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Lawyer Profile

Image of Megan Costa DeVault

Megan Costa DeVault

Akerman LLP
  • Recognized Since:
    2012
  • Recognized in:
    Commercial Litigation
    Litigation - Banking and Finance
  • Website:
    http://www.akerman.com
  • Location:
    420 South Orange Avenue, Suite 1200
    Orlando, FL 32801

A first-chair trial lawyer, Megan Costa DeVault prosecutes and defends complex commercial, business, and real estate litigation in state and federal courts. On behalf of Fortune 500, publicly traded, and privately owned business, including builders, developers, investors, financial institutions, and corporate fiduciaries, she litigates contractual disputes, shareholder class actions, and derivative suits, including serving as lead counsel in dozens of trials and arbitrations.

Owing to the complexity of her litigation experience, Megan’s clients appreciate her extensive knowledge in managing and executing large-scale e-discovery projects, with a focused effort to minimize business disruption and avoid costly consequences of non-compliance.

In all representation, Megan draws on her master’s-level business education to provide clients with legal counsel that aligns with company objectives.

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  • Lawyer Bio
  • Client Comments
  • Lawyer Practice Areas
  • Firm Details

Lawyer Bio

A first-chair trial lawyer, Megan Costa DeVault prosecutes and defends complex commercial, business, and real estate litigation in state and federal courts. On behalf of Fortune 500, publicly traded, and privately owned business, including builders, developers, investors, financial institutions, and corporate fiduciaries, she litigates contractual disputes, shareholder class actions, and derivative suits, including serving as lead counsel in dozens of trials and arbitrations.

Owing to the complexity of her litigation experience, Megan’s clients appreciate her extensive knowledge in managing and executing large-scale e-discovery projects, with a focused effort to minimize business disruption and avoid costly consequences of non-compliance.

In all representation, Megan draws on her master’s-level business education to provide clients with legal counsel that aligns with company objectives.

  • Education
  • Bar & Court Admissions
  • Affiliations
  • Award List
  • Additional Information

Education:

  • Stetson University, MBA, graduated 2001

Bar Admissions:

  • Florida, The Florida Bar
 

Court Admissions:

  • U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of Florida
  • U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit

Affiliations:

  • 11th Circuit Court of Appeals, Historical Society - Member
  • Central Florida Inns of Court - Barrister Member, 2009-2010
  • Habitat for Humanity, Orlando - Board Member
  • Leadership Orlando, Class 79 - Graduate
  • Orange County Bar Association - Member
  • Orlando Health Foundation, Women's Advisory Council - Member, 2010-Present
  • Orlando Science Center, Community Council - Member, 2008-Present
  • Orlando Sports Foundation - Member
  • The Florida Bar, Trial Lawyers Section - Member
  • United Negro College Fund - Advisory Board, Member, 2009-Present; Scholarship Committee, Chair, 2010-Present

Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America for work in:

  • Commercial Litigation
  • Litigation - Banking and Finance
 

Awards:

  • Orlando Business Journal 2007, "Women Who Mean Business," Nominee
  • Orlando Business Journal 2009, Recognized as the "40 Under 40," Outstanding Female of the Year
  • Orlando Business Journal 2010, "Women Who Mean Business," Up and Comer, Finalist
  • Florida Trend's Legal Elite 2011, Listed as an "Up and Comer" for Commercial Litigation
  • United Negro College Fund, Champion of Education Award, 2012
  • Super Lawyers Magazine 2010-2012, Listed in Florida as a "Rising Star" for Business Litigation and General Litigation
  • Orlando Business Journal 2013, Recognized as one of the "Women to Watch" in Orlando
  • Super Lawyers Magazine 2013-2016, Listed in Florida for Business Litigation and General Litigation

Additional Information:

Published Work and Lectures
  • Akerman's Guide to Doing Business in Florida: A Legal Guide for Out-of-State and Foreign Businesses, Author, "The Foreclosure Process," 2011, 2013, and 2016
  • Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) Board of Directors Presentation, Co-Presenter, "Creating, Delivering, and Reporting Value: A Roadmap for In-House Counsel," August 2014
  • Lorman Education Services, Lecturer, Mortgage and Receivership in Florida, July 2010
Representative Experience

