Gary E. Davidson

Partner

High-stakes international litigator and arbitrator with noted successes in state and federal courts and before AAA and other arbitral tribunals.

Frequent speaker and author on international law.  Currently sits on the Executive Council of the Florida Bar’s International Law Section.

Former adjunct professor of law, Nova Southeastern University School of Law; Visiting Lecturer in International and Comparative Law, University of Tartu, Estonia, and Comenius University, Slovakia.  

Former liaison to Slovakia for American Bar Association Central and Eastern European Law Initiative, providing advice and assistance to various Slovak governmental and judicial organs at independence.

Representative Cases:

·   Lead counsel in 2009 AAA commercial arbitration on behalf of aircraft charter company where we obtained a $3.8 Million award against a South American airline as a result of its breach of an aircraft charter agreement.

·   Lead counsel in 2008 arbitration victory for Honduran national soccer team (Fenafuth), preserving its rights to sign enhanced multimillion dollar contract for World Cup international media broadcasts.

·   Served as arbitrator in major international maritime charter contract dispute, following appointment by American Arbitration Association (“AAA”).

·   Lead counsel in AAA arbitration for beneficiary under Peruvian life insurance contract where our client was not only awarded the policy benefits, but interest and attorneys fees as well.

·   Lead counsel in six week AAA arbitration on behalf of hotel chain in multimillion dollar dispute with major international construction company over failed hotel renovation.

·   Lead arbitration counsel on behalf of customs broker in dispute with major Japanese exporter over alleged improper classification of goods imported into the United States.

·   Won major fraudulent transfer judgment on behalf of leading Colombian company following 10 day trial.

·   Represented cruise line in defense of Florida wrongful death case, coordinating foreign counsel's efforts in achieving highly favorable settlement with surviving spouse in Costa Rica.

·   Investigated events surrounding major cargo damage claim in Panama on behalf of U.K. insurer; claim determined to be fraudulent and avoided.

·   Represented preeminent European travel consortium in renegotiation of multimillion dollar contract with major U.S. rental car company that filed for bankruptcy.

Selected Publications:

·   " U.S. Use of Economic Sanctions, Treaty Bending and Treaty Breaking in International Aviation." Journal of Air Law and Commerce, 1994.

·   "Congressional Extraterritorial Investigative Powers: Real or Illusory?" Emory International Law Review, 1994.

·   Co-author "Don't Fall Asleep at the Helm: Cruise Line Passenger Ticket Contracts and the Pitfalls of Personal Injury Litigation in U.S. Courts." International Travel Law Journal, May 1999.

·   "When is a Port Charge not a Port Charge? Evolving Standards of Liability for Deceptive Trade Practices and Implications for Travel Marketers." Commercial Law and Practice Course Handbook Series, Number A-790, Practicing Law Institute, 1999.

·   "Elian's Case: Echoes of a Seaman's Struggle." Journal of Commerce, Friday, January 28, 2000.

·   "Should Coupons be Clipped? The Problems Inherent to the Settlement of Class Actions with Non-Cash Tender." International Travel Law Journal, January 2001.

· "CASE NOTE, Osorio v. Dole Food Co., 665 F. Supp. 2d 1307 (S.D. Fla. 2009), " FIU Law Review, 2010.

· "Co-Author: "International Arbitration - Sports: Outside Counsel Perspective." International Commercial Arbitration Practice: 21st Century Perspectives (Naon and Mason eds., 2010).

Lectures & Speaking Engagements

·   "Aspects of International Litigation." Instructor, Annual Review Course for International Law Certification, The Florida Bar, February, 2000.

·   "Designing Forum Selection Clauses that will be Enforced Under U.S. Law." Guest speaker, Committee Y, International Bar Association Annual Convention, 2001, Cancun, Mexico.

·   "So you don't want to litigate in Hoboken? The Perils and. Pitfalls of choice of Forum Clauses in Transnational Contracts." Guest speaker, Conference on International Travel and Tourism, Newcastle, England, May 2002.

·   "Litigating Forum Non – Conveniens Motions in Florida's Courts." Panelist, Florida and New York Bar Association's Continuing Legal Education program entitled "International Litigation Update,” Miami, April 2003.

·   Chair, 1^st Annual Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot, Orlando, Florida, February, 2004.

·   "Use of Indemnity and Liability Shifting Clauses in International Travel Contracts.” Guest speaker, Conference on International Travel and Tourism, Newcastle, England, May 2004.

·   Panel Chair, "Hot Topics in International Litigation and Arbitration" Third and Fourth Annual Florida Bar International Litigation and Arbitration Seminars, Miami, May 2005 and 2006.

·   Speaker, "Applying the ADA to Foreign Cruise Vessels: Whither International Law?" 2006 Conference on International Travel and Tourism, Newcastle, England, May 2006.

·    Presenter of Mock Arbitration at the Lexis Nexis Third Annual Conference on Dispute Avoidance Resolution, Beijing, China, October, 2008.

·    Guest Speaker, “Oh the Mistakes We Make: The Decisions Made by Travel Industry Employees and the Costly Cases That Follow,” 8^th Annual International Conference on Travel and Tourism Law, Newcastle, England, September, 2008.  

·   Panelist, "Developing a Corporate Dispute Resolution Policy", 7th Annual ICDR Miami International Arbitration Conference, Miami, FL, March, 2009.