Joshua Spector

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Joshua Spector has advocated for clients in disputes ranging into tens of millions of dollars in controversy. As lead counsel, Mr. Spector has tried jury trials in both state and federal courts, and represented clients in federal appeals and appeals in Florida’s district courts and the Florida Supreme Court. Mr. Spector has represented a foreign head of state, Grammy-nominated artists, record labels, models, artist managers, songwriters, and film production companies, in addition to numerous related businesses, officers, and directors.

Core specialties in Mr. Spector’s practice include complex business litigation and related arbitrations, trade dress infringement, cybersquatting and domain name disputes, all ambits of trademark infringement under the Lanham Act, state common law unfair competition, defamation and trade libel, commercial litigation, appeals, non-competition agreements (non-competes), trade secrets (both under the Florida Trade Secret Act and the new DTSA), intra-company management disputes, dissolution, receiverships, and shareholder derivative claims.  Mr. Spector has also qualified as an Arbitrator for the American Arbitration Association and is available to act as a private arbitrator by agreement of the parties.

Among several publications, Mr. Spector is the co-author of the definitive book on Florida defense practice, “Florida Affirmative Defenses and Procedural Objections” (ALM 6th ed.). 

Mr. Spector has lectured and instructed attorneys on subjects including affirmative defenses and defensive motion practice, Florida’s Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practice Act, and piercing the corporate veil. Appointed by the Florida Supreme Court in 2011, Mr. Spector served on the Court’s committee on standard jury instructions for business and contract cases for eight years where he led the drafting, among other instructions, on the standard instruction for misappropriation of trade secrets.

Admissions:

• The Florida Bar
• Supreme Court of the United States
• United States Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit
• United States District Courts: Southern, Middle and Northern District of Florida; Eastern District of Michigan
• United States Tax Court

Affiliations:

• Eleventh Judicial Circuit Grievance Committee “A”
• Florida Supreme Court certified mediator, Florida Circuit Courts
• Panelist, American Arbitration Association
• Florida Supreme Court qualified arbitrator
• University of Miami Law Alumni Association (President, 2016-2017)
• University of Miami Alumni Association (Board of Directors, 2008-2012)
• Brown University (Class of 1996, President; Association of Class Leaders 2020- )
• Brown University Club of Miami (Past President)
• Florida Supreme Court Committee on Standard Jury Instructions (Contract & Business Case Committee, 2011‑2019)
• International Trademark Association
• American Bar Association
• Lawyers for Children America (Attorney Ad Litem)
• Florida Statewide Guardian ad Litem Program (Pro Bono Counsel)
• Legal Services of Greater Miami, Inc. (Board of Directors)
• The Florida Bar: Appellate Section
• The Florida Bar: Business Law Section
• The Florida Bar: Standing Committee on Lawyer Mental Health and Wellness (2018-2019)
• Lecturer, University of Miami Herbert Business School

Representative Matters:

• Vivid Entm’t, LLC v. J & B PB, LLC, No. 2:13-CV-524-FTM-29DN, 2015 WL 144352 (M.D. Fla. Jan. 12, 2015) (won $1 million-plus judgment for media company on trademark infringement, cybersquatting claims);
• Five for Entm’t S.A. v. Rodriguez, 877 F. Supp. 2d 1321 (S.D. Fla. 2012) (defended artist and record label from trade libel claims);
• Medimport, S.R.L. v. Cabreja, 929 F. Supp. 2d 1302 (S.D. Fla. 2013) (prosecuted trademark infringement claims for medical device distributor against Venezuela-focused competitor);
• Web.com Grp., Inc. v. Mobile Promotions Network, LLC, No. 3:14-cv-1374-J-25 JRK, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 182852 (M.D. Fla. Feb. 24, 2015) (defended Internet firm from trademark infringement claims);
• Chetu, Inc. v. Salihu, No. 09-60588-CIV-COHN/SELTZER, 2009 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 103910 *; 2009 WL 3448205 (S.D. Fla. October 26, 2009) (as lead counsel won jury verdict against multiple defendants for claims including misappropriation of trade secrets and code).

• Florida Affirmative Defenses and Procedural Objections (ALM 6th ed. 2020)
• Pleading and Proving Affirmative Defenses (Florida CLE)
• Ten Points on Defense (Florida CLE)
• Piercing the Corporate Veil (Florida CLE)
• Primer on Private Claims Under the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act (Florida CLE)
• “A Walk Through the Strike Zone” 91 Fla. Bar. J. 18 (May 2017)
• “Hate Speech on the Internet: Spreading Angst or Promoting Free Expression” 10 U. Miami Int’l & Comp. L. Rev. 155, Fall 2002
• Comment: “The Cuba Triangle: Sovereign Immunity, Private Diplomacy and State (In)Action” 32 U. Miami Inter‑Am. L. Rev. 321, Summer 2001

• Florida Bar Board Certified Business Litigation Lawyer since 2014
• Florida Bar President's Pro Bono Award, 11th Circuit (2020)
• Most Effective Lawyers: Intellectual Property, Daily Business Review (2020)
• Florida Statewide Guardian ad Litem Program, Children's Champion Award (2019)
• Rated, AV Preeminent 5.0 by Martindale-Hubbell
• Florida Super Lawyers: Top 100 Miami, 2018
• Florida Super Lawyers: Top 100 Miami, 2021
• Florida Super Lawyers: 2015-2021
• Florida Super Lawyers, Rising Stars: 2009-2014
• South Florida Legal Guide, Top Lawyers, Business Litigation: 2016-2018
• South Florida Legal Guide, Up‑and‑Comer, Business Litigation: 2015
• Miami Daily Business Review, Rising Stars: 2014
• Florida Trend Legal Elite, Commercial Litigation, 2014‑2020
• Florida Trend Legal Elite, Appellate, 2021
• Florida Trend Legal Elite, Up‑and‑Comers: 2009, 2013
• Florida Bar Leadership Academy: Fellow, 2013
• Attorney-At-Law Magazine’s Attorneys to Watch: 2014
• 40 Under 40 Outstanding Attorneys of Miami‑Dade County: 2009
• Dade County Bar Ass'n, Put Something Back Pro Bono Award: 2008
• AVVO Super Rating of 10.0: 2011-Present