Tripp Scott is a full-service law firm that serves the legal and lobbying needs of businesses and families.
General Info
Tripp Scott is a full-service law firm that concentrates on serving the legal and lobbying needs of established and growing businesses as well as individual clients and their families. Founded in Fort Lauderdale in 1969, the firm has evolved and grown through the years to meet its clients’ increasingly sophisticated needs. Along the way, Tripp Scott has established a reputation as a firm that understands business challenges, not just business law. Today, Tripp Scott serves a broad range of clients, from entrepreneurs and emerging companies to multinational, publicly traded companies. Regardless of their size, these diverse clients turn to the firm for similar reasons: to gain the extensive resources and experience of a large, multi-disciplinary firm, with the responsive service and individual attention of a personal counselor-at-law.
TRIPP SCOTT PRACTICE AREAS: Aviation, Bankruptcy and Insolvency, Commercial Real Estate, Condominium and HOA, Creditors’ Rights & Bankruptcy, Entrepreneurial Business, Environmental, Estate Litigation , Estate Planning and Probate, Finance and Corporate Transactions, General Commercial, Litigation, Governmental Affairs, Healthcare, Insurance Defense, Intellectual Property, Land Use, Labor & Employment, Maritime, Personal Injury, Residential Foreclosures, Residential Real Estate
Tripp Scott provides guardianships services to minors, incapacitated adults, alleged incapacitated persons (AIGs), family members and other interested parties. Our work with regard to guardianship is primarily in Miami-Dade, Palm Beach and Broward Counties, but is extended to clients in other parts of the state as well.
Ryan holds a law degree from Georgetown University Law Center, where he served as the Managing Editor of the American Criminal Law Review. While in law school, Ryan interned for the Honorable Donald M. Middlebrooks of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida. For his undergraduate studies, Ryan attended the University of Florida and received a degree in finance. He was designated a Warrington Finance Scholar. Immediately following law school, Ryan worked as an attorney for Homer Bonner Jacobs, PA in Miami before joining Tripp Scott.
Wrongful Death
Wrongful Death Law: Federal or state law that provides a right of action to the survivors of a person killed because of the negligence of a defendant or where the defendant is otherwise liable for the death. See, e.g., Death on the High Seas Act.
Fraud
Secured one of the first recorded civil jury verdicts under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) in the United Stated District Court for the Southern District of Florida on behalf of two New York Limited Partnerships after two and-a-half years of litigation against several defendants. After a two-week jury trial, the jury found that each of the approximately 30 predicate acts of either wire or mail fraud was proven by Paul and his team and found the defendants liable for $30-million dollars in damages, plus attorney’s fees and costs. The verdict was one of the Top 100 verdicts in the United States in 2016.
Theft
Restraining Order
In 2019, Paul successfully argued against the entry of a temporary restraining order in federal court in Delaware on behalf of one of his national clients after only having gotten less than 24-hours’ notice of the proceedings in federal court. Paul and his team quickly analyzed the legal arguments and affidavits filed by the opposing side in support of a temporary restraining order seeking to re-gain access to Paul’s client’s computer systems based on the parties’ relationships. He convinced the federal judge that there was no legal basis for the entry of a temporary restraining order given the nature of the parties’ contractual rights and the fact that the opposing side could be made whole with monetary damages in the event they were successfully in prosecuting a breach of contract claim (which Paul and his team steadfastly disputed).
Ryan focuses his practice primarily in the areas of complex commercial and civil litigation, and business litigation. His typical engagements arise in corporate disputes; shareholder, member and partnership disputes; contract disputes; employment disputes with an emphasis on non-compete, non-solicitation, and non-disclosure litigation; consumer protection litigation (including class actions); highly varied banking disputes; commercial landlord/tenant disputes; commercial foreclosures; and defamation. He also regularly counsels clients on the legal ramifications stemming from day-to-day business matters.
Mergers and Acquisitions
Jordan has counseled numerous borrowers, lenders, issuers and underwriters in complex financing transactions, and has represented both buyers and sellers in numerous mergers and acquisitions. He has also represented developers in the development, rezoning, conversion, purchase and sale of properties.
