represented] Appellate Handbook (Fla. Bar Appellate Practice Section)

• Young Lawyer Board, At-Large Member (2016)