Turkel Cuva Barrios Guerra

5 Best Lawyers awards

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Awarded Practice Areas

Commercial Litigation

Biography

Ken Turkel is a third generation Tampa native, and a 1982 graduate of Jesuit High School. His practice is focused on the prosecution and defense of complex business and civil litigation matters, including intellectual property cases, as well as the representation of clients in the sports and entertainment industries.

During the course of his career Ken has tried numerous cases in state and federal court, representing clients in numerous industries on both the plaintiff and defense sides in business matters concerning breach of contract claims, restrictive covenant cases, defamation and privacy torts, business torts, trade secret and intellectual property disputes, employment and discrimination matters, unfair business practices, and shareholder and corporate disputes. Ken has also tried numerous disputes in arbitration before the AAA, NASD (now FINRA), and private arbitrations. He has significant experience in litigation before administrative and regulatory bodies, and has represented companies in the conduct of internal investigations and parallel criminal investigations at the state and federal level. Ken has also served as counsel in numerous class action proceedings.

Ken received his J.D. in 1990 from Stetson University College of Law, and served as an Assistant State Attorney in Florida’s Sixth Judicial Circuit until he joined a mid-size Tampa firm, in late 1991. He practiced there for 19 years until obtaining his vision of building a strong Tampa based litigation and trial firm focused on servicing clients in the Tampa Bay area and throughout the United States.

Ken has been active in his local, state and national bar associations, and served as the President of the Hillsborough County (Tampa) Bar Association from 2009-2010. When he is not working, Ken enjoys following high school football and all professional sports in the Tampa area. He coached youth baseball, softball and football for 15 years, was President of his local Little League, and still occasionally assists youth teams as a coach. He also plays drums in a local classic rock band.

Turkel Cuva Barrios Guerra

5 Best Lawyers awards

Turkel Cuva Barrios Guerra logo

Overview

  • Stetson University, Juris Doctorate, graduated 1990
  • Tulane University, B.S.M., graduated 1986

  • Florida, 1990

  • American Bar Association - Former Young Lawyers Division National Conference Chair
  • Florida Supreme Court Committee on Standard Jury Instructions for Contract and Business Cases - Member
  • Hillsborough County Bar Association - Former Board of Directors
  • Hillsborough County Bar Association - Former President
  • The Florida Bar - Former Board of Governors
  • The Florida Bar - Former Vice Chairman Code and Rules of Evidence Committee

  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit
  • U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of Florida
  • U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida
  • Florida, 1990
  • American Bar Association - Former Young Lawyers Division National Conference Chair
  • Florida Supreme Court Committee on Standard Jury Instructions for Contract and Business Cases - Member
  • Hillsborough County Bar Association - Former Board of Directors
  • Hillsborough County Bar Association - Former President
  • The Florida Bar - Former Board of Governors
  • The Florida Bar - Former Vice Chairman Code and Rules of Evidence Committee
  • Stetson University, Juris Doctorate, graduated 1990
  • Tulane University, B.S.M., graduated 1986
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit
  • U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of Florida
  • U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida

Client Testimonials

Awards & Focus

Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2026 for work in:
  • Commercial Litigation
Special Focus:
  • Civil Litigation
  • Complex Litigation
  • Contract Disputes
  • Fraud
  • Sports
  • Tort
Awards:
    • AV Rated by Martindale HubbellTampa
    • Magazines’ Top Lawyers, 2020
    • Florida Super Lawyers, 2009-2020
    • Florida Super Lawyers, 2019 – Top 50 Lawyers in Tampa Bay
    • Florida Super Lawyers, 2019 – Top 100 Lawyers in Florida
    • Florida Trend’s Legal Elite, 2010-2012, 2014-2017
    • Hillsborough County Bar Association’s Outstanding Young Lawyer Award, 1999-2000
    • Florida Plaintiff’s Attorney of 2016 by Courtroom View Network
    • Best Lawyers in America, Commercial Litigation, 2009-2017, 2020-2021

Case History

Cases
  • Grocery Co-operative Defense
Defended grocery co-operative in state court jury trial seeking damages for breach of membership contracts.
  • Wrongful Death Trial
Represented plaintiff survivor in multi-defendant wrongful death trial arising from medical negligence.
  • Negligence
Represented curator of estate of large privately owned dairy in claims against guardian, guardian’s counsel and estate counsel for negligence in failing to protect ward from undue influence.
  • Medicare Fraud Allegations
Represented publicly held health care company in government civil and criminal investigation involving Medicare fraud allegations.
  • Health Care and Securities Law
Represented numerous witnesses in parallel civil/criminal fraud investigations in areas of health care and securities law.
  • Trade Secret and Unfair Competition
Represented home building franchisee in weeklong trade secret and unfair competition trial.
  • Restrictive Covenant and Trade Secrets
Represented publicly held food distributor in multi-defendant restrictive covenant and trade secret case.
  • Incarcerated Entertainment, LLC v. Warner Bros. Pictures, Case No. 8:16-cv-1302-T-35AAS (M.D. Fla. 2017)
Represented entertainment industry client against movie studio in false advertising case related to the promotion of the movie War Dogs
  • Celebrity Client
Obtained record jury verdict of 140 million dollars against media entity for violation of privacy based on non-consensual publication of surreptitiously recorded sex tape of a celebrity client.
  • ILSA and Fraud Claims
Represent multiple purchasers in ILSA and fraud claims arising out of potential condominium project marketed by the Trump Organization and Donald Trump.
  • Celebrity Boxer
Successfully blocked a temporary injunction and obtained a dismissal of case filed by Don King against “Sugar” Shane Mosley, which tried to stop a pay-per-view boxing match against Ricardo Mayorga
  • Hostile Work Environment
Defended large, privately held company and its executives in hostile work environment case in federal jury trial.
  • Same Sex Harassment
Defended publicly held petroleum company in one of the first same sex harassment trials in Florida.
  • Wrongful Death Corporate Defense
Defended publicly held petroleum company in 2-week state court wrongful death trial arising from exploding gasoline dispenser.
  • Breach of Contract
Represented former executive of a publicly held company in jury trial arising from breach of commission and bonus contract.
  • Olympic and Professional Athlete Endorsements
Represent Olympic and professional athletes in endorsement and other contract matters.

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