Summer Lee Reed focuses her practice on construction and business litigation as well as complex business and community association issues. She is admitted to both The Florida Bar and The Georgia Bar. Prior to joining the firm, she worked in insurance defense and personal injury, giving her a well-rounded perspective from which to view new and challenging cases. She consistently strives to make client contact and satisfaction a key element of her practice while also ensuring she maintains professionalism in and around the legal community.

Summer’s reputation in the Jacksonville community has only positively grown since joining Cobb & Gonzalez, P.A. She is active in the Jacksonville Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Section as well as other civic and professional organizations in Jacksonville and beyond.

Originally from the Midwest, Mrs. Reed’s alma mater is the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She received a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration Marketing and graduated as both a Chancellor’s Scholar and with Business Honors. While a student, she took on responsibility early and became a resident assistant, eventually managing an entire group of college housing as a resident director. After graduating, Summer then chased the sunshine to Florida, where she received her Juris Doctor from Florida Coastal School of Law. While in law school, Mrs. Reed became involved in a number of extracurricular organizations to get her involved early in the legal community in Jacksonville. For instance, she served as President of the Moot Court Honor Board, Governor for The Florida Bar YLD Law Student Division, Student Ambassador for the Admissions Department, and was a pupil in both the Chester Bedell and Robert M. Foster Inns of Court. She also achieved book awards, won an oral advocacy national championship (National Appellate Advocacy Tournament for Religious Freedom), and earned best oral advocate awards during her tenure at Florida Coastal.

While in law school, Mrs. Reed met her now husband, and together they reside in Jacksonville.

Honors and Awards

  • Super Lawyers Rising Star in Construction Law 2024
  • Best Lawyers Ones To Watch in Litigation – Construction 2024

Admissions

  • The Florida Bar
  • The Georgia Bar
  • U.S. District Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit
  • U.S. District Court Middle District of Florida

Education

  • Florida Coastal School of Law, Juris Doctor
    • Moot Court Honor Board, President 
    • The Florida Bar YLD Law Student Division, Governor
    • FCSL Admissions, Student Ambassador 
    • Robert M. Foster Inn of Court, Pupil 
    • Chester Bedell Inn of Court, Pupil 
  • The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
    • B.S. in Business Administration Marketing
    • Chancellor’s Scholar
    • College of Business Honors Program
    • Illinois Business Council 

Representative Matters

PRIOR RESULTS DO NOT GUARANTEE A SIMILAR OUTCOME

  • Represented local homeowners and family who had contracted for a new pool installation that was left incomplete. After engaging in substantive correspondence with the pool contractor, the homeowners were satisfied with a complete pool and were able to close the chapter presuit without having to pursue litigation.
  • Represented association during construction defect dispute with unit owner regarding what constitutes a structural component and what possible repairs were the association’s responsibility.
  • Represented homeowner pursuing contractor for construction defects, including defense against arguments that condition was pre-existing.
  • Represented large national builder in construction defect action wherein defense included coordination of subcontractors and insurance carriers’ involvement.
  • Represented homeowner through initial litigation phase, prior to staying for successful arbitration, in her pursuit of large builder who constructed her home with substantial defects that left her home uninhabitable at times.
  • Represented a national general contractor in its indemnity defense against a homeowner for alleged issues caused by a subcontractor’s work.
  • Represented plumbing contractor seeking damages in multi-million dollar dispute against general contractor for improper coordination of work, delays, cost overruns and payment bond issues.
  • Represented tenant occupying unit at the time of a mold bloom where there were habitability, notice, and termination of lease issues.
  • Represented multiple owners throughout Florida who were seeking damages for against contractor for construction defects, warranty issues and building code violations.
  • Represented church seeking damages against general contractor for delays and improper coordination of project.
  • Represented large national builder in arbitration proceedings against homeowner surrounding air conditioning warranty and defects.
  • Successfully brought lawsuit nearing trial to a reasonable settlement where mold mitigation company client had previously been represented by multiple attorneys.

  • Represented not-for-profit local entity who was sued under the guise of negligent hiring, negligent supervision, and slander under unique and abstract factual circumstances. Successfully protected client’s interests through a Motion to Dismiss that was granted with prejudice.

  • Represented consumer who contracted for car repair services with a reputable mechanic, but was left with an inoperable vehicle with used parts that were promised new. Through a successful mediation, client was able to recover a satisfactory portion of the sum he paid for the mechanic’s work.
  • Represented medspa owner who financed a medical device that was discovered to be defective. The device was purchased under the promises that it was new, when it was proven to have been used prior to client’s purchase. Matter was successfully resolved in favor of client prior to trial.
  • Prepared engagement agreement for home inspector, including enforcement of such agreement thereafter.
  • Represented business owner during lawsuit wherein fraudulent misrepresentations and subsequent punitive damages were essential to the case.
  • Represented shareholder of large company during valuation dispute to include not only valuation experts, but also merger and business record disputes.
  • Represented large business owner through pursuit of a highly contested breach of contract situation while also simultaneously defending the client against consumer complaints.
  • Obtained summary judgment for business owner engaged in government contracts who was left unpaid by a contractor for hundreds of thousands of dollars.
  • Represented numerous clients against breach of contract, conversion, and civil theft claims and further pursued counterclaims in pursuit of my clients’ rightful actions and sums due.
  • Represented a unit owner in an association dispute involving a unique parcel of land with a dock providing water access to three unit owners. The issue of whether unanimous decision making was required by a set of emails and thereafter whether riparian rights were infringed upon was initially a matter for the trial court’s decision making and thereafter was also raised on appeal. Successfully defended the favorable outcome from the trial court at the district court of appeal through brief writing and oral argument.

  • Represented group of homeowners in efforts to determine whether association’s proposed budget and substantial assessment were proper.
  • Represented various associations through disputes with homeowner regarding violations of governing documents.
  • Represented a large condominium association through temporary closing for envelope repairs and navigated the statutory and practical challenges such emergency repairs cause.
  • Prepared opinions for homeowners’ association as it related to lot line boundaries, city versus association owned streets, and enforcement of regulations as set forth in the declarations.
  • Played a pivotal role in a high-stakes commercial slip and fall case, addressing substantial liability and causation complexities to ensure our client’s interests were vigorously represented.
  • Crafted a comprehensive legal analysis integral to a critical dispositive motion in a contentious dog bite case. Our analysis meticulously attacked insurance coverage, liability, and factual disputes, bolstering our clients’ position with strategic clarity and precision.

Professional, Trade & Philanthropic Affiliations

  • Jacksonville Bar Association
    • Chili Cook Off Committee, Co-Chair
    • Young Lawyers Association, Board of Directors
  • Chester Bedell Inn of Court
    • Associate Member 
  • Florida Association Women Lawyers
  • Associated Builders and Contractors – Young Professionals 
  • Ladies Executive Golf Society – LEGS

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