Attorneys

W. Robert Vezina, III

Rob Vezina, one of the firm’s founding members and the original managing shareholder, remains active in the firm’s legal practice from its home base in Florida’s capital. For over 30 years Rob’s practice has focused on public and private construction disputes in both state and federal courts. Rob’s practice reaches a broad range of issues involving public procurements—from his extensive work in all aspects of P-3 contracting to the handling of bid protests in many of the largest and highest profile procurements in Florida.

“Peers hold Rob ’on an extremely high plateau,’ noting that ‘in the road building industry, there’s nobody better.’” (Chambers USA) Rob strives to maintain the “‘smooth and non-confrontational style,’ which clients believe helps him to effectively present his cases to a jury,” and “‘adroit manner and quick thinking abilities’ [that] are often put to the test in litigious issues” in all aspects of his practice. (Chambers USA) Rob’s experience and dedication to excellence are reflected in his AV Preeminent Peer Review Rating from Martindale-Hubbell and his inclusion in Florida Trend’s Legal Elite, Florida Super Lawyers, The Best Lawyers in America^©, and Chambers USA for multiple years.

Rob has tried to verdict and judgment multiple complex cases in the construction, surety, and public contracts arenas. Beyond the confines of Florida, Rob has litigated disputes regarding major infrastructure projects in Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Maine, North Carolina, Texas, and Virginia, as well as the Caribbean Basin. He also has maintained an appellate practice, arguing many of the firm’s cases before the state and federal courts of appeal.

Rob’s approach to the practice is well summarized in this assessment of the firm: “‘Side-stepping the periphery and jumping straight to the heart of the issues,” this team ‘attains the requisite goals at incredible value.’” (Chambers USA)

Relevant Experience and Representative Cases

Defended contract award to multinational front- and back-office tolling vendor in bid protest over multiyear, multi-million dollar contract for customer-service operations
Defended contract award to national telecommunications equipment company in bid protest over multiyear, multi-million contract for next-generation statewide law enforcement radio system
Defended contract award to design–build joint venture in bid protest over contract for design and construction of $900 million signature bridge
Represented individuals and companies in disputes involving Florida Department of Transportation contractor prequalification and professional services prequalification
Represented a state agency in numerous administrative proceedings—including rule challenges and constitutional challenges—relating to medical-marijuana-dispensary licensing decisions
Represented national health insurance company in multi-billion dollar protest of Medicaid privatization procurement by Florida’s Agency for Health Care Administration
Represented Florida state agency in protest over procurement of multi-billion dollar HMO insurance contracts
Represented venture capital firm in breach-of-contract action against publicly traded banking institution
Defended contract award to telecommunications company in bid protest over multiyear, multi-million-dollar telecom contract with one of Florida’s largest budget agencies
Represented design–build contractors in professional negligence litigation against the engineer of record throughout Florida
Represented the prime contractor and one of its major subcontractors in connection with the construction of the new $100 million dollar airport in Northwest Florida.
Represented six of the major subcontractors in connection with the I-595 Corridor Roadway Improvement Project, a $1.2 billion P-3 project in South Florida.
Represented the prime contractor in connection with a $100 million bridge construction project in eastern North Carolina.
Represented the prime contractor in connection with the construction of a hot ammo load facility at Ft. Bliss in El Paso, Texas.
Represented Fortune 250 companies from various industries, including IT, health care, and third-party administration, in bid protest proceedings—both defending contract awards and challenging awards by local and state government entities
Defended sureties on payment and performance bonds in a variety of public and private construction projects

Education

Duke University School of Law (J.D.)
- National Trial Team
- Moot Court Board
University of Central Florida (B.A., summa cum laude)

Bar Admissions

Florida

Court Admissions

United States Court of Federal Claims
United States Court of Appeals, Federal, District of Columbia, and Eleventh Circuits
United States District Court, Middle and Northern Districts of Florida

Appointments

General Counsel, Florida Transportation Builders’ Association

Publications

Contractor Private Records—Part 2: How to Protect Your Private Records from Public Disclosure, with Megan S. Reynolds, Florida Transportation Builder (Winter 2022)
Contractor Private Records—Part 1: A Giant Leap in the Right Direction, with Megan S. Reynolds, Florida Transportation Builder (Fall 2022)
With Economic Loss Rule Dead to Contracting Parties, Does a Contract Still Mean Anything?, Florida Transportation Builder (Spring 2013)
Conclude to Not Collude, Florida Transportation Builder (Sp. 2011)
Public Private Contracting in Florida Survives, 83 Florida Bar Journal 10 (2009) (Co-Author)

(partial listing)

Honor Awards

Chambers USA – Recommended in Construction, 2005 – 2011, 2013 – 2023
Florida Trend legal Elite, 2009 – 2022
Florida Super Lawyers (Construction Litigation/Administrative Law), 2006 – 2023
FTBA “Soapbox” Award Recipient, 2005 – Extraordinary Contributions to Florida’s Transportation Industry
AV Preeminent Peer Review Rating, Martindale-Hubbell
Adjunct Professor, Florida State University Law School (Construction Law), 2008 – 2010

Memberships

American Bar Association, Forum on the Construction Industry
Construction Law Committee of The Florida Bar