St. Petersburg, Fla. – Carlton Fields is pleased to announce that St. Petersburg Shareholder Steven Dupré is the 2011 recipient of “The Barney” award. This annual award, given by the Barney Masterson Inn of Court (the Inn), is presented to a trial lawyer that demonstrates the highest degree of professionalism, ethics, civility, and legal excellence in the practice of law.

Dupré is the 17th trial lawyer to receive this honor since the award was first awarded in 1995.

The Barney Masterson Inn of Court was formed in 1988 as the Pinellas Inn of Court. Its named changed in 1995 after the passing of one of its beloved members, Bernard J. “Barney” Masterson. The Inn is located in St. Petersburg/Clearwater, Florida and serves Florida's Sixth Judicial Circuit and the Second District Court of Appeals, and the United States District Court, Middle District of Florida, Tampa Division. The Inn is one of more than 300 in the U.S., part of the American Inns of Court that are designed to improve the skills, the professionalism, and the legal ethics with which the bench and the bar perform their functions. More than 25,000 judges, lawyers, law professors, and law students are members of the American Inns of Court.

Dupré has a diverse business law and litigation, trial, and appellate practice, encompassing a wide range of issues that have included: accounting, administrative, admiralty, appeals, banking, bankruptcy, business and statutory torts, class action, computer, collection, condominium, contract, copyright, corporate governance, corporation, corporate reorganization, deceptive practices, defamation, eminent domain, ERISA, eviction, fraud, fraudulent transfer, homeowner association, injunction, landlord-tenant, legal malpractice, libel, licensing, limited liability company, mortgage foreclosure, partnership, professional liability, public records, real estate, regulated industries, replevin, RESPA, secured transactions, securities, slander, software, tax, technology, temporary restraining order, tort, trademark, UCC, unfair competition, and zoning laws.

He has represented different types of businesses and business owners ranging from publicly held companies to private entrepreneurs. He has also represented individuals in personal and employment matters. Dupré is AV Rated by Martindale-Hubbell and listed as a “Best Lawyer” by The Best Lawyers in America, and as a “Super Lawyer” by Florida Super Lawyers. He received his J.D., with honors, from Northwestern University School of Law and his B.S. in Accounting from the University of Illinois.