Overview
A former federal and state prosecutor with more than 38 years of legal experience, Ed Page has tried more than 100 jury trials in state and federal courts and more than 250 bench trials. In 1987, he became Tampa’s first Florida Bar Board Certified Criminal Trial Lawyer. Ed handles federal and state criminal and civil matters, including white collar criminal, aviation, product liability, personal injury, family law, and complex commercial litigation matters. His white collar criminal representation covers both individuals and corporate clients, health care fraud (including False Claims Act matters), criminal tax, environmental crimes, asset forfeiture, attorneys general investigations, and regulatory enforcement. In 2016, 2017, and 2018, The Best Lawyers in America named Ed as its Tampa Qui Tam Law "Lawyer of the Year." Ed is also the recipient of the Hillsborough County Bar Association's James H. Kynes Memorial "In the Trenches" Award for excellence in criminal litigation.
He is an instrument-rated commercial pilot and flight instructor, and provides legal representation to pilots, mechanics, drone operators, and others involved in aviation matters, including FAA enforcement actions, TSA matters, airport matters, civil disputes, insurance, taxes, aircraft ownership, and U.S. Customs matters.
Ed is a Florida Supreme Court certified circuit civil mediator. He focuses his mediation work on False Claims Act cases, aviation matters, and general civil cases. Ed has held numerous positions of bar leadership, including serving as chair of the Second District Court of Appeal Judicial Nominating Commission and The Florida Bar's Criminal Law Certification Committee.
Experience
Complex Civil Litigation
- Represented firefighter’s local union in defamation case.
- Represented company in civil breach of contract case.
- Represented hotel chain in attorneys general price-gouging investigation.
- Represented individual in energy tax credit fraud investigation.
- Represented insurance agent in Florida Department of Insurance investigation.
- Represented businessman accused of trafficking in counterfeit goods.
- Represented gas wholesaler in price-gouging investigation.
- Represented online travel company in Florida deceptive and unfair trade practices investigation.
- Represented witnesses in special litigation committee’s investigation under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.
- Represented businessman in civil breach of fiduciary duty case.
Product Liability, Personal Injury, Medical Malpractice
- Defended in a hip implant litigation in state and federal court, including multidistrict litigation.
- Defended the state attorneys general executive committee investigation of medical device manufacturer.
- Defended an aircraft products litigation.
- Defended a concert promoter in personal injury claims.
- Defended a hospital in complicated medical malpractice litigation.
- Prosecuted medical malpractice claim against the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
Aviation
- Represented flight school in TSA inquiry regarding simulator flight training.
- Represented flight school concerning flight training documentation.
- Represented flight instructor in TSA inquiry regarding alien flight training.
- Represented certificate holders in dispute with the FAA.
- Advised LLC member regarding the flight department company trap rule.
- Represented numerous pilots in various FAA enforcement actions.
- Represented surviving spouse in her husband’s fatal airplane crash.
- Represented pilot FAA accused of violating presidential (TFR) airspace.
- Represented flight school in crash litigation.
- Represented helicopter company in crash litigation.
- Advised pilots regarding FAA medical certification.
Federal Criminal Defense
- Represented FAA-certified mechanic in federal grand jury investigation.
- Represented companies and individuals in mortgage fraud investigations and cases.
- Represented seaman in federal criminal environmental investigation under MARPOL.
- Represented doctor in federal criminal tax fraud investigation.
- Represented telemarketing company in telemarketing fraud investigation.
- Represented former NFL football player in state criminal sexual battery investigation.
- Represented major league baseball player in DUI with injuries prosecution.
- Represented major league baseball player in felony marijuana case.
- Represented company under federal investigation for honest services fraud.
- Represented individual in federal criminal Clean Air Cct investigation.
- Represented ship’s chief engineer in federal criminal environmental pollution case.
- Represented electrician accused of manslaughter.
- Represented college student accused of armed burglary.
- Represented juvenile accused of felony criminal mischief.
- Represented farmer in federal crop insurance fraud case.
- Represented oil reclamation company in federal criminal environmental pollution investigation.
False Claims Act
- Represented physician in False Claims Act investigation.
- Represented national construction company in a False Claims Act case.
- Represented health care provider entity in a federal qui tam/False Claims Act federal investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice.
- Represented a major university in defending a False Claims Act case based on allegations of fraud in research grants submitted to the National Institutes of Health.
- Represented anesthesiology practice group in False Claims Act inquiry.
Health Care Fraud
- Represented physicians group involved in an Office of the Attorney General, Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, investigation concerning various billing practices.