Business Formation
Tripp Scott’s entrepreneurial business services go beyond entity choice and business formation to help clients grow and develop their companies for long-term success. Our general counsel services include...
Business Disputes
In addition to normal business issues, companies face challenges related to employment practices, compensation, environmental liability, personal injury or contract disputes. As a multi-disciplinary firm, Tripp Scott has the professional staff and resources to address these questions and provide clients with a full range of services. In that regard, our business lawyers often work with members of the firm’s tax, banking and finance, insurance, real estate, environmental, governmental and litigation practices to develop the integrated, innovative and cost-effective strategies our clients need.
Business Transactions
Scott J. Jordan, combines his broad legal knowledge with practical business experience to assist clients in business transactions, real estate, financing transactions, private security offerings, mergers and acquisitions, business formations and structures and other business needs. He has closed more than $5 billion in financing transactions.
Limited Liability Companies
She counsels owners of closely-held businesses on estate-planning matters and help clients in a wide range of businesses on ERISA matters, including establishing, amending and terminating pension plans. In addition, she is experienced at drafting corporate contracts and other documents; establishing and dissolving corporations, limited-liability companies and partnerships; and representing owners in acquisitions and mergers, including analyzing the tax aspects of these transactions. 


Trade Secrets
Intellectual Property
Unfair Competition
Seth Donahoe, a director at Tripp Scott. The majority of Seth’s litigation practice is state and federal court litigation of business disputes. He has represented plaintiffs and defendants in cases involving breach of contract, business torts, unfair competition and false advertising claims under the Lanham Act, breach of fiduciary duty claims in shareholder disputes, and veil-piercing claims.
She has also handled whistleblower actions, workers' compensation issues, unemployment compensation matters, breach of employment contracts, non-compete agreements and theft of trade secret matters for clients. In addition, MacClugage advises senior management executives in preventive and pre-litigation employment actions.
Wrongful Termination
He defeated a former employee’s claim for wrongful termination due to race discrimination against his client, the South Florida Water Management District. The two-week long federal trial was covered widely in the local medial, and involved sensitive and incendiary racially charged allegations made by a former employee of the District, who sought a verdict of more than $1 million dollars.
Employment Discrimination
The costs of defending a business against an employment discrimination claim are high — especially if the matter leads to prolonged litigation. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than 80,000 discrimination suits were filed in 2001. EEOC verdicts that year totaled more than $51 million dollars.
Employment Contract
Successfully obtained a summary judgment on behalf of Bermuda and Cayman investment fund companies against former consultant that sued clients in Broward circuit court and in the FINRA arbitration forum under multiple theories of recovery, based on an alleged employment contract. Following the conclusion of the litigation, a judgment was secured against the former consultant for attorney’s fees pursuant to Section 57.105 of the Florida Statutes due to the frivolous nature of the proceedings.
Employment Litigation
Having over 30 years of experience litigating business and employment disputes, Paul also uses these skills to draft and negotiate various agreements for his clients, including vendor and licensing agreements and agreements between companies and their employees. He routinely negotiates and drafts high-level executive compensation and severance packages and reviews and edits his clients’ written employment policies and handbooks.
