Bridget Berry counsels clients relating to business disputes, and advocates on behalf of clients in jury and non-jury, state and federal court actions, arbitrations and administrative proceedings.
Bridget regularly counsels employers relating to federal and state laws and regulations. She represents employers in various types of litigation including gender, age and disability discrimination claims, harassment, hostile work environment and retaliation claims, wage and hour claims, and Equal Employment Opportunity (EEOC) investigations and proceedings.
Significant Representations
· In dispute involving litigation in U.S. and Europe against clients, affiliated companies and their officers and directors spanning a period of twelve years, obtained Florida state court jury verdict for clients on breach of contract claims and defeated employee's counterclaim for over $200 million in damages on fraud, racketeering, conspiracy and other claims.
· Obtained state court jury verdict and attorneys' fees award for condominium unit owners against condominium association for breach of statutory and common law duties to maintain condominium property.
· Obtained federal court jury verdict for $3 million in compensatory damages and an additional $1.5 million against each of three defendants in a case involving fraudulent inducement and conduct in violation of the Federal Securities Act.
· Defended commercial shopping center owners in litigation brought by neighboring residential property owners, obtaining partial judgments resulting in negotiation of favorable settlement.
· Defended credit card transaction processor in action relating to merchant accounts and chargeback transactions on internet sales. On a regular basis, Bridget:
· Represents employers in various industries, including: financial institutions, hotels, resorts and clubs, real estate, e-learning or online education, retail, aviation, and servant/cleaning, in wage and hour claims, discrimination claims and other employment litigation and administrative proceedings.
· Handles injunction actions and litigates trade secret and employment restrictive covenant disputes.
· Handles complex title insurance matters including closing protection letter disputes, coverage disputes, defalcation actions, title and closing agent disputes, fraud and forgery.
· Litigates real estate disputes including lender and construction lien foreclosures and development litigation, including disputes relating to low income housing developments and investments therein.
· Represents owners of commercial and residential property in tax appeals.
Professional & Community Involvement
· United Way of Palm Beach County, 1996-Present
- General Counsel to United Way, 2002-2006
- Member of Board of Directors, 2002-Present
- Member of Executive Committee, 2002-2010
- Campaign Cabinet 2006-2007; Campaign Committee 2010-2012
-- Chair 2010-2012, Leadership Circle (donors giving $1,000 and above annually)
- Chair of Improving the Lives of Seniors Impact Area, 2006-2009
- Community Impact Steering Committee Member, 2009-2012
-- Initiatives, Grants, and Contracts Subcommittee
- Sub-Committee for Agency Affiliation, 2010
- Women's Leadership Counsel, 2008
- Member of Oversight Committee, 2006-2009
- Member of Strategic Planning Task Force Committee, 2006-2012
· Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County
- Founder and Chair, Greenberg Traurig Independent Living Review Program (representing children aging out of foster care)
- Active Member, Juvenile Advocacy Project, 1993-Present (representing children through age 18 in Juvenile Court (dependency and delinquency matters, adoption and foster care); Family Court and Probate Court.
· Member, Palm Beach County Bar Association, 1985-Present
- Former Business Court Committee
- Former Chairperson, Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee
· Member, Florida Association of Women Lawyers, Palm Beach Chapter
· Member, Catholic Lawyers Guild, Palm Beach County
· Member, Notre Dame Club of the Palm Beaches
· Member, Board of Directors, Council on Child Abuse and Neglect, 1988-1989
· Judge, Palm Beach/Martin County Pathfinders Scholarship Fund Awards (history and political science category), Palm Beach Post, 2008-2012
· Chair, "Raise the Bar" event to benefit the Girl's Leadership Institute, Woman's Foundation of Palm Beach County, 2011
Awards & Recognition
· Listed, The Best Lawyers in America (2012)
· Listed, Marquis Who's Who and Marquis Who's Who in America (2012)
· Recipient, "Juvenile Law Award," Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County (2011)
· Team Member, Firm Award (for Independent Living Review Project), Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County (2011)
· Team Member, Law360 "Employment Practice Group of the Year" (2011)
· Recipient, "Mentor of the Year Award," Greenberg Traurig Second Annual Outstanding Pro Bono Service Awards (2010)
· Team Member, "Office of the Year Award" (for Independent Living Review Project), Greenberg Traurig (2010)
· Rated, AV® Preeminent™ 5.0 out of 5*
· Martindale-Hubbell® Bar Register of Preeminent Women Lawyers™
Noteworthy Experience
· Transactional law and litigation in San Juan, Puerto Rico, 1990-1991
Internship
· Internship with Chief Justice Boyd, Supreme Court of Florida, 1984-1985
Articles, Publications, & Lectures
· Speaker, "Privacy and Social Media in the Workplace," Employment Law Update, Sterling Education Services, Inc., Boca Raton, FL, October 26, 2011
· Speaker, "Commercial Litigation" and "Commercial Trial Advocacy" panels, Bench Bar Conference, Palm Beach County Bar Association, 2010
· Adjunct Professor, Palm Beach Atlantic College, MBA Program, Legal Environment of Business Course, 1999, 2000
(Also at West Palm Beach Office)