Anitra is a partner in the Product Liability Litigation as well as the Class Action and Complex Litigation practice groups. Her clients are businesses in industries such as automotive, consumer goods, distribution, food and beverage, insurance, medical device, pharmaceutical, technology and tobacco. Anitra is dedicated to understanding the long-term business goals of her clients. She keeps client values top of mind while solving problems creatively and efficiently.
Anitra defends individual, class action and multi-district litigation lawsuits. Her experiences include defending consumer protection, contract, copyright, personal injury, product liability, tort, trade secrets, unfair trade practice, warranty and wrongful death disputes. She also prosecutes non-compete agreements, resolves pre-litigation disputes and counsels clients on special non-litigation business projects. Anitra practices regularly in federal court, as both lead and local counsel, drawing upon her experiences as a federal judicial law clerk in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida as well as the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida.
In her practice, Anitra takes key depositions, advocates for clients at hearings, drafts dispositive motions and serves on trial teams. She leads small teams that manage individual cases and co-leads large teams that manage dockets. Her hard work is peer-recognized through Best Lawyers, Florida Super Lawyers, and Florida Trend listings.
Anitra is passionate about serving her community. Currently, Anitra is on the executive board of the Tampa Bay Chapter of the Federal Bar Association and is a loyal volunteer with Meals on Wheels of Tampa. Anitra also served six years on the Florida Bar’s Federal Court Practice Committee including as a Vice Chair. Anitra devotes a portion of her practice to pro bono service especially for the interest of children and families. Her pro bono service has earned her awards such as Shook’s 2017 William G. Zimmerman Pro Bono Award.
Presentations
Panelist, Hot Topics in Litigation, National Bar Association’s 35th Annual Corporate Counsel Conference, February 25, 2022.
Panelist, The COVID-19 Experience: Lessons Learned and Changes Made, 21st Annual Chartering Your Own Course Conference, December 6, 2021.
Guest Speaker, 1L Introduction to Lawyering Class: Making the Most of Your Law School Career and Beyond, University of Florida Levin College of Law, October 6, 2021.
Moderator, Path to the Bench: District, Magistrate, and Bankruptcy Judges, U.S. Middle District of Florida Tampa Division Summer Internship Program, May 27, 2021.
Panelist, So You Want to Clerk? An Overview of the Application Process for the Federal Judiciary, Southern Black Law Students Association, March 10, 2021.
Moderator, Federal State of the Courts COVID Edition, CLE Webinar, Florida Bar Federal Court Practice Committee, February 11, 2021.
Moderator, Path to the Bench: District, Magistrate, and Bankruptcy Judges, U.S. Middle District of Florida Tampa Division Summer Internship Program, July 1, 2020.
Speaker, I Don't Have a Sponsor Yet. What Do I Do?, Corporate Counsel Women of Color Fifteenth Annual Career Strategies Conference, September 25, 2019.
Speaker, "What? Like, It's Hard?" The Millennial Perspective on Securing a Civil Protective Order, National Federal Bar Association Annual Meeting & Convention, September 5, 2019.
Keynote Speaker, Black Law Students Association Annual Virgil Hawkins Gala, University of Florida Levin College of Law, April 13, 2019.
Panelist, Admitted Students Day Alumni Panel, University of Florida Levin College of Law, March 15, 2019.
Panelist, The Law Clerk Experience: From Applying to Clerking for a Federal Judge, Tampa Bay Federal Bar Association Young Lawyers Division, July 10, 2018.
Panelist, Survival of the Fittest, Black Law Students Association at Stetson University College of Law, September 28, 2017.
Speaker, Clerkships and Big Law, Stetson University College of Law, October 25, 2016.
Panelist, Balancing Life and Law, Florida Bar Practices with Professionalism and Law Students Division, September 16, 2014.
Panelist, Diverse Careers in the Legal Field, Lee County Association for Women Lawyers, January 23, 2014.
Panelist, The Places You Will Go: Diverse Careers in the Legal Field, Southern Region Black Law Students Association Academic Retreat, September 28, 2013.
Panelist, Sister to Sister, Southern Region Black Law Students Association Academic Retreat, September 28, 2013.
Media coverage
“People to Know in Law," Tampa Bay Business Journal, April 16, 2021.