Former President Donald Trump has turned to a Florida litigation boutique with Republican roots for his new lawsuit against the co-founders of his social media company.
Lawson Huck Gonzalez is representing Trump Media Technology Group Corp., the newly public company behind Truth Social, in the suit filed Tuesday against Andy Litinsky and Wes Moss. Trump claims the company’s co-founders are not entitled to stock currently worth hundreds of millions of dollars because they botched its set up.
The legal team includes Jason Gonzalez, former general counsel to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), and Raymond Treadwell, who was a chief deputy general counsel to DeSantis. Samuel Salario, an ex-appeals court judge in Tampa, is also working on the case.
The boutique is one of several small firms advising Trump and related entities as he faces legal battles on various fronts. Big Law firms, including two that dropped Trump as a client after the Jan. 6 riot riots at the US Capitol, have largely steered clear of the ex-president.
Former Foley & Lardner partner Chris Kise left the firm for Miami boutique Continental PLLC to represent Trump in the Mar-a-Lago documents case. Kise and his new firm also have ties to DeSantis, who failed in a bid to challenge Trump for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination.
Lawson Huck did not respond to immediate requests for comment.
The firm has fewer than 20 attorneys in offices scattered across Florida, according to its website. It focuses on litigation and appeals work.
Lawson Huck has slowly inched its way into conservative lawsuits since launching early last year.
Lawyers from Lawson Huck and fellow boutique Cooper Kirk defended the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District, the municipal authority that governs Disney parks in the state, in a high-profile fight with Walt Disney Co. The district recently agreed to settle the lawsuit, which initially stemmed from a spat between DeSantis and Disney.
Lawson Huck is also representing a handful of companies, including private equity giant Thoma Bravo LP and crypto-focused investment firm Paradigm Operations LP, in the legal fallout from the FTX bankruptcy.
The case is Trump Media & Technology Group v. United Atlantic Ventures, Fla. Cir. Ct., No. 2024-CA-194679316, (3/24/24)
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