Morgan R. Bentley
Managing Partner
Morgan R. Bentley concentrates his practice in the area of litigation involving business and real estate disputes. He handles both trial proceedings as well as complex arbitrations and administrative hearings. He has been Board Certified in Business Litigation since 2014.
He received his undergraduate degree with honors from the University of Florida in 1988, where he was a member of Phi Beta Kappa and the Florida Blue Key Leadership Honorary. Mr. Bentley received his Juris Doctor, with honors, from the University of Florida in 1992 where he served as an associate editor of the Florida Law Review and was a member of Order of the Coif. Mr. Bentley is admitted to practice in Florida State Courts, the Middle District of Florida and the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals.
Mr. Bentley is a past chairman of the Florida Commission on Ethics, having been twice appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Mr. Bentley is currently Vice Chair of Nate’s Honor Animal Rescue, and Vice Chair of Sarasota Tiger Bay Club. He is a Past President of the Sarasota County Bar Association, a past President of the Young Lawyer Division, Sarasota County Bar Association, a Past President of Legal Aid of Manasota, a former member of the Florida Bar Board of Governors, Young Lawyer Division, a former member of the Executive Council of Florida Bar’s General Practice Section, a past chair for Manatee County Chamber of Commerce School Issues Committee, a past Chair of the Twelfth Judicial Circuit Grievance Committee, a past Chair of the Sarasota Tiger Bay Club, a past Director of Bay Area Legal Services, a past Director of the Cotillion Club of Sarasota, and a Life Fellow of the American Bar Association.
In 2008, Mr. Bentley was selected by the Florida Bar for its 2008 Florida Bar President’s Pro Bono Service Award, having previously been recognized as the Outstanding Pro Bono Attorney for Sarasota and Manatee Counties by Legal Aid of Manasota.
Mr. Bentley has been recognized a Best Lawyer in America by Best Lawyers, as a Legal Up and Comer and Legal Elite by Florida Trend magazine, a Florida Super Lawyer by Super Lawyers magazine, and was a Gulf Coast Business Review 40 Under 40 recipient.
Mr. Bentley was awarded Martindale-Hubbell’s highest A/V rating in 2004.
- Education
- Published Works
- Representative Cases
- Representative Clients
- Cases/Seminars
- Honors/Awards
- Associations/Memberships
- Past Employment
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA COLLEGE OF LAW, GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA
- J.D. – 1992
- Honors: Order of the Coif
- Law Review: The Florida Law Review, Associate Editor, 1990 – 1992
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA, GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA
- B.A. – 1988
- Honors: Florida Blue Key Leadership Honorary
- Honors: With Honors
- Honors: Phi Beta kappa
- Major: Economics
- Effects of Equitable Estoppel and Substantial Deviations to Vested Rights in DRI Projects: A New Approach, Vol. 43 University of Florida Law Review No. 4, September, 1991
- Quasi-Judicial Review of Rezoning Decisions and Local Government Home Rule Power: Can They Be Reconciled?, Florida Law Journal, January, 1992
- Co-Author, Forms of Park Ownership: Rental v. Coop v. Condo v. Subdivision, with James L. Turner, Esq., Florida Bar CLE Seminar Mobile Home Law, April 25, 1997
- A Victory for Manatee County Property Owners: Newsletter, If you own real estate in Manatee County, this ruling could affect you, 2005
- Arbitration: Newsletter, Panacea of Problematic, 2006
- McCann Holdings Ltd, v. SDC Communities et. al, PRACTICE AREA: Land Use, tortious interference, local government rights. DATE: April 28, 2017. OUTCOME: Upheld trial court overturning of $20 million verdict against developers participating in comprehensive planning process.
- Eric Hackney et. al v. Scott Niedecken et. al, PRACTICE AREA: Partnerships. DATE: March 14, 2014. OUTCOME: Upheld verdict defending business founder from claims of ownership by alleged partner.
- Brivik v. Law, PRACTICE AREA: Malicious Prosecution, Civil Rights. DATE: October 16, 2013. OUTCOME: Upheld trial court’s dismissal of claims against witnesses to fraud claim prosecution.
