Vincent A. Cortellessa
Vincent Cortellessa represents employers in high-stakes employment and commercial disputes in state and federal courts and before arbitral tribunals. Vincent’s practice focuses on trade secret and restrictive covenant disputes arising when individuals change employment, including prosecuting and defending claims for misappropriation of trade secrets, breach of contract, tortious interference, unfair competition, and breach of fiduciary duty. Vincent also represents clients in a variety of employment matters, including allegations of discrimination, retaliation, and wrongful termination.
In addition to his labor and employment practice, Vincent has experience handling complex commercial litigation, including business torts, corporate fraud and misconduct, trademark infringement, and unfair competition.
Vincent received his J.D. from the University of Miami School of Law with honors.
Prior to becoming a lawyer, Vincent served as a noncommissioned officer in the Navy and the Navy Reserve. While on active duty, he served in a Marine Corps security force battalion at a nuclear submarine base in the southeastern United States. He left active duty in 2018 and received honorable discharge, holding the final rank of Petty Officer Second Class. He was awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal in 2019 for his work in the reserves.
- Secured emergency ex parte injunctions and constructive trust orders in a $2.2 million wire fraud matter, preventing financial institutions from facilitating the further transfer of fraudulently diverted funds and preserving assets for recovery on behalf of a national title insurance company.
- Secured a $5.3 million final default judgment against a promoter that failed to pay a former UFC Champion fighter for a 2024 boxing match in California
- Served as second chair in a federal jury trial representing an ecommerce consumer goods company in a multimillion-dollar federal trademark and unfair competition trial
- Obtained partial summary judgment on behalf of ecommerce consumer goods company in a case involving allegations of federal trademark infringement and unfair competition
- Obtained court order permitting service of process on a Brazilian corporate defendant via email after demonstrating that such service was reasonably calculated to provide notice and not prohibited by international agreement in a misappropriation of trade secrets case.
- University of Miami School of Law, 2023, J.D., concentration in litigation and dispute resolution, cum laude
- Florida Atlantic University, 2020, B.A., political science, summa cum laude
- Florida
- US District Court for the Middle District of Florida
- US District Court for the Southern District of Florida
- Legal Intern to the US Attorney's Office for the District of Massachusetts (Summer 2021)
Sir Knight, Knights of Columbus (2017-present)
Member, International Moot Court
Honors, Litigation Skills II, University of Miami School of Law
G.I. Bill Scholar, University of Miami School of Law
Certificate of Achievement in Business Associations, University of Miami School of Law