Florence resolves complex commercial litigation in federal and state courts for individuals and public and privately held companies.

Florence draws on her broad-based experience defending and prosecuting claims – including, employment law claims (including discrimination, harassment,  wrongful termination, and restrictive covenant disputes), partnership and shareholder disputes, breach of contract actions, business torts, art litigation, and professional malpractice insurance matters – to identify and pursue solutions that advance her clients’ objectives.

Clients appreciate Florence’s understanding of their operations and industry, her ability to identify business solutions for their disputes, and her passion for resolving issues that challenge their success.

Florence excels in all stages of civil litigation. She has coordinated discovery, taken depositions, drafted and argued dispositive motions, prepared clients and witnesses for trial and litigated through trial, briefed appeals, and more generally helped clients navigate the strain and disruption of litigation. In addition to Florence’s extensive experience representing clients in the financial services industry, she has represented clients from nearly every sector of the economy, including entertainment, fashion, art, manufacturing, healthcare, construction, and legal.

Prior to joining Zukerman Gore, Florence was a litigation attorney at O’Melveny & Myers and Dewey Ballantine. She is an avid kickboxer.

REPRESENTATIVE MATTERS

• Currently defending a top national mortgage company from a $120 million breach of contract claim arising from dispute of a merger agreement in Delaware Chancery Court.
• Won multi-million-dollar award for employee asserting SOX whistleblower retaliation claim against securities firm before Department of Labor and FINRA.
• Successfully obtained injunction on behalf of minority shareholder restraining majority shareholder from violating minority shareholder rights.
• Prosecuted sexual harassment and breach of contract claims on behalf of two renowned high-end shoe designers against their former employer and successfully obtained summary judgment on multi-million wrongful termination claim.
• Obtained judgment on behalf of art collector against individuals who fraudulently sold collector 24 forged Leon Golub paintings.
• Obtained dismissal of qui tam action brought under the False Claims Act against national bank.
• Successfully set aside a jury verdict on behalf of investment advisor company and its principle, after jury verdict was entered against them for breach of fiduciary duties.

Education

• Columbia Law School, J.D., 2000, editor of the Human Rights Law Review
• New York University, B.A., with honors, 1997

Bar and Court Admissions

• New York, 2001
• U.S. District Court, S.D.N.Y and E.D.N.Y.

National Bar Association