Jon Polenberg

Practice Areas

BUSINESS LITIGATION

• Alternative Dispute Resolution

• Bankruptcy Litigation

• Business Disputes

• Complex Litigation

• Contract Disputes

• Cross-Border Litigation

• Government Disputes

• Real Estate Disputes

• Securities Disputes

• Successor Liability and Avoidance Actions

• White-Collar Criminal Cases

REAL ESTATE

CORPORATE

• Trusts & Estates

Career

Jon Polenberg is a highly regarded business trial lawyer in Florida, known for his relentless advocacy and strategic insight in complex commercial litigation. With decades of experience representing businesses in high-stakes cases, Jon has built a reputation for handling intricate legal disputes with precision and a commitment to excellence. His practice spans a wide range of industries, assisting companies in resolving matters that affect their operations, reputations, and financial interests.

Adept at navigating the unique legal landscape businesses encounter, Jon is deeply familiar with the challenges they face. He tailors his approach to each client’s goals, providing guidance on everything from negotiations to courtroom representation. Jon’s tenacity and expertise have made him a trusted partner for companies seeking strong, results-driven legal counsel. Whether securing favorable outcomes in settlement discussions or defending clients in the courtroom, Jon delivers exceptional service and results clients can rely on.

Professional Memberships

• Member of the Board of Directors for Gilda’s Club South Florida

• Co-Chair of the Business Law Task Force, a committee of the Business Law Section of the Florida Bar

• Past Chair of the Business Law Section of the Florida Bar

• Past Chair of the Business Litigation Committee of the Business Law Section

• Past Chair of the Legislative Committee of the Business Law Section

• Past Chair of the Federal Court Practice Committee

• Past Chair of the Federal Judicial Round Table for the Federal Court Practice Committee

• Member of the Florida Rules of Civil Procedure Committee

• Chair of the Government Affairs Committee of the Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce

• Past Chair of the Washington Summit Legislative Initiatives for the Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce

• Member of the Board of Directors for the Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce

• Member of the Executive Committee for the Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce

• Past Chair of the Board for the Transplant Foundation

Publications

• “Post-Chevron DOGE: Is This the End of Federal Regulation?”, Kiplinger, January 2025

• “AI and Litigation: How Accountants Can Stay Ahead as Courts Wrestle with the Machine Revolution”, CPA Practice Advisor, January 2025

• “Interpleaders,” Florida Civil Practice Before Trial, Ch. 23 (14th ed. 2022)

• “Commercial Arbitration,” Business Litigation in Florida, Ch. 4 (11th ed. 2022)

• “Direct Versus Derivative in Shareholder Litigation”, Today’s General Counsel, Winter 2019

• “Commercial Arbitration,” Business Litigation in Florida, Ch. 4 (9th ed. 2017)

• Jon Polenberg & Quinn Smith, Can Parties Play Games with Arbitration Awards? How Mattel May Put an End to Prolonged Gamesmanship, Fla. B.J., May 2009, at 36

Experience

• Lead attorney in a False Claims Act litigation brought by a competitor against Applera Corporation in which the plaintiff claimed damages of $6 billion. The team prevailed on its motion to dismiss.

• Representation of American Airlines in working through the legal challenges presented by the North Terminal Development Program at Miami International Airport.

• Representation of Francisco Javier Ospina Baraya, the grandson of former Colombian President Mariano Ospina Perez, in a defamation suit that arose over claims that the book, “The Infiltrator,” and its subsequent movie, falsely portrayed the client as a central figure of the Medellin drug cartel. In a case that went up against the book’s author as well as publishing powerhouses Penguin Random House and Little, Brown and Company, among others, a Florida Appeals Court sided with the client on the grounds that books and movies are not covered by a presuit notice requirement for defamation suits. The significant ruling sets a precedent for defamation law in the state of Florida.

• Representative clients include Freedom Steel Building Corporation; Redevco; UniFirst Corporation; Alliant Insurance Services