Non-compete Agreement
He has successfully litigated and tried numerous high-exposure jury and non-jury trials in both federal and state court throughout his career and has developed a reputation for being one of South Florida’s best trial lawyers and litigators. He has tried a wide variety of cases throughout his career for some of South Florida's largest companies and employers such as ADT Security Services, Clear Channel Communications, the South Florida Water Management District and a host of other regional companies. Further, he has developed an expertise by way of his experience handling trials involving disputes between members and shareholders of corporations under Ch. 605 and Ch. 607 of the Florida Statutes including, but not limited to, prominent law firms in the South Florida community. A significant part of his practice also focuses on defending companies and investigating companies for claims for sexual harassment and race discrimination in the workplace, violations of the Family Medical Leave Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Fair Labor Standards Act. He has handled over hundred cases involving the enforcement or defense of non-compete agreements under Florida’s Non-Compete Statute 542.335 and the disclosure of trade secrets under Florida's Trade Secret Act and its federal counterpart. Paul is likely one of the only lawyers in South Florida who has successfully litigated and tried cases involving violations of the Federal and Florida Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO). Additionally, he has vast experience handling cases involvingFlorida’s Private and Public Whistle Blower Acts, business partnership disputes, breach of licensing and royalty agreements, fraudulent misrepresentation, intellectual property disputes under the Federal Lanham Act.. He has successfully defended a number of class actions brought under the Fair Labor Standards Act and in connection with Florida’s Unfair and Deceptive Trade Practices Act on behalf of various clients. He has handled scores of evidentiary hearings for his clients to successfully secure or defend against the entry of preliminary injunctions in various business and employment disputes. Often times, companies retain him on the eve of trial to serve as lead counsel when the facts of a case are extremely challenging and the exposure is significant. Lopez prides himself on his track record before judges and juries and his ability to take a complex set of facts and make them understandable to judges and juries in order secure a just verdict or result for his clients.
Severance Agreement
Sexual Harassment
Stephanie Mazzola is a director with Tripp Scott and focuses her practice in the areas of complex commercial litigation, labor and employment, construction law and appellate law. She has successfully litigated matters before federal and state courts on behalf of local and national clients, including successfully defending employers against charges of discrimination, sexual harassment claims in the workplace, claims of retaliation in the workplace, as well as successfully defending and prosecuting actions relating to overtime and wage disputes brought pursuant to the Fair Labor Standards Act. In the arena of construction and appellate law, Stephanie has successfully obtained per curiam affirmances in multiple state court appeals and successfully defended a national contractor in a class action, multi-district litigation pending in federal court. Prior to joining Tripp Scott, Stephanie served as a staff attorney to the Honorable Dorian Damoorgian at the Fourth District Court of Appeal, during which time she reviewed and analyzed civil and criminal appeals as well as petitions for extraordinary writs. Stephanie has been recognized by Florida Super Lawyers Magazine as a Super Lawyer, a distinction given to no more than 2.5% of attorneys. She has beenrecognized by the publication as a Rising Star since 2016.
Meacham is a native of Fort Lauderdale who has been practicing law for more than 35 years in the areas of construction, business and real estate law. Meacham was a partner in the national firm Dykema Gossett until 1992 when he co-founded the law firm of May, Meacham & Davell, P.A. where he practiced as a founding partner for 26 years. In December 2017, May, Meacham & Davell P.A. was merged into Tripp Scott where Meacham became and currently serves as a director. He was admitted to the Florida bar in 1983, and is admitted to practice in the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, as well as the United States District Courts for the Southern and Middle Districts of Florida.
Premises Liability
Previously, Mullin was a founding partner with Duke Mullin & Galloway, which merged with Tripp Scott in 2006. At Duke Mullin, he represented local companies and individuals in a variety of civil and commercial litigation matters, including claims for unjust enrichment, construction disputes, theft of trade secrets, breaches of fiduciary duty, premises liability, medical malpractice, product liability, and countless other cases. In addition, he has argued appeals before the Second, Third, and Fourth District Courts of Appeal. Prior to founding Duke Mullin & Galloway, he was a litigator with a Fort Lauderdale, Fla., firm.
Construction Litigation
Davell has been chosen as one of South Florida’s Top Rated Lawyers in Banking and Construction Law; Recognized as 10 Best in Client Satisfaction by the American Institute of Legal Counsel; and rated as a Top Attorney in North America by Who’s Who. Among numerous, successful construction and complex business cases, Davell was involved with obtaining and collecting a $44,000,000.00 judgment.
Real Estate Transactions
Ian Lis, a director with Tripp Scott, focuses his practice in the areas of business and real estate transactions, entrepreneurial business services, and providing general counsel to businesses of all sizes in both the for-profit and non-profit sectors.
