Gwynne A. Young

Gwynne Young is a past president of the Florida Bar. Her practice focuses on complex state and federal litigation. She handles a wide variety of commercial and business disputes, real property litigation including title insurance, and real estate matters as well as probate and trust litigation. She represents both governmental entities and private companies in litigation with each other.

Gwynne also represents title insurance companies in coverage determinations, coverage disputes and litigation, and insured owners and lenders in title defect and priority disputes.

She has defended insurers in first- and third-party insurance coverage disputes, including property insurance, directors and officers liability insurance, environmental and pollution insurance, professional liability insurance, marine insurance, and advice on related bad faith claims.

Gwynne has probate and trust litigation experience including will contests and defense of fiduciaries and beneficiaries, will and trust construction, trust modification, revocation, and termination, and surcharge and removal litigation.

Gwynne is a certified circuit court mediator.

• Bond Safeguard Ins. Co. v. Nat'l Union Fire Ins. Co. of Pittsburgh, No. 6:13-cv-00561, 2014 WL 5325728 (M.D. Fla. Oct. 20, 2014). Obtained summary judgment in favor of directors and officers liability carrier in an over $40 million Coblentz enforcement action involving the application of an “arising out of” contract liability exclusion to a business dispute and a discussion of the Daubert deficiencies of a Coblentz expert opinion.
• Office Depot, Inc. v. Nat'l Union Fire Ins. Co. of Pittsburgh, 734 F. Supp. 2d 1304 (S.D. Fla. 2010), aff’d, 453 F. App'x 871 (11th Cir. 2011). Summary judgment in favor of insurer on insured’s claims of over $24 million in investigation costs.
• Carey v. Rocke, 18 So. 3d 1266 (Fla. 2d DCA 2009). Following nonjury trial, obtained affirmance of determination of undue influence by lawyers upon testator and reversal/remand to determine how estate would pass.
• Sugarloaf Lodge Tavern, Inc. v. Commerce & Indus. Ins. Co., No. 4:08-cv-10087, 2009 WL 1393423 (S.D. Fla. May 18, 2009). Obtained dismissal of bad faith claim in insurance coverage action and enforcement of choice-of-law clause in policy.
• Republic Servs., Inc. v. Am. Int’l Specialty Lines Ins. Co., No. 1:07-cv-21991, 2008 WL 4691836 (S.D. Fla. Oct. 21, 2008). Insurance coverage pollution liability policy.
• Med. Store, Inc., v. AIG Claim Servs., Inc., No. 9:02-cv-80513, 2004 WL 5486641 (S.D. Fla. Jan. 20, 2004). Suit seeking compensatory and exculpatory damages for breach of Florida’s Trade Secret Act and a confidentiality agreement, fraud, and breach of fiduciary duty. Defense verdict.

• AV Rated by Martindale-Hubbell
• The Best Lawyers in America 
  • Tampa "Lawyer of the Year," Real Estate Litigation (2017); Trusts and Estates Litigation (2016, 2018, 2021, 2023)
  • Commercial Litigation, Real Estate Litigation, Trusts and Estates Litigation (2009–2024)
• Florida Super Lawyers, Super Lawyers Magazine (2011–2023)
• Legal Elite Hall of Fame, Florida Trend Magazine (2010–2023)
• Florida Legal Elite, Florida Trend Magazine (2005–2007, 2009–2019)
• Rosemary Barkett Outstanding Achievement Award, Florida Association for Women Lawyers (2013–2014)
• Hillsborough County Bar Association Outstanding Lawyer Award (2013)
• Friend of FAWL Award, Florida Association for Women Lawyers (2013)
• Herbert Goldburg Award, Trial Lawyers Section of the Hillsborough County Bar Association (2009)
• The Florida Bar President's Pro Bono Service Award (2003)
• Jimmy Kynes Pro Bono Award for Outstanding Pro Bono Service, Hillsborough County Bar Association (1999)
• Charles A. Dukes Award for Outstanding Volunteer Service to Duke University (1995)

