Lida Rodriguez-Taseff practices in the area of commercial litigation, with an emphasis on complex commercial disputes, intellectual property litigation, construction litigation and homeowner and condominium association litigation. Ms. Rodriguez-Taseff also practices in the area of voting rights. Clients include venture capital firms, public and private companies (including nonprofits), partnerships and individuals.

Ms. Rodriguez-Taseff is admitted to practice in Florida and New York and is a 1992 graduate of the New York University School of Law, where she was a Root-Tilden-Kern Scholar and a recipient of the Vanderbilt Medal, the highest honor bestowed by NYU. She is a graduate of the University of Miami and she is fully fluent in written and spoken Spanish. She is a member of Duane Morris' Diversity Committee.

From 2002 through 2005, Ms. Rodriguez-Taseff appeared weekly on CNN's Saturday morning segment, Legal Briefs. She is a frequent television legal commentator and is a national Spanish media spokesperson for the American Civil Liberties Union. She is chair emeritus of the Miami-Dade Election Reform Coalition. From February to December 2005, Ms. Rodriguez-Taseff also served on the editorial board of the Miami Herald as a guest editor.

Areas Of Practice

Commercial Litigation
Intellectual Property Litigation
Construction Litigation

Representative Matters

Business Litigation

Defended international vendor of computing systems for transportation terminals in case involving allegations of racial discrimination. An adverse ruling in the case would have potentially jeopardized the company's government contract status, but we obtained a directed verdict on all counts.
Represented transportation industry client in a formal protest of a recommended government bid award to a competitor. Successfully overturned the recommendation of a municipal agency in administrative proceeding, resulting in client obtaining the award of a $125 million contract.
Represented a major producer of seed for fruit and vegetable crops in California in litigation over distribution agreement. Won a summary judgment verdict, which was used to obtain favorable settlement that also vindicated client's rights in jurisdictions of foreign countries.

Condo/Homeowners Associations/Construction

Represented more than 450 plaintiffs in a class action against a contractor and developer for damages resulting from structural design defects and building code violations. Procured a favorable settlement, getting all units repaired and brought up to code.
Represented condominium associations for luxury condominiums in lawsuit against developers relating to association governance. Prevailed on all key issues in interlocutory appeal and on summary judgment.

Intellectual Property

Represented major league sports franchise and international beverage company in defense of copyright infringement action involving alleged improper use of photographs. Prevailed completely on summary judgment.
Represented large restaurant holding company in defense of copyright infringement action relating to alleged improper use of photographs and artwork. Prevailed on all counts by summary judgment.
Counseled biopharmaceutical company in action for damages relating to trademark infringement, tortuous interference with business relations and unfair competition practices.
Represented a recycler of food products that turned human food service discards into animal feed stocks in a trademark infringement case. Prevailed at injunction hearing, getting infringer to cease all use of the marks.

Trade Secrets

Represented computer security company in unfair competition case. Successfully blocked an ex-employee from using trade secrets of the client in a competing business.
Obtained several injunctions against former employees of various businesses who attempted to make use of their employers' trade secrets in unfair competition.

Voting/Elections

Represented nonprofit civil rights groups in various "right to vote" initiatives and attempts to do voting systems reform. Provided counsel regarding legal viability of initiatives and proposed constitutional amendments relating to equal protection and other issues. Work cited in the John Marshall Journal of Computer and Information Law and the ABA Conference on Computing and the Law.
Represented a supervisor of elections on various matters, including negotiation of contracts with voting system vendors and preparation of testimony before various governmental bodies.

Professional Activities

Provide legal commentary for national and international media outlets including BBC, CNN, CNN HeadlineNews, FOX, CNBC, MSNBC, Univision and Telemundo, 2000-present
National Spanish Media Spokesperson, American Civil Liberties Union, 2000-present
State of Florida Spanish Media Spokesperson, ACLU of Florida, 1997-present
Legal commentator, CNN Saturday morning segment Legal Briefs, November 2002 - September 2005
The Spellman-Hoeveller American Inns of Court

Admissions

New York
Florida
United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
United States District Courts for the Southern and Middle Districts of Florida

Education

New York University School of Law, J.D., 1992

Experience

Akerman, Senterfitt & Edison, P.A., Miami, Florida
- Associate, 1994-1999
Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson, New York, New York
- Associate, 1992-1993

Civic and Charitable Activities

Co-chair, South Florida Jobs With Justice
Chair Emeritus, Miami-Dade Election Reform Coalition
Board of Directors, Miami-Light Project

Honors and Awards

2007 Civil Rights Award, The Council on American-Islamic Relations, Florida
Voted to "The Power Women Issue," The SunPost, October 5, 2006
Voted to "25 Mas Poderosos del Sur de la Florida," Poder Magazine, 2005
Elaine Gordon "You Make a Difference" Award, Miami-Dade County Lobby Days in Tallahassee, April 2005
Voted "Best Lawyer" by Miami New Times, March 2004
Community Service Award, South Florida AFL-CIO, 2004
Commendation by the City of Miami, Florida, presented for "resolute commitment to the Miami community," serving as President of the Miami Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, March 25, 2004
Gandhi, King, Ikeda Award from Morehouse College for service to the community and dedication to peace and unity, January 2003

Selected Publications

"The Road to Paper: Is E-Voting Reform Eroding the Gains of Language Minority Voters? The Case of Florida," for The American Bar Association, Inaugural National Institute on Computing and the Law (July 2007)
"Florida's Post 2000 Voting Systems Overhaul: The Road to Perdition," 23. J. Marshall Computer & Info. L. 497-508 (Spring 2005)
Edited, "Professionalism and Life in the Trenches: The Case of the Public Defender," 8 St. Thomas L. Rev. 185-198 (Fall 1995)