- Sarasota County v. Bow Point Developers, PRACTICE AREA: Land Use/Zoning. DATE: October 26, 2007. OUTCOME: Trial Court decision upheld in client’s favor. DESCRIPTION: Challenge to County decision to close waterfront hotel due to alleged abandonment
- FCCI v. Cayce’s Excavation, PRACTICE AREA: Insurance. DATE: April 27, 2005. OUTCOME: Trial Court decision reversed in favor of client. DESCRIPTION: Challenge to Trial Court judgment of estoppel against Insurance carrier
- Thrasher v. Arida, PRACTICE AREA: Real Estate. DATE: November 7, 2003. OUTCOME: Trial Court reversed in favor of client. DESCRIPTION: Challenge to entry of summary judgment against client on issue of easement rights across property.
- Maple Manor v. City of Sarasota, PRACTICE AREA: Civil Rights. DATE: April 3, 2002. OUTCOME: Trial Court decision in favor of City reversed due to City’s failure to provide procedural due process to owner. DESCRIPTION: Challenge to City Nuisance Abatement Board imposition of fines and other terms on landlord
- FCCI v. National Union Fire, PRACTICE AREA: Litigation. DATE: November 6, 1998. OUTCOME: Trial Court decision upheld in client’s favor. DESCRIPTION: Trail Court set aside judgment based on newly discovered evidence and appeal taken by AIG
- FCCI v. National Union Fire, PRACTICE AREA: Insurance. DATE: July 24. 1998. OUTCOME: Doctrine to apply as between insurer and insured. DESCRIPTION: Underlying case involved seven figure reinsurance claim with AIG subsidiary National Union Issue.
- Successfully overturned Sarasota County Ordinance imposing automatic loss of non-conforming status due to renovations lasting more than one year.
- Successfully overturned Sarasota County Ordinance limiting development due to presence of mesic hammock on residential lots.
- Successfully overturned City of Sarasota Nuisance Abatement Board procedures for prosecuting landlords without knowledge of violations on rental properties.
- Obtained judgment of insurance fraud in excess of $16,300,000 on behalf of large insurance company.
- Represented Florida Secretary of State in pre-election challenge to ballot initiative to require paper ballots.
- Represented Florida Secretary of State in post-election challenge involving alleged miscounts by electronic voting machines.
- Administratively prosecuted Fair Housing Act claim by mental health facility to settlement by the City of Sarasota.
- Represented owners of nursing home in reinstatement of facility license revoked by the Agency for Health Care Administration.
- Represented Sarasota County Sheriff Department to defeat claims of fraud in the procurement of service contracts.
- Represented dozens of claimants in Ponzi schemes and other matters involving financial fraud.
- Practicing with Professionalism, Florida Bar CLE
- Basic Evidence – Moderator, Florida Bar CLE
- Basic Personal Injury Litigation – Moderator, Florida Bar CLE
- Numerous local REALTOR and paralegal associations
- Florida Super Lawyer by Super Lawyers
- Legal Elite by Florida Trend magazine
- Pro Bono Service Awards by Florida Bar
- Florida Up and Comer by Super Lawyers
- Gold Service Pro Bono Recognition by Florida Supreme Court
- Silver Service Pro Bono Recognition by Florida Supreme Court
- Martindale-Hubbell’s highest AV rating in 2004
- Twelfth Circuit Distinguished Service Award by Legal Aid of Manasota
- Five Year Pro Bono Award Winner by Legal Aid of Manasota
- Nate’s Honor Animal Rescue, Board of Directors, 2017 – Present
- Tiger Bay of Sarasota, Immediate Past Chairman, 2016 – Present
- Tiger Bay of Sarasota, Treasurer, 2016 – Present
- Tiger Bay of Sarasota, Board of Directors, 2014 – Present
- American Bar Association Foundation, Life Fellow, 2012 – Present
- Florida Commission of Ethics, Chair, 2013 – 2014
- Florida Commissions of Ethics, Vice Chair, 2012 – 2013
- Florida Commission of Ethics, Member, 2010 – 2014
- American Bar Association Foundation, Fellow, 2005 – Present
- Legal Aid of Manasota, Past President
- Sarasota County Bar Association, Past President
- Leadership Sarasota, 2006 – 2007
- Manatee County Chamber of Commerce, Committee Chair, 2001 – 2002
- Board of Directors for Bay Area Legal Services
- Williams Parker Harrison Dietz and Geten, Shareholder, 1992 – 2011