Eric Lowell Ray
Partner
Overview
Eric L. Ray is an attorney in Holland and & Knight's West Palm Beach office and works in the firm's Litigation Section.
Mr. Ray has successfully represented both domestic and foreign clients in complex federal and state cases, as well as in arbitrations administered by the International Centre for Dispute Resolution (ICDR) and the American Arbitration Association (AAA). He has a national practice and is well versed in advising diverse clients in commercial matters and business controversies. These matters include: real estate and title insurance litigation; trust and estate litigation; contract disputes; corporate and partnership disputes; fraud and other business tort actions; trade secret and restrictive covenant disputes; banking litigation; Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) litigation; insurance litigation, including defending insurance carriers in fraud-related claims; commercial and residential mortgage foreclosures and commercial landlord/tenant disputes.
In addition to his legal practice, Mr. Ray has presented on business and litigation issues related to the attorney-client privilege and work product doctrine.
Prior to entering private practice, Mr. Ray worked as a public relations executive in New York.
In the community, Mr. Ray is active in numerous organizations, including Take Stock in Children, where he serves on the board, United Way, American Israel Public Affairs Committee's (AIPAC) South Florida Real Estate Division and Jewish Lawyers Association of Palm Beach County.
Mr. Ray is also deeply committed to providing pro bono services. He has successfully represented a father seeking the return of his child abducted into the U.S. from abroad, using the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction. He has provided pro bono legal representation to children in foster care through Lawyers for Children America, to juveniles in immigration court proceedings and to multiple individuals seeking asylum in the United States. Mr. Ray previously assisted the Innocence Project in successfully exonerating a wrongfully convicted man after he spent 25 years in prison.
During law school, Mr. Ray served as an articles and comments editor for the University of Miami Inter-American Law Review. In addition, he served as a judicial intern to the Honorable Gerald B. Cope of the Florida Third District Court of Appeal.
Representative Experience
- Represented a national bank in more than 80 consolidated lawsuits to enforce promissory notes arising from a real estate development abroad
- Represented real estate developers and individual property owners in easement, land use, condominium association and title disputes
- Representation of a national pharmacy chain in defending against several tort claims arising from the renewal of leasehold interests at properties throughout the U.S.
- Representation of a guarantor of commercial real estate property in a dispute against the landlord
- Represented a national client in numerous commercial landlord/tenant disputes throughout the U.S.
- Represented real estate investors in a declaratory judgment and breach of contract action against a national real estate developer
- Represented a homeowner in a lawsuit against a developer/contractor for construction defects in a multimillion-dollar waterfront property
- Represented a homeowner in a trial against a title insurance company arising from a title dispute
- Represented a homeowner in an investigation of a potential violation of a municipal ordinance
- Represented an attorney in litigation to reform a deed resulting from alleged scrivener's error relating to a multimillion-dollar waterfront commercial parcel
- Defended a personal representative of an estate in a trust contest by a beneficiary asserting claims for undue influence, breach of fiduciary duty and constructive fraud
- Representation of plaintiffs in an action against a personal representative to invalidate an amended trust arising from claims of undue influence, tortious interference with testamentary expectancy and lack of capacity
- Represented a national bank in a claim against an estate to recover substantial principal balance owed by the decedent guarantor pursuant to a promissory note and guaranty securing a mortgage in commercial property
- Represented a national bank in an estate proceeding to recover nearly $5 million arising from breaches of multiple guarantees related to commercial properties
- Represented the claimant in a proceeding against an estate of former spouse arising from assets intentionally omitted from financial disclosure in a marital dissolution agreement
- Represented a personal representative in a challenge to an intestate estate brought unknown heirs of decedent
- Representation of a regional pharmaceutical company in claims asserted by a competitor for tortious interference with employment and business contracts, misappropriation of trade secrets, civil conspiracy and injunctive relief related to noncompete agreements
- Represented an independent board director in defense of a lawsuit alleging breach of fiduciary duties in a class action brought under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA)
- Representation of a regional roofing company in numerous employment disputes
- Represented a private equity firm in the enforcement of restrictive covenants
- Represented a Fortune 100 healthcare benefit management company in a breach of contract action against a hospitality company in claims arising from breach of force majeure contract provision
- Represented an executive in an employment contract dispute against a former national company
- Represented an international medical product distributor in a breach of contract action against an international medical product manufacturer
- Represented an international pharmaceutical manufacturer in a two-week arbitration proceeding against a software developer in a breach of contract action
- Represented multiple physicians in breach of contract actions against healthcare management companies
- Represented a national insurance company in multiple lawsuits against premium finance companies arising from alleged fraud
- Represented a commercial tenant guarantor and obtained order vacating judgment entered against him individually
- Represented a national bank in a matter relating to pursuit of suspicious activity reports (SAR)
- Represented various foreign and domestic wine manufacturers and distributors in actions against a wine distributor
- Represented an international music manager/promotor in a dispute against a competing promotor
- Represented a regional grocery chain in a hearing before the Florida Board of Health
- Represented daily fantasy sports operator in all stages of company's development, including assistance with terms of use and privacy policy, seed-round fundraising and Series A offering documents, corporate formation, regulatory concerns, name, image and likeness (NIL) issues for website content, data privacy, security, advertising, consumer protection, trademarks, corporate sponsorships and banking regulations
- Represented a nonprofit organization that assists members of the equestrian community coping with catastrophic injuries, illnesses and other issues regarding corporate, nonprofit and trademark matters
- Represented a nonprofit organization that seeks to reduce environmental impacts caused by equine-related events and activities
- Represented a daily fantasy sports operator focused on horse show jumping in various matters
- Represented an individual in a litigation matter involving the partition of a horse
- Represented a horse trainer in a dispute against a barn manufacturer related to construction defects
Credentials
- Colgate University, B.A., Political Science
- University of Miami School of Law, J.D., cum laude
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- New York
- U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida
- Take Stock in Children, Member, Board of Directors
- Top Lawyers, Alternative Dispute Resolution, Palm Beach Illustrated, 2024
- Holland & Knight Pro Bono All-Star, 2020, 2021
- Rising Star, Florida Super Lawyers magazine, 2013-2017
- Florida Legal Elite "Up & Comer," Florida Trend magazine, 2012
- Holland & Knight Public and Charitable Service All-Star Award, 2017