Meet Tampa, Florida Trial Lawyer Craig E. Rothburd | Craig E. Rothburd, P.A. (2024)

Craig E. Rothburd

Managing Partner and Founder

Craig grew up in this community and has spent his entire professional practice serving it. Along the way, he achieved an AV PreeminentTM Peer Review Rating from Martindale-Hubbell® ― a distinction signifying the highest quality legal work, professionalism and ethical standards, which places him among only a small percentage of attorneys practicing in Florida with that highest rating.

Admitted to practice

• Florida, 1995
• U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida, 1995
• U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit, 1996
• U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida, 1998
• U.S. District Court, Northern District of Florida, 2014

Awards, Honors and Community Activities

Awards and Honors

• Bay Area Legal Services, Judge Don Castor Justice Award (2019)
• The Florida Bar, Consumer Protection Lawyer of the Year (2017)
• Thirteenth Judicial Circuit, Special Recognition Award – (pro bono and cy pres)
• Homeless Coalition of Hillsborough County, Homeless Hero – Advocacy
• Martindale-Hubbell, AV™ rating
• AVVO, 10/10 rating
• Florida Trend magazine, Legal Elite
• Florida’s Superlawyers, Superlawyer
• The National Law Journal, Tampa’s Top Lawyers
• Tampa Bay Magazine, Tampa’s Top Lawyers

Community Activities

• Bay Area Legal Services, Development Council Chairperson
• Bay Area Legal Services, Inc., past Director
• Tampa Museum of Art, Member
• Tampa Theatre, Member
• Tampa Bay Performing Arts Centre, Member
• Gator Boosters, Inc, Scholarship Club Member
• University of Florida, President’s Council

Education

• University of Florida, College of Law, – Gainesville, Florida
  Juris Doctor, with Honors, December 1994.
• University of Florida, – Gainesville, Florida
  Bachelor of Science, December 1990

Professional experience

• August 2005 – present: Craig E. Rothburd, P.A. – Tampa, Florida
  • Partner – Primary focus on complex business, consumer class action, corporate, healthcare and real estate law and litigation.
• January 2004 – August 2005: Eddy & Rothburd, P.A. – Tampa, Florida
  • Partner –Primary focus on complex business, consumer class action, corporate, healthcare and real estate law and litigation.
• May 1995 – December 2003: Robert K. Eddy & Associates, P.A. – Tampa, Florida
  • Associate Attorney – Primary focus, on complex business, commercial, corporate, real estate, healthcare and creditor’s rights law and litigation

Professional Affiliation

• National Association of Consumer Advocates (NACA) – Membership Chairperson and member
• Consumer Protection Law Committee, The Florida Bar – Past Chairperson
• The Florida Bar – member
• Federal Bar Association Middle District of Florida Chapter – member
• Hillsborough County Bar Association – member
• Trail Lawyers Sections of Florida – member
• Public Justice – member