- Represented a wheelchair and motorized scooter company involved in a federal grand jury investigation concerning its Medicare billings.
- Represented licensed pharmacist in federal “pill mill” investigation.
- Represented pharmacist in federal health care fraud investigation.
- Represented individual in federal health care anti-kickback statute investigation.
- Represented an oxygen and durable medical equipment company indicted in a federal grand jury investigation concerning its Medicare billings.
Elder Abuse
- Investigated, prosecuted, defended, and advised on numerous criminal and civil claims of elder abuse.
Family Law
- Represented ex-wife in post-dissolution accounting dispute regarding business profits.
- Represented lawyer's wife in dissolution proceedings.
- Represented a husband in child custody matter.
- Represented a Navy officer in dissolution proceedings.
- Represented a lawyer in contested paternity case.
- Represented a physician in pre-suit dissolution counseling.
- Represented several petitioners and respondents in contested domestic violence and stalking cases.
Professional & Community Involvement
Aviation Memberships/Groups
- Aero Club of Washington, D.C.
- Aviation Insurance Association
- Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association
- Legal Services Panel Attorney for AOPA
- Alaska Airmen Association
- Cessna Pilots Association
- Lawyer-Pilots Bar Association
- Lake Amphibian Club
- Pilatus Owners and Pilots Association
- National Association of Flight Instructors
- National Business Aviation Association
- Seaplane Pilots Association
- The Twin Cessna Flyer
- FAA-Certified Instrument Flight Instructor (CFII)
- Commercial Pilot With Commercial, Instrument, Seaplane, and Advanced Ground and Instrument Ground Instructor Ratings
Other Memberships/Groups
- Appointed by Sens. Bill Nelson and Marco Rubio to the Florida Federal Judicial Nominating Commission (2015–2017)
- The National Trial Lawyers – Top 100 Trial Lawyers (2011–2016)
- Million Dollar Advocates Forum
- American Bar Association
- Fellow
- Section of Litigation
- Criminal Justice Section
- Federal Bar Association
- Board of Directors, Tampa Bay Chapter (2000–2006)
- Boy Scouts of America
- Assistant Scout Master Troop 4, Tampa, FL
- Rotary International
- Rotary Club of Tampa
- Paul Harris Fellow (2005–2010)
- The Federalist Society
- President, Tampa Chapter (2005–2011)
- Second District Court of Appeal Judicial Nominating Commission (2011–2017)
- Chair (2013–2014)
- Vice Chair (2011–2012, 2016)
- The Florida Bar Foundation
- The Florida Bar
- Aviation Law Committee (2000–2008, 2013–present)
- Chair, Thirteenth Judicial Circuit Grievance Committee "F" (2002–2003)
- Chair, Criminal Trial Law Certification Committee (1994–1995)
- Trial Lawyers Section
- Health Law Section
- Criminal Law Section
- The Florida Bar Speakers Bureau
- National Association of Assistant U.S. Attorneys (2000–2015)
- National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
- National Press Club (1998–present)
- National Institute for Trial Advocacy
- Trial Advocacy Teacher Training Program at Harvard
- Rhetoric Society of America
- Republican National Lawyers Association
- Supreme Court Historical Society
- Congresswoman Kathy Castor's Military Academy Nominating Committee (2005–2010)
- Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
- Florida Supreme Court Committee on Standards of Conduct Governing Judges (1987)
- Florida Supreme Court Historical Society
- Hillsborough County Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
- Hillsborough County Bar Association
- Chair, Trial and Litigation Section (1995–1996)
- Corporate Counsel Section
- Hillsborough County Republican Party
- General Counsel (2011–2012)
- Herbert G. Goldburg-Ronald K. Cacciatore Criminal Law American Inn of Court
- Master, Member (2007–2016)
- Ferguson-White American Inn of Court
- Master (1987–1996, 2012–2016)
- President-Elect (1996–1997)
- Treasurer (1992–1995)
- Emory Law School Advocacy Program
- University of Florida College of Law Prosecutor/Public Defender Trial Training Program
- University of South Florida Alumni Association
- University of South Florida
- St. John's Parish Day School Inc.
- Chair (2010–2012)
- Board of Trustees (2007–2012)
- Bay Area Volunteer Lawyers Program
- Volunteer Lawyer (1986–1995)
- MacDonald Training Center Inc.
- Board of Directors (2006–2009)
- Ironman-Distance Triathlon Finisher
- Instructor for Carlton Fields' Deposition Clinic (2006–2015, 2019)
- Carlton Fields Advocacy Club – Conceived and facilitated biweekly advocacy training program for the law firm's attorneys (2012–2016)