Penelope T. Rowlett

Penelope T. Rowlett

Professional Experience

Penelope Rowlett is a Partner with the Firm. She was admitted to The Florida Bar in 1997 and has served various clients in general civil litigation, as well as complex civil litigation matters, including litigation support at trial and post-trial levels; civil appeal (all phases); insurance defense litigation, and general and commercial tort litigation. She also practiced in St. Petersburg in her own firm from 2006-2010 where she managed a general civil litigation and transactional practice. There she assisted clients in matters involving commercial and general business litigation, contract and real estate litigation, appeals, and extensive litigation involving state administrative hearings. Ms Rowlett also performed substantial duties as co-counsel/outside counsel in matters involving complex business litigation and civil/commercial appeals (state and federal), and litigation involving attorney's fees and costs awards. Additional matters, included transactional law involving negotiation, drafting, and review of all forms of contracts, letters of intent, corporate legal instruments (including corporate formation, governance, internal policies, and dissolutions), asset planning and protection; real estate acquisition, management, and restructuring; and general risk management. Ms. Rowlett has also been involved in numerous matters involving litigation and transactions in the areas of media law, First Amendment and other State and Federal Constitutional law, real property, contracts and construction law, probate law, and general business law.

Education

  • 1983

    Loyola University, New Orleans, Louisiana, Undergraduate Studies

  • 1985

    Louisiana State University, Western European Language Studies

  • 1994

    University of South Florida, B.A. Accounting, (Cum Laude)

  • 1997

    Stetson University, J.D., (Cum Laude)

Academic Honors

  • Blue Key Business Honor Fraternity (USF), 1993 - 1994
  • Registrar's Merit Scholarship (USF), 1993 - 1994
  • Golden Key Honors Fraternity (USF), 1993
  • Phi Kappa Phi Honors Fraternity (USF), 1993
  • Phi Delta Phi Legal Fraternity (Vice-Magister), 1996 - 1997
  • Balfour National Legal Scholar, 1996

Bar Admissions

  • State of Florida
  • U.S. District Court - Middle District of Florida
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, 11th Circuit
  • U.S. District Court - Northern District of Florida

Professional Activities

  • Florida Bar Appellate Practice Section

Publications

  • Agency E-mail and the Public Records Laws - Is the Fox Now Guarding the Henhouse?, 33 Stetson L. Rev. 649 (Winter, 2004)

Practice Areas

Appellate Opinions

  • KOYUTIS INSURANCE AGENCY, INC. v. RONALD F. HOLEHOUSE AGENCY, INC., 834 So. 2d 168 (Fla. 2d DCA 2002) (Case No. 2D01-1928)
  • KIST v. ROALES, 835 So. 2d 1127 (Table), Fla.2d DCA 2002) (Case No. 2D01-5763)
  • SARASOTA HERALD-TRIBUNE v. STATE, 916 So. 2d 904 (Fla. 2d DCA 2005) (Case No. 2D05-5337), also reported at 34 Media L. Rep. 1707
  • SCOTT v. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, 828 So. 2d 1091 (Fla. 2d DCA 2002) (Case No. 2D01-5599)
  • SHARRARD v. LIGON, 892 So. 2d 1092 (Fla. 2d DCA 2004) (Case No. 2D03-3348)
  • STATE V. CITY OF CLEARWATER, 863 So. 2d 149 (Fla. 2003), also reported at 31 Media L. Rep. 2240, 149 Lab.Cas. P 59,783, and 20 IER Cases 641 (Case No. SC02-1694, SC02-1753)
  • THE TIMES PUBLISHING CO. v. FLORIDA HEALTH SCIENCES CENTER, INC., 843 So. 2d 275 (Fla. 2d DCA 2002) (Case No. 2D02-1523)
  • THE TIMES PUBLISHING CO. v. ROBERT HEMPEL, CITY OF PINELLAS PARK, 856 So. 2d 1002 (Fla. 2d DCA 2003) (Case No. 2D02-4756)
  • THE TIMES PUBLISHING CO. v. CITY OF CLEARWATER, 27 Fla. L. Weekly D1073 (Fla. 2d DCA, May 10, 2002), 2002 WL 944630 (Case No. 2D01-3055, not reported in So.2d), Opinion Withdrawn and Superseded by THE TIMES PUBLISHING CO. v. CITY OF CLEARWATER, 830 So. 2d 844 (Fla. 2d DCA 2002) (Case No. 2D01-3055), also reported at 30 Media L. Rep. 2202.
  • THE TIMES PUBLISHING CO. v. STATE, 903 So. 2d 322 (Fla. 2d DCA 2005) (Case No. 2D04-4293)
  • THE TIMES PUBLISHING CO. v. STATE, 827 So .2d 1040 (Fla. 2d DCA 2002) (Case No. 2D02-1462), also reported at 31 Media L. Rep. 1044.
  • THE TIMES PUBLISHING CO. v. STATE OF FLORIDA, 818 So. 2d 516 (Fla. 2d DCA 2002) (Case No. 2D02-1114)
  • VENCAP, INC. v. McDONALD SEC. CORP., 827 So. 2d 1061 (Fla. 2d DCA, October 11, 2002 (Case No. 2D02-502)
  • IN RE: ESTATE OF WENDLE, 783 So. 2d 259 (Fla. 2d DCA 2001) (Case No. 2D00-2321)
  • YALE UNIVERSITY v. FLEET NATIONAL BANK Trustee, 851 So. 2d 166 (Fla. 2d DCA 2003) (Case No. 2D02-2840)