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Experience 

Bob served as a Law Clerk to Honorable William Terrell Hodges, United States District Judge, U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida from 1982 – 1984. From 1988 to 1998 he handled catastrophic child and infant injury cases throughout the United States and Canada.

While clerking he learned of Johnson Pope’s well-known reputation for quality legal work and ended up joining the firm in April 1999.

He is the author of “The Primary Carrier Caught in the Middle with Bad Faith Exposure to its Insured, Excess Carriers and Reinsures”, Tort and Insurance Journal, Volume XXIV, Fall 1988 and “Mandatory Class Actions”, For the DeFeure, July 2000.

Distinctions & Memberships 

  • Clearwater Bar Association Member
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit – 1987
  • U.S. District Court, Southern & Northern Districts of Florida – 1987
  • U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida – 1983
  • Admitted to The Florida Bar – 1983
  • Best Lawyers in America® – Commercial Litigation since 2020

Education 

  • Stetson University B.A. – 1979
  • University of Florida J.D., with honors – 1982

When He’s Not Working Hard for Clients 

Bob can be found tinkering on the 1965 Shelly Cobra replica he built, or working on some other challenging mechanical project.

Robert V. Potter joined Johnson Pope in 1999. Bob graduated cum laude from the University of Florida in 1983, where he was a member of the Moot Court Board and where he taught legal research and writing. He received his bachelor’s of business administration degree from Stetson University in 1979.

Upon graduating from law school Bob served as a law clerk to the Honorable William Terrell Hodges, United States District Court judge, U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida. He then began specializing in arson and fraud cases until joining Spalding & Evenflo Companies in 1988. In addition to serving as general counsel to the Evenflo Division, Bob handled catastrophic infant and child injury cases throughout the United States and Canada. Since joining the firm, Bob has specialized in commercial litigation, business dispute resolution, landlord tenant disputes, product liability and personal injury. He carries an AV rating from Martindale Hubbell. He has lectured extensively at seminars and is the author of “The Primary Carrier Caught in the Middle with Bad Faith Exposure to its Insured,” Excess Carriers and Reinsures, Tort and Insurance Journal, Volume XXIV, Fall 1988 and “Mandatory Class Actions”, For the Defense, July 2000.

Bob is a member of the Florida Bar, the Clearwater Bar Association and is admitted to practice before the U.S. Middle District of Florida, the U.S. Northern District of Florida and the U.S. Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals.

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