Martin Reeder is a seasoned trial and appellate lawyer with more than forty years of experience. His practice areas include complex commercial litigation, media and communications cases, intellectual property claims, and real estate disputes. Martin has secured summary judgments and won jury verdicts in several multi-million dollar cases on behalf of institutional and individual clients, and served as lead counsel in over 70 appeals.

Representative Experience 

• Won summary judgment on behalf of CNN, Anchor Anderson Cooper, Senior Medical Correspondent Elizabeth Cohen and other CNN employees in defamation action brought by pediatric heart surgeon.
• Trial Counsel for defendant The Weekly World News in $6 million dollar trademark action brought by creator of the character “Ed Anger.” Won jury verdict for defendant, invalidating plaintiff’s federal trademark registration and upholding defendant’s copyright.
• Trial Counsel for defendant GE Capital Corporation in shareholder derivative action. Tried case to a jury and won a directed verdict.
• Trial Counsel for former CEO of publicly traded company in disability income insurance case against The Hartford Life Insurance Company. Won federal court jury verdict in excess of $1 million plus attorneys’ fees.
• Won summary judgment for documentary filmmaker Byzantium Productions against international tennis star Maria Sharapova in trademark infringement case.
• Trial Counsel for Identification Technologies, Inc. in theft of trade secrets and breach of fiduciary duty action involving facial recognition technology, winning judgment dismissing claim brought by bankruptcy trustee on behalf of bankrupt debtor.
• Trial counsel for estate of real estate developer sued for alleged fraud in connection with the sale of a large shopping center. Won jury verdict for the defense.
• Trial Counsel for national franchisor and distributor of flea control products, winning judgment upholding client’s federal trademark.
• Won dismissal of defamation lawsuit against 527 group on the ground that such groups lack legal capacity to sue or be sued, and successfully defended judgment on appeal, making law in Florida that 527 groups cannot be sued for allegedly defamatory publications.
• Won dismissal with prejudice of complaint against AOL, Inc. brought on behalf of juvenile who alleged that AOL was liable for harm caused by pedophile who used AOL chat room.
• Trial Counsel for Bank of New York, as trustee plaintiff in shareholder derivative action, winning judgment preserving $6,000,000 equity in Jupiter Island water company and recovering attorneys’ fees.
• Trial Counsel for Florida Power & Light subsidiary, Land Resources Investment Co., in breach of contract action, winning judgment in excess of $1 million and successfully defending judgment in Florida Supreme Court.
• Won injunction and damage award for Real Entertainment, Inc. against video pirates who infringed its exclusive license to market “Jerry Springer-Too Hot for TV.”
• Trial Counsel for General Electric Capital Corporation in insurance coverage dispute with Auto-Owners Insurance Company relating to construction defects. Won $1,000,000 judgment for policy limits and successfully defended judgment before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit.
• Counsel for The Palm Beach Post and national media organizations in litigation which preserved public access to court proceedings and public records concerning the William Kennedy Smith rape trial and the David Kennedy drug overdose investigation.
• Won court order for Mobile Press Register providing public access to law enforcement investigative records pertaining to the disappearance and murder of Adam Walsh.
• Counsel for World Wildlife Fund in successful bid protest against South Florida Water Management District.

