SERVING FLORIDA & BEYOND
FOR OVER 50 YEARS

A headline from the Wall Street Journal’s Bankruptcy Pro stated last week, “Suppliers Get Burned in Expensive Bankruptcy Cases.” It was also recently reported that business bankruptcies increased more than 70% in 2024. Many of these business bankruptcy cases involve small to medium businesses that are now struggling because of the various economic and political factors that have reduced sales and increased the costs of doing business.

Tripp Scott announces that David Ray, an attorney with 20 years’ experience as a creditors’ rights attorney, has joined the firm as of counsel. David will focus his practice on creditors’ rights, civil litigation and asset protection.

Many children dream of being a firefighter, a jet fighter pilot or a South Pole explorer when they grow up. Instead, for me, the fantasy was to become a clown.

I am not sure if that fantasy came from children's books that glorified the circus or films depicting circus life from the Saturday matinee, but by the time I reached school age, I developed the unfortunate moniker of the class clown. Then, through high school and college, I satisfied my performance cravings by joining the drama club and performing with the high school and university band and orchestra.

Ed Pozzuoli, CEO of Fort Lauderdale-based law firm Tripp Scott, moderates a discussion on the future of higher education in Florida with FAU President Adam Hasner and State Representative Chip LaMarca at the Tower Club in Fort Lauderdale.

Tripp Scott announces that eleven of its attorneys have been recognized in the 2025 edition of Florida Super Lawyers Magazine.

Any entrepreneur knows that a business’s worst enemy—but, ironically, its greatest certainty—is uncertainty. And wisely seeks to structure partnership, shareholding, and operating agreements to minimize it.
One business uncertainty that often gets overlooked, however, is the health and personal life of the owner him or herself. What happens to the business—and to any business co-owners or partners—if an owner experiences a divorce, dementia, or another incapacity, or actually dies?

Tripp Scott, P.A. is proud to announce that Paul May, an associate with the firm, has been elected president of the Broward County Bar Association's Young Lawyers Section. Paul’s term will begin June 21, 2025. In addition, Luis Duran, an associate with Tripp Scott, was elected to the Broward County Bar Association’s Board of Directors.

A Florida federal judge on Friday sentenced the former president of a trucking and logistics company to 23 years in prison for defrauding more than 1,600 people who invested millions of dollars in purchasing big-rig vehicles, calling the crime "a classic Ponzi scheme of staggering scale."

Tripp Scott today announced that Ashley Arinus, an associate with the law firm, has been elected to the board of directors for the Broward County Women Lawyers’ Association (BCWLA).

Tripp Scott announces that Charles Tatelbaum, a director with the firm, was elected Chair of the Board of Governors of the Shepard Broad College of Law at Nova Southeastern University.

A recent Law360 Bankruptcy Authority headline, "Already Lean US Trustee Program Sees 58 Take Buyouts," may be revealing the tip of the iceberg in an ocean of uncertainty concerning the effective administration of the bankruptcy courts as we move forward in this 
uncharted territory.

Whether you’re a high-end developer or an everyday homeowner, Florida’s maze of land-use state and environmental statutes, local ordinances and master plans, stringent staff reviews and strict code enforcement can be maddening. It can make the process of doing what you want with your own property a costly, confusing and time-consuming hell-on-earth – or even a near-impossibility.

From employees who improperly access employer information post-termination to espionage campaigns initiated by foreign governments and international terror organizations, computer fraud and hacking have become rampant in our society. 

Tripp Scott attorney Matthew Zifrony offers expert insight in HOAleader.com articles addressing whether condo and HOA boards can redirect special assessment funds when originally planned projects are delayed or stalled due to litigation.

Tripp Scott announces that Ryan Lehrer, a director with the law firm, has joined the St. Thomas Aquinas High School Alumni Board of Directors as Corporate Liaison. In this role, Ryan will work to engage with alumni to develop and strengthen relationships on behalf of St. Thomas Aquinas.

A recent Law360 Bankruptcy Authority headline, "Already Lean US Trustee Program Sees 58 Take Buyouts," may be revealing the tip of the iceberg in an ocean of uncertainty concerning the effective administration of the bankruptcy courts as we move forward in this uncharted territory. 