Significant Certified Class Cases

• South v. Progressive Select Insurance Company, Case No: 19-CV-21760. United States District Court, S.D. Fla., Ft. Lauderdale Division
• Horneland v. US Bank, N.A., Case No.: 14-CA-001117. 13th Judicial Circuit, Hillsborough County, Florida
• A Kaufman Clinic, Inc., et al. v. Nationwide General Insurance Company, et al., Case No.: 09-033393 CACE, 17th Judicial Circuit, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
• Total Care Chiropractic & MRI Associates of St. Pete, Inc. v. Mercury Ins. Co. of Florida, Case No.: 10-12853 CACE, 17th Judicial Circuit, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
• MRI Associates of St. Pete, Inc. v. Travelers Insurance Company, et al., Case No.: 10-CA-013131 Div. C 13th Judicial Circuit, Tampa, Florida
• MRI Associates of St. Pete, Inc. v. First Acceptance Insurance Company, Case No.: 10-CA-03919 Div. F 13th Judicial Circuit, Tampa, Florida
• MRI Associates of St. Pete, Inc. v. Metropolitan Casualty Insurance Company, Case No.: 10-CA-03921 Div. J 13th Judicial Circuit, Tampa, Florida
• MRI Associates of St. Pete, Inc. v. Auto Club South Insurance Company, Case No.: 10-CA-013134 Div. J 13th Judicial Circuit, Tampa, Florida
• MRI Associates of St. Pete, Inc. v. Dairyland Insurance Company, et al., Case No.: 8:11-cv-665-JSM-MAP United States District Court, M.D Fla.., Tampa Division
• MRI Associates of St. Pete, Inc. v. USAA Casualty Insurance Company et al., Case No.: 10-CA-016785 Div. D13th Judicial Circuit, Tampa, Florida
• Advantage Open MRI, Inc. v. USAA Casualty Insurance Company, et al. Case No.: 08-11104 Div. F 13th Judicial Circuit, Tampa, Florida
• MRI Associates of St. Pete v. Property & Casualty Insurance Company of Hartford, Case No.: 10-03925 Div. B 13th Judicial Circuit, Tampa Florida
• AFO Imaging, Inc. v. Peak Property and Casualty Insurance Corp., et al., Case No.: 08-CA-21533 Div. C 13th Judicial Circuit, Tampa Florida
• AFO Imaging, Inc. v. Nationwide Mutual Ins. Co., et al., Case No. 08-CA-021531-I Div. C 13th Judicial Circuit, Tampa Florida
• Galura, et al. vs. Sonic Automotive, Inc. Case No.: 02-12274, Div. B, 13th Judicial Circuit, Tampa, Florida
• Gilley v. Ernie Haire Ford, Inc., Case No. 02-8101 Div. I ., 13th Judicial Circuit, Tampa, Florida
• Veal v. Crown Auto Dealerships, Inc., Case No. 8:04-CV-0323-T-27MSS, United States District Court, M.D. Fla., Tampa Division
• Pope v. Charter Warranty, L.L.C., Case No.: 06-000083, Div. A, 13th Judicial Circuit, Tampa, Florida
• Mantzouris, et al. v. Scarritt Motor Group, Inc., Case No.: 03-CV0015-T-30, United States District Court, M.D. Fla., Tampa Division
• Croxall, et al. v. Asbury Automotive, L.P., Case No.: 03-6201, Div. C, 13th Judicial Circuit, Tampa, Florida
• Cotten, et al. v. Ferman Management Services Corporation, et al., Case No.: 02-08115, Div. A, 13th Judicial Circuit, Tampa, Florida

Mr. Rothburd has been approved as lead and co-lead class counsel in numerous other certified class actions and is attorney of record in other class actions now pending in both Federal and State Courts in addition to the cases above.

Significant Published Complex Cases

• Kieffer v. Atheists of Florida, Inc. 269 So. 3d 656 (Fla. 2d DCA 2019)
• U.S. Hospitality of Tampa Bay, Inc. v. Alite, 4 So. 3d 699 (Fla. 2d DCA 2009)
• Santiago v. Sunset Cove Investments, Inc., 988 So. 2d 10 (Fla. 2d DCA 2008)
• Sonic Automotive, Inc. v. Galura, et al., 961 So.2d 961(Fla. 2d DCA 2007), rev denied 977 So. 2d 577 (Fla. 2008).
• Liberatore v. 21st Century Satellite Communs., Inc. (In re 21st Century Satellite Communs., Inc.), 278 B.R. 577 (MD FL BK 2002)
• Ryan v. Stalley, 775 So. 2d 296 (Fla. 2d DCA 200)
• Vaughan v. First Union Nat’l Bank, 740 So. 2d 1216 (Fla. 2d DCA 1999)
• Levine v. Saavedra, 727 So. 2d 1110 (Fla. 2d DCA 1999)
• Case Credit Corporation v. Furr, Trustee, 136 F.3d 1330 (11th Cir. 1998)
• Wilson v. Calfee, 706 So. 2d 310 (Fla. 2d DCA 1997)
• Mandalay ShoresCooperative Housing Association, members v. Mandalay Shores Cooperative Housing Association, Inc. 107 F.3d 23 (11th Cir. 1997)

Mr. Rothburd has been involved in numerous other published complex cases in both State and Federal courts, including appeals from the class certification decisions above, as well as many other unpublished decisions.

Personal Interests

Craig enjoys spending time with his family, fishing, listening to live music, attending University of Florida athletics, appreciating art and pursuing culinary interests.