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Am Law 100 firm with practices in Business, Digital Assets and Data Management, Intellectual Property, Labor & Employment, Litigation and Tax.

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Partners provide annually updated U.S. chapter on asset recovery

Webinar explores impacts of SECURE 2.0 on employer retirement plans

Nominees not likely to support some current FTC priorities

J.D., Emory University School of Law, 1973, 

B.A., Florida Southern College, 1970, 

<ul>
<li>Chambers USA: Construction in Florida (2005 to 2023)
<ul>
<li>Band 5 (2020 to 2023), Band 4 (2017 to 2019), Band 3 (2015 to 2016), Band 2 (2005 to 2014)</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The Legal 500 United States (2016 to 2017, 2019)
<ul>
<li>Recommended in Real Estate &#8211; Construction (including construction litigation)</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><em>The Best Lawyers in America</em>®
<ul>
<li>Florida: Bet-the-Company Litigation (2013 to present)</li>
<li>Florida: Commercial Litigation (2013 to present)</li>
<li>Florida: Construction Law (2017 to present)</li>
<li>Florida: Litigation – Construction (2016 to present)</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Florida &#8220;Super Lawyer&#8221; (2006 to 2023)</li>
<li>Martindale-Hubbell: AV Preeminent</li>
</ul>


Orlando

Chambers USA Guide 2023 Honors 147 BakerHostetler Attorneys and Recognizes 64 Practice Areas

Hundreds of BakerHostetler Attorneys Honored as 2023 Best Lawyers, Ones to Watch and Lawyers of the Year

Chambers USA Guide 2022 Honors 145 BakerHostetler Attorneys and Recognizes 62 Practice Areas

191 BakerHostetler Attorneys Named in 2022 “Best Lawyers” List; 10 Recognized as “Lawyer of the Year”

Chambers and Partners USA Honors 134 BakerHostetler Attorneys and 55 Practice Areas in 2021 USA Guide

195 BakerHostetler Attorneys Named in 2021 “Best Lawyers” List; 13 Recognized as “Lawyer of the Year”

Chambers and Partners USA Honors 121 Attorneys and 35 Practice Areas in 2020 Guide

150 BakerHostetler Attorneys Named 2016 Super Lawyers; 91 Named Rising Stars

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<ul>
<li>Represented as lead counsel, newspapers, television stations and other news organizations in many libel and invasion of privacy cases in state and federal courts throughout Florida. Denis has obtained summary judgment on behalf of numerous media clients and served as lead trial counsel in defamation matters tried before juries throughout the state.</li>
<li>Represented, as lead trial counsel, a major international energy industry corporation in an American Arbitration Association proceeding brought by engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor. The dispute arose out of the construction of an electric power generating plant built in Maricopa County, Arizona, for which Denis&#8217;s client provided &#8220;thermal island equipment&#8221; including combustion turbines, steam turbines and heat recovery steam generators. The proceeding involved approximately $50 to $70 million in claims for delay, disruption inefficiencies, acceleration, extra work and liquidated damages. Engaged in considerable discovery, and the parties settled following mediation.</li>
<li>Represented, as lead trial counsel, a general contractor in an appeal against the Veterans Administration (VA) before the VA Board of Contract Appeals concerning termination for default in the construction of an energy plant at a VA hospital in Tampa, Florida. A two-week administrative trial resulted in the Board of Contract Appeals overturning default termination and converting it to termination for convenience. The VA subsequently paid a multimillion-dollar settlement.</li>
<li>Represented, as lead counsel, a city involved in a delay in completion claim against an insurance company arising out of the construction of a major convention center. The parties engaged in extensive document discovery and numerous depositions. The case settled following a second effort at mediation.</li>
<li>Represented, as lead claims counsel, a general contractor in a multimillion-dollar delay and disruption claim against the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, arising out of construction of a Predator drone maintenance facility in Nevada. Settlement was reached at a mediation before a judge of the Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals.</li>
<li>Represents, as lead counsel, a telecommunications company appealing assessment its tangible personal property located in Palm Beach County, Florida, for ad valorem tax purposes. The disparity between the client&#8217;s valuation of property and the property appraiser&#8217;s assessed value was $162 million. Extensive expert testimony will be developed and offered to the trial court on issues regarding the valuation methodology utilized by the property appraiser and maintaining that insufficient credit was given for the technological obsolescence of subject equipment.</li>
<li>Represented, as lead trial and appellate counsel, a taxpayer in the landmark ad valorem tax assessment decision which held that a Lake County property appraiser had employed an unconstitutional appraisal methodology in assessing the tangible personal property of a cable TV provider. Client realized tax and interest savings in excess of $4 million.</li>
<li>Selected by an Orange County, Florida circuit court judge to join three-arbitrator panel that helped decide the value of an electric distribution plant acquired by a Florida city from an incumbent electric power provider. A 39-day hearing required consideration of extensive expert and factual testimony on the valuation of the distribution plant, associated properties, and &#8220;stranded costs&#8221; that ranged from $20 million to $170 million. A panel award was accepted by the parties without challenge.</li>
<li>Acted as co-counsel for defendant in civil action brought by a blood bank against a blood registry concerning the alleged infringement of a federally registered slogan. The plaintiff sought recovery of lost profits, damages and attorney&#8217;s fees. Following extensive briefing and oral argument, the court denied the plaintiff&#8217;s motion for a preliminary injunction, and the plaintiff agreed to dismiss claims with prejudice.</li>
</ul>


Denis L. Durkin

Denis L. Durkin

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