Easement
Land Use and Zoning
Ed was an adjunct professor of aviation law at Nova Southeastern University for more than a decade. In addition, he is a past member of the board of trustees of the Leukemia Society of America and has served on the City of Fort Lauderdale Charter Review Board, the City of Fort Lauderdale Citizens Review Board and the City of Fort Lauderdale Planning and Zoning Board.
Landlord-Tenant Disputes
Prior to joining Tripp Scott, MacClugage was as an associate with a South Florida law firm, where she handled complex commercial litigation in federal and state courts. She focused on employment, complex contracts, commercial landlord-tenant disputes and corporate and administrative-zoning litigation.
2016: Smith v. Balfour Beatty Construction, LLC, Broward County, Florida Circuit Court – Obtained Summary Judgment in favor of defendant construction manager in multi-million dollar personal injury action.
Medical Malpractice
Cocalis has over 20 years experience practicing law and is a certified arbitrator. Prior to joining Tripp Scott, he was a partner at Conrad Scherer where he lead the firm’s litigation team and handled a wide variety of cases including mega-financial frauds, personal injury, admiralty, libel and slander, administrative law and medical malpractice. He is particularly well-versed in cases involving science and medicine.
Wilson graduated from the University of Florida with a degree in Accounting, Insurance and Law. He has used his formal education to advise and assist clients in their business and estate planning endeavors. His service on public taxing boards has further enabled him to understand and work closely with community and municipal groups to bring worthy development projects to fruition. While at the University of Florida, he was inducted into Florida Blue Key and was Chairman of Gator Growl. He enjoys five grown and married children, fifteen grandchildren and a wife of fifty years.
Wills
At times, matters involving the administration of a decedent’s estate or trust must be litigated in order to clarify the respective rights and duties of the parties therein. Litigation is used when a last will and testament may contain ambiguities regarding who should inherit a certain item of property or how much a person should receive. It is also used in cases where a trustee may have misappropriated the property of the trust to his benefit or if an heir believes he or she was divested of their rightful inheritance due to unethical or illegal circumstances. In these situations, litigation is the avenue whereby the injured parties (divested heirs, beneficiaries of a trust, etc.) may receive redress for their grievances. The litigation department of Tripp Scott is accomplished at helping heirs and beneficiaries recover their inheritances and bequests, as well as defending wrongfully accused trustees and personal representatives (sometimes referred to as ‘Executors’) from false accusations of failing to properly perform their duties. We are equipped to handle matters from the initial pre-litigation investigation through trial and, if necessary, appeal.
Trusts
Power of Attorney
In certain guardianship matters, litigation is necessary to resolve simple disputes over whether a guardian is necessary or who should fulfill the role of guardian, or more complex disputes centering on whether a guardian should be removed because he or she is improperly executing his or her duties. Guardianship litigation also covers cases where the guardian is accused of misappropriating the property of their ward by misusing the power of attorney. The full guardianship practice of Tripp Scott incorporates the litigation needs of guardianship work. The attorneys of Tripp Scott represent not only guardians seeking to defend themselves and their wards against the predations of people who do not have the incapacitated person’s best interests at heart, but also the relatives and loved ones of incapacitated persons who are concerned about the manner in which a guardian is performing the tasks of the guardianship. Pre-litigation investigation, trial and, if necessary, appeals, are a part of the practice.
• Represented a Plaintiff in a multi-million dollar commercial foreclosure in which the borrower and guarantor asserted a variety of business tort counterclaims and attempted to pierce a corporate veil of the Plaintiff. Seth obtained a severance and dismissal of the counterclaims along with a complete judgment in favor his client for the entire balance owed under the mortgage plus the attorneys’ fees. He also then successfully defended the appeal.
Tax Law
Tripp Scott's corporate finance lawyers have extensive experience facilitating and structuring transactions of all sizes and scopes. Members of this practice group hold advanced degrees in tax law as well as accounting and tax law certifications from the Florida Bar and work closely with members of the entrepreneurial business, tax, banking, insurance, real estate, environmental, governmental and litigation practice areas to devise well-structured transactions that meet the needs of our clients. Collectively, they are capable of handling any-sized deal.