Meghan O. Serrano

Partner, Litigation and Disputes Regional Service Line Leader, Financial Institutions and Insurance Business Sector Co-Chair

Shumaker Professionals Meghan O. Serrano
Meghan O. Serrano
Meghan O. Serrano

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Education
  • J.D., University of Connecticut, 2004
  • B.A., cum laude, Boston College, 2001
Service Lines
Business Sectors

Board certified in business litigation by The Florida Bar, Meghan is considered an expert in her field, practicing in all phases of civil and business litigation, including performing and analyzing discovery; drafting motions; attending mediations, hearings, and motion sessions; conducting witness depositions; and preparing for trial and appellate proceedings. Meticulous and hardworking, Meghan regularly represents businesses and business owners, employers, insurers, banks, lenders, and landlords in both state and federal court at the trial level and on appeal.

Meghan collaborates with her clients and colleagues to develop the strongest possible strategy to achieve client objectives, whether defensive or offensive, before disputes erupt into expensive and protracted litigation. She has extensive experience representing businesses in contract disputes, insurers in all types of civil litigation, employers in disputes with employees, including claims involving misappropriation and theft of trade secrets and confidential information and violation of non-compete agreements, lenders in title claims, foreclosures, deficiencies, workouts, and real estate owned (REO) matters; and landlords in eviction actions and other lease disputes. She also regularly represents personal representatives, surviving spouses, trustees, and beneficiaries in trust and estate disputes.

With a passion for sharing her knowledge, Meghan is a contributing author to the 2016, 2018, 2020, 2022, and 2024 supplements to Foreclosures in Florida (Lexis Nexis), which contains information she gained during the Great Recession while working with banks on loan defaults and foreclosure. In addition, she was selected by Lexis Nexis to author their Commercial Mortgage Foreclosure (Florida), Residential Mortgage Foreclosure (Florida), Commercial Eviction (Florida), and Residential Eviction (Florida) Practice Notes. Recently, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, Meghan was again selected by Lexis Nexis to author a Florida Practice Alert: Does the Coronavirus Excuse Contract Performance.

Outside the courtroom, Meghan is passionate about the Boys & Girls Clubs of Sarasota and DeSoto Counties and is the immediate past Board Chair.

Media Mentions:

  • On behalf of a multibillion dollar REIT, Meghan successfully obtained a federal court judgment against a national commercial tenant, requiring the tenant to pay the entire accelerated lease amount, even though the tenant never took possession of the premises as a consequence of a denied use permit. (BRE Mariner Marco Town Center, LLC v. Zoom Tan, Inc., Case No. 16-13042, United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit)
  • On behalf of a large regional bank, Meghan successfully obtained a judgment in favor of the lender imposing an equitable lien on the property, notwithstanding defects in mortgage, and obtained a foreclosure judgment in favor of the lender in excess of $2.5 million. Meghan subsequently obtained a deficiency judgment for the lender following the presentation of evidence regarding the value of foreclosed property.  
  • On behalf of the loan purchaser, Meghan obtained a foreclosure judgment in favor of the lender in excess of $2.5 million. Meghan successfully obtained appointment of receiver to manage a 300 plus acre property, including two golf courses and related amenities to preserve status quo during litigation proceedings.
  • Successfully obtained appointment of receiver to manage multiple chain hotel properties to preserve business operations and secure property during foreclosure litigation. 
  • Represented real-property sellers and purchasers at all phases of litigation and pre-litigation, related to disputes regarding agreements to purchase property, including interpleader actions regarding a dispute over deposit amounts held in escrow and disputes regarding disclosures provided and representations made. 

EVENTS AND PRESENTATIONS

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  • Business Sectors
  • Service Lines
  • Education
    • J.D., University of Connecticut, 2004
    • B.A., cum laude, Boston College, 2001
  • Bar and Court Admissions
    • District of Columbia, 2009
    • Florida, 2008
    • Massachusetts, 2004
    • United States District Court, Middle District of Florida, 2009
    • U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit 2016
    • United States Supreme Court, 2018
  • Professional and community affiliations
    • Leadership Sarasota, Class of 2020
    • Boys & Girls Clubs of Sarasota County, Immediate Past Chair, Board of Directors and Women Ambassadors; Chair, Board of Directors, 2021 
    • Clerk of Court Liaison, Sarasota County Bar Association
    • Sarasota County Bar Association Appellate Practice Section, Member
    • Dishes for Wishes Co-Chair, Make-A-Wish Foundation of Central & Northern Florida
  • Honors
    • AV® Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell
    • SRQ Media Group, 2023 Outstanding Non-Profit Board Member
    • SRQ Magazine: 2022 Elite Top Attorneys, Commercial Litigation
    • SRQ Magazine: 2020 Elite Top Attorneys, Business Law
    • Florida Rising Star by Super Lawyers magazine, 2012 - 2019
    • Boys & Girls Clubs of Sarasota County, Board Member of the Year, 2020
    • Boys & Girls Clubs of Sarasota County, Board Member of the Year, 2017

florida bar board certified

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