• American Bar Foundation
  • Fellow
• Florida Commission on Access to Civil Justice (2014-present)
• The Florida Bar
  • President (2012-2013)
  • President-Elect (2011-2012)
  • Board of Governors 13th Circuit, Seat 3 (2003-2011)
  • Executive Committee
    • Chair, Program Evaluation Committee (2006-2007) (2009-2010) 
    • Strategic Planning Committee
    • Chair, Budget Committee
    • Board Liaison to Business Law Section
  • Chief Justice’s Access to Justice Committee
  • Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section
    • Executive Council
    • Chair Professionalism and Ethics Committee
    • Former Co-Vice Chair Liaison with Fiduciaries Committee
    • Probate and Trust Litigation Committee
  • Business Law Section
    • Executive Council 2008-2011 as Board Liaison
  • Judicial Independence Committee
• Florida Supreme Court Historical Society
  • Trustee (2013-present)
• American Bar Association
  • House of Delegates (2011-2014)
  • Section of Litigation
  • Section of Real Property Probate and Trust Law
  • Tort and Insurance Practice Section
  • Former Member, Steering Committee on the Unmet Legal Needs of Children
• National Conference of Bar Presidents
  • Executive Committee (2013-2016)
  • Membership Committee (2012-2013)
  • Program Committee (2013-2016)
  • Finance and Investment Committees (2012-2016); Chair, Investment Committee (2015-2016); Chair, Audit Committee (2016-2017)
  • Sponsorship Committee (2016-2017) 
• Hillsborough County Bar Association
  • President (2001)
  • Director (1981-1984) (1996-2003)
  • Secretary (1995-1996)
• Hillsborough County Bar Foundation
  • President (2006)
  • Director (2002-June 2017)
  • Capital Campaign Committee
  • Chair, Long Range Planning Committee (2015-2016)
• Bay Area Legal Services Inc.
  • Director (2016-present)
  • Treasurer (2017), Chair-Elect (2018), Chair (2019)
  • Co-Chair, Sustaining Law Firm Committee
  • Co-Chair, 50th Anniversary Committee and Veteran’s Program Endowment Campaign
• Hillsborough Association for Women Lawyers
• Florida Association for Women Lawyers 
• J. Clifford Cheatwood American Inn of Court
  • Founding Master
  • Master Emeritus since 2013
  • President (1998-1999)
• Wm. Reece Smith Jr. Litigation American Inn of Court
  • Founding Master, President (2015-2016)
• Federal Judicial Nominating Committee
  • Middle District of Florida (2010-2013)
• Second Appellate District Nominating Commission
  • Former Chairman
• Twice served as a member of the Magistrate Judge Selection Committee for the Middle District of Florida
• Federal Bar Association
• Duke University
  • Athletics Advisory Board (2004-2011)
  • Co-Chair, Women's Athletic Scholarship Campaign Committee (2004-2006)
  • Athletic Council (2001-2004)
  • Trustee, Duke University (1999-2001)
  • President, Duke University General Alumni Association (1999-2000)
  • Director and Executive Committee, Duke University
    • General Alumni Association (1992-2002)
  • Former Director, Duke Club of Tampa Bay
  • Former Chairman, Alumni Admissions Advisory Committee for Hillsborough County
• University of Florida
  • National Board, University of Florida Foundation (2013-present)
  • Executive Board (2017-present)
  • Chair, Governance Committee (2017-present)
  • Talent Management Committee (2013-present)
• University of Florida Law Center Association Inc.
  • Trustee (2002-2007)
  • Emeritus Trustee (2008-present)
  • Law Center Capitol Campaign Committee
• Athena Society
  • Past President; Director (2015-2017)
• Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center (now Straz Center)
  • Former Trustee
• Tampa Preparatory School
  • Former Trustee
• The Junior League of Tampa Inc.
  • Former President (1985-1986)
• Association of Junior Leagues International Inc.
  • Former Director (1987-1989)
• The University of Tampa
  • Former Trustee
  • Past Member Board of Fellows
  • Former Chairman of the Board of Counselors
• Child Abuse Council, Inc. n/k/a Champions for Children
  • Founder
• Tampa Metropolitan YMCA
  • Former Director

• "HCBA 125: Celebrating the Past, Looking to the Future," Hillsborough County Bar Association​ (April 13, 2022)
• “The Art of Jury Instructions,” Mentoring With the Masters Online Program, The Florida Bar Young Lawyers Division (2011)

• Instructor, University of Florida College of Law 
• Assistant State Attorney, Thirteenth Judicial Circuit of Florida
  • First woman to hold this position.