Tripp Scott announces that Matthew Zifrony, a director with the law firm, has been recognized by the City of Weston for his outstanding service to that city. Matt lived in the City of Weston for 24 years, and he and his wife recently relocated to downtown Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

On March 21, 2025, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) issued an Interim Final Rule that significantly reduces the Corporate Transparency Act’s (CTA) beneficial ownership reporting obligations. Under this new rule, only foreign entities registered to do business in the U.S. and its foreign beneficial owners must submit beneficial ownership information (BOI) reports. 

Tripp Scott announces that Charles Tatelbaum, a director with the firm, was named as a member of Law 360’s Editorial Advisory Board for Bankruptcy.

The editorial advisory boards provide feedback on Law360's coverage and expert insight on how best to shape future coverage. Law360 is a subscription-based, legal news service. It is a subsidiary of Lexis Nexis that delivers breaking news and analysis to more than 2 million U.S. legal professionals across 60 practice areas, industries and topics.

When structuring partnership, shareholder and operating agreements, business owners try to address every reasonably conceivable situation. What often goes overlooked, however, are the effects on the business of divorce, dementia, or death — and the possible involvement of a surviving spouse, ex-spouse, or heirs.

Norman Tripp knew how hard it can be to afford college. When he attended the University of Miami, the son of a factory worker had to keep skipping semesters to work to make enough money to pay for the next semester. He succeeded: he met his wife, Jane, at the University and they earned their bachelor’s degrees in 1962.

Tripp went on to found the Tripp Scott P.A. law firm in Fort Lauderdale and became the general counsel for Alamo Rent a Car as the company exploded into a national chain. But Tripp never forgot about his days in Coral Gables, sending his children - and a continuous stream of scholarship donations - to the University.

Clients often question the necessity of hiring an appellate attorney when they already have a litigation or trial attorney handling their case. After all, the trial attorney was chosen for their skills and expertise, which can make their presence seem sufficient. But as legal matters unfold, the complexities of a case can easily surpass the trial attorney’s focus and abilities, particularly in cases that may be appealed. An appellate attorney makes sure that a client has the best chance of success at all stages of the litigation.

Tripp Scott announces that Jeffrey S. Wood, a director with the law firm, has been elected as Chairman of the Board of the Children’s Services Council of Broward County. 

The Children’s Services Council’s mission is to provide leadership, advocacy, and resources necessary to enhance the lives of the children of Broward County and empower them to become responsible, productive adults through collaborative planning and funding of a continuum of quality care.

Fifty-nine-attorney strong law firm Tripp Scott received a favorable Third District Court of Appeal opinion recently on behalf of its client, Moss & Associates, regarding a lawsuit they faced from a private resident at Brickell Heights East condominium in Miami.

Employers may be confused about their legal obligations in the face of the Trump Administration’s campaign against transgender individuals. Legal experts are reminding business leaders that it is still unlawful for most employers to discriminate against transgender employees because of their gender identity. Neither executive orders nor EEOC policy shifts can change federal or state gender identity discrimination laws governing private sector employers.

In my 58+ years of practicing bankruptcy law, I have learned that many of the nuances of the Bankruptcy Code, the Bankruptcy Rules of Procedure and the general practice of bankruptcy law can inflict pain-and-suffering on attorneys that do not deal in the area on a regular basis, and come to find that actions taken on clients’ behalf prior to and during a bankruptcy proceeding can have significant
negative consequences.

Following the February 18, 2025 decision in Smith, et al. v. U.S. Department of the Treasury, et al. all nationwide injunctions have been lifted and the reporting requirements and filing deadlines for the Corporate Transparency Act are back in full effect. SUBMISSION IS NO LONGER ON A VOLUNTARY BASIS.

In starting a family business, you hear and read about unexpected changes in family structure that leave outsiders or even family members not originally in the company with unintended control.

Recently, Tulsi Gabbard received starkly contrasting receptions in Florida and now in Washington, D.C.

 Gabbard, who transitioned from the Democratic Party to the Republican Party and is now Donald Trump’s nominee for director of National Intelligence, visited Fort Lauderdale last year, where she was warmly welcomed.