Reported Decisions

• CNN, Inc. v. Black, 374 So. 3d 811 (Fla. 4th DCA 2023)
• Wollschlaeger v. Governor of Florida, No. 12-14009, — – F.3d — — , 2017 WL 632740 (11th Cir. Feb. 16, 2017)
• Palm Beach Newspapers, LLC v. Colin, 199 So. 3d 556 (Fla. 4th DCA 2016)
• Palm Beach Newspapers, LLC v. State, 183 So. 3d 480 (Fla. 4th DCA 2016)
• Retterath v. Homeland Energy Sols., LLC, No. 4:14-CV- 00158- JEG, 2014 WL 7776705, at *1 (S.D. Iowa Dec. 24, 2014)
• Ramos v. Miami Herald Media Co., 132 So. 3d 1236 (Fla. 3d DCA 2014)
• Shulgasser-Parker v. Kennedy Trinley & Santino, P.L., 71 So. 3d 152, 152 (Fla. 4th DCA 2011)
• Spilfogel v. Fox Broad. Co., 433 F. App’x 724 (11th Cir. 2011)
• Larkin v. Buranosky, 25 So. 3d 685, 685 (Fla. 4th DCA 2010)
• Alpert Family Dev., LLC v. Elysium Group US Holdings Inc., 11 So. 3d 961 (Fla. 4th DCA 2009)
• Foreclosure FreeSearch, Inc. v. Sullivan, 12 So. 3d 771, 773 (Fla. 4th DCA 2009)
• Larkin v. Buranosky, 973 So. 2d 1286 (Fla. 4th DCA 2008)
• Alan v. Palm Beach Newspapers, Inc., 973 So. 2d 1177 (Fla. 4th DCA 2008)
• Bierlin v. Lucibella, 955 So .2d 1206 (Fla. 4th DCA 2007)
• Palm Beach Newspapers, Inc. v. Limbaugh, 967 So. 2d 219 (Fla. 3d DCA 2005)
• Comtrade Ltd. v. U.S., Slip Copy, No. 05-80729- CIV, 2005 WL 5643875 (S.D. Fla., Nov. 7, 2005)
• In re Nitro Leisure Products, L.L.C., No. 02-14008- CIV, 2002 WL 32344948 (S.D. Fla. Aug. 8, 2002)
• SCI Funeral Servs. of Fla., Inc. v. Light, 811 So. 2d 796 (Fla. 4th DCA 2002)
• Edelstein v. WFTV, Inc., 798 So. 2d 797 (Fla. 4th DCA 2001)
• Doe v. America Online, Inc., 783 So.2d 1010 (Fla. 2001)
• Steinhardt v. Intercondominium Group, Inc., 771 So. 2d 614 (Fla. 4th DCA 2000)
• Doe v. America Online, Inc., 718 So. 2d 385 (Fla. 4th DCA 1998)
• WFTV, Inc. v. State, 707 So. 2d 1210 (Fla. 4th DCA 1998)
• McMullen v. State, 714 So. 2d 368 (Fla. 1998)
• WFTV, Inc. v. Roe, 706 So. 2d 132 (Fla. 4th DCA 1998)
• WFTV, Inc. v. State, 704 So. 2d 188 (Fla. 4th DCA 1997)
• Tronzo v. Biomet, Inc., 950 F. Supp. 1149 (S.D. Fla. 1996)
• WFTV, Inc. v. Wilken, 675 So. 2d 674 (Fla. 4th DCA 1996)
• Montalvo v. State Dept. of Environmental Regulation, 667 So. 2d 816 (Fla. 4th DCA 1995)
• McMullen v. State, 660 So. 2d 340 (Fla. 4th DCA 1995)
• Liberty Mut. Ins. Co. v. Lone Star Industries, Inc., 648 So. 2d 114, (Fla. 1994)
• WFTV, Inc. v. Robbins, 625 So. 2d 941 (Fla. 4th DCA 1993)
• Palm Beach Community College Foundation, Inc. v. WFTV, Inc., 611 So. 2d 588 (Fla. 4th DCA 1993)
• Park of Commerce Associates v. City of Delray Beach, 606 So. 2d 633 (Fla. 4th DCA 1992)
• South End Imp. Group, Inc. By and Through Bank of New York v. Mulliken, 602 So. 2d 1327 (Fla. 4th DCA 1992)
• Klinger v. Weekly World News, Inc., 747 F. Supp. 1477 (S.D. Fla. 1990)
• Palm Beach Newspapers, Inc. v. Lindsey, 554 So. 2d 22 (Fla. 4th DCA 1989)
• Telesat Cablevision, Inc. v. Sunbelt-Denntronics Cable Ltd., 531 So. 2d 1071 (Fla. 4th DCA 1988)
• Bludworth In and For Palm Beach County, Fla. v. Palm Beach Newspapers, Inc., 529 So. 2d 1191 (Fla. 4th DCA 1988)
• Palm Beach Newspapers, Inc. v. State, 506 So. 2d 1037 (Fla.1987)
• Miami Herald Pub. Co. v. Hagler, 506 So. 2d 1037 (Fla. 1987)
• Palm Beach Newspapers, Inc. v. Burk, 504 So. 2d 378 (Fla.1987)
• Forman v. Murphy, 501 So. 2d 640 (Fla. 4th DCA 1986)
• In re Elliott, 66 B.R. 466 (Bankr. S.D. Fla. 1986)
• Intercondominium Group, Inc. v. Steinhardt, 490 So. 2d 1344 (Fla. 4th DCA 1986)
• Bludworth v. Palm Beach Newspapers, Inc., 476 So. 2d 775 (Fla. 4th DCA 1985)
• State v. Freund, 473 So. 2d 274 (Fla. 4th DCA 1985)
• Miami Herald Pub. Co. v. Hagler, 471 So. 2d 1344 (Fla. 4th DCA 1985)
• Palm Beach Newspapers, Inc. v. Burk, 471 So. 2d 571 (Fla. 4th DCA 1985)
• Kipperman v. Sally Biehusen Real Estate, Inc., 460 So. 2d 593 (Fla. 4th DCA 1984)
• Nodar v. Galbreath, 462 So. 2d 803 (Fla. 1984)
• Palm Beach Newspapers, Inc. v. Doe, 460 So. 2d 406 (Fla. 4th DCA 1984)
• Jamason v. Palm Beach Newspapers, Inc., 450 So. 2d 1130 (Fla. 4th DCA 1984)
• Ponce Development Co. v. Espino, 449 So. 2d 317 (Fla. 3d DCA 1984)
• Koch v. Waller & Co., Inc., 439 So. 2d 1041 (Fla. 4th DCA 1983)
• Empire Outdoor Advertising v. Department of Transp., 438 So. 2d 851 (Fla. 1st DCA 1983)
• Palm Beach Newspapers, Inc. v. Cook, 434 So. 2d 355 (Fla. 4th DCA 1983)
• In re Apportionment Law Appearing as Senate Joint Resolution 1 E, 1982 Special Apportionment Session; Constitutionality Vel Non, 414 So. 2d 1040 (Fla. 1982)