Real Estate Litigation

  • Representation of residential home builder sued by a group of disgruntled purchasers seeking to enforce various contracts containing terms detrimental to builder.
  • Representation of national homebuilder in prosecution of claims against engineer for violations of the Florida Unfair and Deceptive Trade Practices Act and fraud.
  • Representation of national homebuilders in arbitrations involving contractual disputes with subcontractors and involving claims brought by purchasers for damages due to alleged faulty construction.
  • Representation of builders, developers and investors in connection with due diligence activities related to the purchase of distressed assets or loan documents directly from financial institutions. Representation includes counseling clients during the acquisition and assignment of defaulted loan documents, together with the subsequent prosecution of any foreclosure action needed to obtain clear title to the real property collateral.
  • Representation of landlords in issues involving eviction, holdover tenancy, restrictive lease covenants, property maintenance and repair, abandonment of property, removal of fixtures and personalty, and CAM charges.
  • Representation of national builders and developers in complex litigation involving disputes with Homeowners and Condo Associations relating to turnover of association control to owners and underlying maintenance and construction defects alleged to have occurred prior to turnover.
  • Representation of developer in defense of claims against purchasers seeking to rescind their purchase contracts. Sullivan v. Fl Land Partners, LLC, Case No. 5d12-2839 (Fla. 5th DCA, Oct. 1, 2013)
  • Representation of client in a matter involving the reversal of trial court order due to violation of procedural due process. Winthrop v. Castellano, Case No. 5D12-4759 (Fla. 5th DCA, April 17, 2013)
  • Representation of client in emergency matter involving the disqualification of opposing law firm which obtained client's confidential, attorney-client communications from opposing party. Castellano v. Winthrop, 2010 WL 322177 (Fla. 5th DCA)

Financial Institution and Foreclosure Litigation

  • Representation of financial institution in dispute over alleged fraudulent alteration of loan documents and improper defeasance of securitized loan.
  • Representation of financial institutions in state-wide, large-scale, complex commercial loan workouts, foreclosures, and lender liability litigation.
  • Coordination of litigation throughout Florida for numerous financial institution clients involving assets and liabilities exceeding $100 million, collectively.
  • Representation of special servicers in multi-million dollar CMBS foreclosures.

Commercial and Fiduciary Litigation

  • Representation of large consortium of international clients to protect, maintain, and preserve investment assets in the United States valued at more than $12 million.
  • Representation of limited liability company and manager member in multi-million dollar dispute involving claims of misappropriation, breach of fiduciary duty and other business torts.
  • Representation of majority member of limited liability company in judicial dissolution action involving misappropriation of company assets, civil theft and conversion.
  • Representation of corporate fiduciaries involving disputes concerning mismanagement of trust assets.

 

 


 

Lawyer Client Comments

Lawyer Practice Areas

Key: Awarded in Best Lawyers Not Currently Awarded for this Area in Best Lawyers

Firm Details

Image for Akerman LLP View Firm Profile
Akerman LLP
http://www.akerman.com
 
25 Office Locations
in 1 Country

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United States

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601 West Fifth Street, Suite 300

Los Angeles, CA 90071

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(213) 688.9500

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1900 Sixteenth Street, Suite 1700

Denver, CO 80202

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(303) 260.7712

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750 Ninth Street, NW, Suite 750

Washington, DC 20001

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1875 Northwest Corporate Boulevard, Suite 275

Boca Raton, FL 33431

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350 East Las Olas Boulevard, Suite 1600

Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301

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Jacksonville, FL 32202

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Three Brickell City Centre, Suite 1100

98 Southeast Seventh Street

Miami, FL 33131

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9128 Strada Place, Suite 10205

Naples, FL 34108

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(239) 449.5600

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420 South Orange Avenue, Suite 1200

Orlando, FL 32801

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(407) 423.4000

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201 East Park Avenue, Suite 300

Tallahassee, FL 32301

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401 East Jackson Street, Suite 1700

Tampa, FL 33602

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West Tower, Suite 1100

777 South Flager Drive

West Palm Beach, FL 33401

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Atlanta, GA

999 Peachtree Street, NE, Suite 1700

Atlanta, GA 30309

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71 South Wacker Drive, 47th Floor

Chicago, IL 60606

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909 Poydras Street, Suite 2000

New Orleans, LA 70112

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1635 Village Center Circle, Suite 200

Las Vegas, NV 89134

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520 Madison Avenue, 20th Floor

New York, NY 10022

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(212) 880.3800

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Winston-Salem, NC

100 North Main Street, Suite 2425

Winston-Salem, NC 27101

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(336) 296.7100

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Austin, TX

500 West Second Street, Suite 1900

Austin, TX 78701

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2001 Ross Avenue, Suite 3600

Dallas, TX 75201

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1300 Post Oak Boulevard, Suite 2500

Houston, TX 77056

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112 East Pecan Street, Suite 2750

San Antonio, TX 78205

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Salt Lake City, UT

170 South Main Street, Suite 725

Salt Lake City, UT 84101

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Tysons Corner, VA

8100 Boone Boulevard, Suite 630

Tysons Corner, VA 22182

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(703) 790.8750

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Wisconsin

Madison, WI

One South Pinckney Street, Suite 700

Madison, WI 53703

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(608) 257.5335

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