Strategic Advocate for High-Stakes Business Litigation
Steven Pratico is a veteran commercial litigator with more than two decades of experience representing national and global companies in high-stakes disputes. His practice centers on complex business torts, contract disputes, real estate and construction litigation—often involving multi-million-dollar claims and critical enterprise risk. Steve has particular experience handling disputes between private equity firms and portfolio companies involving post-acquisition claims, earn-out disputes, fraud allegations, and high-value contract breaches. Steve has been trusted by Fortune 500 pharmaceutical companies, large-scale real estate developers, and mid-to-large-market businesses across a broad spectrum of highly-technical industries.
Clients turn to Steve when the stakes are high and the outcome matters. His litigation philosophy is rooted in precision, foresight, and an aggressive approach tailored to the unique business objectives of each client.
Sophisticated Representation for Complex Litigation
Steve is known for developing customized litigation strategies that align with each client’s operational and reputational goals. Whether advancing claims or defending against bet-the-business allegations, Steve delivers results through a deep command of procedural dynamics, courtroom advocacy, and targeted settlement tactics.
Recognized by The Best Lawyers in America© in Commercial Litigation, Steve is widely regarded as one of Florida’s premier trial attorneys for business disputes. His ability to simplify complexity and advocate decisively makes him a trusted partner for companies facing their most serious legal challenges.
Representative Work
- Jury Trial Victory – Information Technology Services Dispute: Won jury trial for a national IT provider regarding unpaid invoices, defeating multimillion-dollar counterclaims by a national retail chain.
- Bench Trial Victory – LLC Member Derivative Lawsuit: Defeated $5 Million claims by minority member of LLC against the company and managing members. Plaintiff’s claims included breach of operational documents, statutory violations, and common law claim of breach of fiduciary duty.
- Bench Trial Victory – Agricultural Supply Dispute: Prevailed on breach of contract claims in a bench trial representing a national fertilizer supplier against a state-wide agricultural consortium. Counterclaims were defeated entirely.
- $16.5 Million Settlement – Federal Court (Middle District of Florida): Secured a favorable settlement for a corporate client in a breach of contract and FDUTPA action against a national defense subcontractor arising from wrongful termination of multimillion-dollar contracts.
- Summary Judgment – Construction Litigation: Achieved full dismissal and recovery of legal fees on behalf of a major construction firm wrongly accused of property damage by neighboring property owners.
- Trademark/Trade Dress Enforcement – Media Sector: Successfully compelled a competing publication to rebrand following a court’s finding of consumer confusion and harm to client’s market presence.
Industry & Community Leadership
A former college linebacker, Steve maintains his strong ties to college football as an executive member of the board of directors of the ReliaQuest Bowl. Steve stays connected to his law school alma mater as an instructor in the Intensive Trial Advocacy Program at Notre Dame Law School. Steve is an avid outdoorsman and has received numerous awards for his fundraising efforts on behalf of Ducks Unlimited, the largest non-governmental conservator of wetlands and wildlife habitats in North America. Steve is also a board member of the Tampa Bay Economic Development Council and Pasco Sheriff’s Charities.
Education
- University of Notre Dame Law School, J.D., 2001
- Bucknell University, B.S., 1998, Environmental Science & Economics
- Rutgers University, 1993-1995
Courts & Admissions
- All Florida State Courts
- U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida
- U.S. Tax Court
Affiliations
- Notre Dame Law School – Intensive Trial Advocacy Program Instructor
Civic & Charitable
- ReliaQuest Bowl; Executive Member of the Board of Directors; 2017 Chairman of Board of Directors
- AdventHealth Hospital; Board of Directors
- Pasco Sheriff’s Charities; Vice-Chairman of Board of Directors
- Ducks Unlimited Pasco County; Former Chairman of Board of Directors
- Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corp., Board of Directors
- 13th Judicial Circuit of Florida: Won jury trial in a commercial lawsuit on behalf of a national information technologies provider who performed millions of dollars’ worth of services for a national retailer, who then refused to pay invoices based upon false allegations of inadequate services provided. The national retailer countersued, and Mr. Pratico obtained a defense verdict on all counterclaims.
- 5th Judicial Circuit of Florida: Obtained summary judgment on behalf of a statewide construction company in a lawsuit filed by homeowners who claimed damage to property resulting from nearby construction activity. After multiple attempts to amicably resolve the matter, Mr. Pratico obtained and collected a judgment against the claimants for all attorney’s fees.
- 6th Judicial Circuit of Florida: Forced a client’s competitor in the publication industry to change its publication name and logo based upon an initial finding by the court that the competitor’s product was causing confusion in the community and harming client’s business.
- 10th Judicial Circuit of Florida: Prevailed in a bench trial in a commercial lawsuit on behalf of a nation fertilizer company against agriculture consortium who refused to pay for millions of dollars’ worth of products upon false allegations that incorrect products were delivered. The agriculture consortium counter sued, and Mr. Pratico obtained a defense verdict on all counterclaims.
Articles
News
By JP Firm — May 2025
When a minority member of a commercial construction company filed a lawsuit seeking over $5 million in damages, our client turned to attorney Steve Pratico for representation. The case involved complex allegations of corporate mismanagement, missing assets, and breach of fiduciary duty, but through strategic litigation and a meticulous review […]
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