Eric S. Adams

Eric S. Adams is a partner in the Tampa office of Shutts & Bowen LLP and Co‑Chair of the firm’s Business Litigation Practice Group. He previously served as Chair of the firm’s E‑Discovery Committee. With nearly 30 years of commercial litigation experience, Eric is a seasoned trial attorney recognized as a Martindale‑Hubbell AV®‑rated lawyer, a member of The Best Lawyers in America®, and a Florida Super Lawyer since 2008. Before entering private practice, Eric worked as an accountant at Coopers & Lybrand (now PricewaterhouseCoopers), which gave him a strong foundation in financial analysis and business operations that informs his litigation strategy.

Eric focuses his practice on complex commercial litigation, trust and estates litigation, real estate and eminent domain matters, construction disputes, and intellectual property litigation. He has served as lead counsel in numerous trials and arbitrations, consistently aligning litigation strategy with client objectives to achieve efficient, practical outcomes.

Commercial Litigation

Eric represents businesses in high‑stakes commercial disputes involving significant financial exposure, operational disruption, and reputational risk. His practice includes contract litigation, RICO claims, insurance coverage and bad‑faith disputes, False Claims Act matters, business torts, and shareholder conflicts.

He also handles partnership dissolutions, fiduciary duty claims, securities disputes, and cases involving non‑compete, non‑solicitation, and confidentiality agreements. His experience extends to matters involving fraud, misrepresentation, unfair trade practices, intellectual property rights, licensing, and restrictive covenants. Eric regularly advises companies facing government investigations, regulatory enforcement actions, and compliance challenges that intersect with civil litigation.

His clients include corporations, closely held businesses, and entrepreneurs across industries such as real estate, construction, healthcare, financial services, and technology. Known for cutting through complexity and efficiently leveraging technology and e-Discovery resources, Eric blends strong courtroom advocacy with pragmatic risk management to help clients protect assets, minimize disruption, and advance their business goals.

Trusts and Estate Litigation

Eric maintains a robust statewide practice in complex trusts and estates litigation. He represents personal representatives, trustees, beneficiaries, and other interested parties in disputes involving estates, trusts, probate, and guardianship matters. His experience includes will and trust contests, claims of undue influence, lack of capacity, fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, accountings, elective share disputes, homestead issues, creditor claims, and contested guardianships, including allegations of exploitation or mismanagement.

Eric combines rigorous trial advocacy with strategic negotiation, positioning clients for favorable outcomes whether through litigation or settlement. His experience spans straightforward beneficiary disputes to multi‑million‑dollar estate controversies.

Real Estate / Eminent Domain Litigation

Eric represents property owners, developers, and builders in complex real estate disputes throughout Florida. His practice includes contract disputes, easement and boundary issues, encroachments, access rights, eminent domain, inverse condemnation, and unlawful exaction claims. He frequently analyzes surveys, plats, and historical land‑use records to resolve contested property rights.

In eminent domain and inverse condemnation matters, Eric advocates for landowners facing government takings or regulatory actions that diminish property value. He also challenges improper governmental demands in the permitting and development process. His ability to integrate statutory and constitutional frameworks with practical business considerations makes him a trusted resource in high‑stakes real estate litigation.

Construction Litigation

Eric represents contractors, developers, and property owners in a broad range of construction disputes, including design defects, building‑envelope failures, infrastructure and roadway issues, groundwater and waste management concerns, and mold or moisture‑intrusion claims. He guides clients through the technical and operational challenges that can derail projects or lead to costly litigation, drawing on deep knowledge of construction processes and risk management. Whether coordinating with experts, trying cases, arbitrating disputes, or resolving multi‑party claims, Eric remains focused on safeguarding his clients’ interests.

Intellectual Property Litigation

Eric represents individuals and businesses in copyright, trademark, patent, and trade secret disputes, as well as IP matters that intersect with commercial and contractual issues. He litigates and advises on non‑competition, non‑solicitation, and confidentiality agreements, and has represented builders and developers in copyright cases involving architectural and home design plans. His work also includes disputes involving software, branding, proprietary processes, licensing, unfair competition, and ownership rights in creative or technical works. Eric’s combination of technical understanding and practical litigation strategy helps clients protect innovations and defend against claims that threaten business operations.