NICHOLAS OTTAVIANO, ESQ.
Nicholas Ottaviano, Esq.
Nicholas (“Nick”) Ottaviano was born and raised on Long island, New York but left the cold climate for the warmth of Florida. He is a two-time graduate of the University of Florida, obtaining his B.A. Degree in Criminal Justice in 1984 and his J.D. Degree in 1988 from the Levin College of Law.
Nick is a Florida Bar Board Certified Civil Trial Lawyer, a distinction achieved by less than 2% of all Florida lawyers. He is rated “AV” Preeminent, Judicial Version, by Martindale-Hubbell, which is the highest rating for legal skills and ethics, and is a member of the National Trial Lawyers “Top 100 Trial Lawyers” for Florida Civil/Plaintiff, and a member of the National Association of Distinguished Counsel. He has tried over 50 trials to a Verdict and Judgment. Nick has been a member of the Florida Bar since 1989, a member of the Federal Middle District Court of Florida since 1989, and the United States 11th Circuit Court of Appeals since 1990. Nick is an active member of the West Pasco Bar Association and the Clearwater Bar Association. He also is a Florida Supreme Court Certified Circuit Civil Mediator.
Some notable results obtained by Nick in the past few years have been a $600,000 settlement in a premises injury lawsuit in Pasco County; a $300,000 settlement that was 3 times the insurance policy limits; a $202,000 jury verdict in a Pasco County auto collision case; and a $139,000 Judgment in a Pinellas County auto collision case. He also won an appeal in a personal injury claim (St. Luke’s Cataract and Laser Institute, P. A. v. Thorpe and Keiser, Case No.: 5D-4018), where the 5th Circuit Court of Appeal’s decision specifically relied on a case cited by Nick in his appellate brief.
While he is proud of obtaining these results, Nick gives every client and case the attention they deserve and prides himself on providing advice tailored to a client’s specific circumstances. He worked as an insurance adjuster before entering law school and worked as an attorney for a prominent insurance defense firm, so he offers his clients unique perspectives from both sides of an injury claim.
Nick is active in the community as a Board Member for Youth & Family Alternatives, which is a Tampa Bay area non-profit social services organization, and as a judge at law school mock trial competitions. He is a Past-President of the Kiwanis Club of Palm Harbor, is a former Chairperson for Florida Bar Grievance Committees and has been an adjunct professor at Stetson College of Law.
Nick is married and has 2 adult children. When he isn’t practicing law, Nick can be found working out, running, biking, traveling and attending concerts.
Practice Areas:
- Personal Injury
- Auto accident claims
- Premises, trip and fall, slip and fall claims
