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Our Firm

Cope, Zebro & Crawford is devoted to providing excellent service to our clients. This devotion begins with our unparalleled dedication to effectively pursuing each of our clients' interests. Leveraging our knowledge, experience, and technology, we individually tailor a progressive, creative, and anticipatory approach to our clients’ issues and best interests. This devotion assures each client will receive diligent, astute, efficient and appropriate representation. Our primary focus will always be to efficiently and effectively resolve our client’s conflicts while instilling them with confidence moving forward.

While Cope, Zebro & Crawford's represent clients throughout the United States, our primary focus is handling legal matters for businesses in Southwest Florida. We are trial lawyers who diligently seek opportunities to resolve cases without the expense of litigation, but are ready to litigate your business disputes through trial and appeal if necessary. Regardless of the forum, we are the zealous advocates your case deserves.

Our Firm

Cope, Zebro & Crawford is devoted to providing excellent service to our clients. This devotion begins with our unparalleled dedication to effectively pursuing each of our clients' interests. Leveraging our knowledge, experience, and technology, we individually tailor a progressive, creative, and anticipatory approach to our clients’ issues and best interests. This devotion assures each client will receive diligent, astute, efficient and appropriate representation. Our primary focus will always be to efficiently and effectively resolve our client’s conflicts while instilling them with confidence moving forward.

While Cope, Zebro & Crawford represents clients throughout the United States, our primary focus is handling legal matters for businesses in Southwest Florida. We are trial lawyers who diligently seek opportunities to resolve cases without the expense of litigation, but are ready to litigate your business disputes through trial and appeal if necessary. Regardless of the forum, we are the zealous advocates your case deserves.

Our Team

Thomas W. Cope

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Robert D. Zebro

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Donald H. Crawford II

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Our Team

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Thomas W. Cope

Personal Background

Thomas W. Cope was born and raised in Pinellas County and graduated from Tarpon Springs High School. Mr. Cope attended Florida State University for his undergraduate degree, which he completed in under three years. He graduated cum laude from the University Of Florida Levin College Of Law in 2003. During law school and college Mr. Cope lived abroad in several exchange programs in Costa Rica and Spain, where he became fluent in Spanish.

Mr. Cope began his legal career as a prosecutor in the Sixth Judicial Circuit of Florida, specifically Pinellas County. He prosecuted crimes from petit theft to first degree murder during his three year employment commitment. He was a member of the DUI manslaughter response squad and earned awards from local MADD and RIDD chapters for his trial work prosecuting DUIs.

Upon fulfillment of his commitment to the State Attorney’s Office, Mr. Cope worked for a prominent casualty and property defense firm in St. Petersburg. He focused his tenure on the trial of complex civil injury cases involving businesses, coverage issues, commercial policies, trucking accidents and catastrophic injuries. As a defense lawyer, Mr. Cope never lost a case at trial.

Since 2012 Mr. Cope has used his experience litigating for the government and the country’s largest insurance companies for the benefit of his local and regional clients in insurance disputes, personal injury litigation, and white collar crime.

Practice Areas

  • Commercial Litigation
  • Litigation Avoidance
  • Bankruptcy
  • Local Counsel
  • White Collar Criminal Defense
  • Fish and Wildlife Regulations
  • Insurance Disputes

Awards & Recognitions

  • Florida Super Lawyers Rising Star – 2010

Bar Admissions

  • Florida

Court Admissions

  • United States District Court, Middle District of Florida

Education

  • 2003 – J.D., University of Florida, Levin College of Law, Magna Cum Laude
  • 2000 – BA., Florida State University

Our Team

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Robert D. Zebro

Personal Background

Prior to founding Cope, Zebro & Crawford, Rob worked as an associate at an AmLaw 100 firm in Tampa handling various bankruptcy, complex commercial litigation, consumer finance and compliance matters throughout the United States. Rob’s clients ranged from the largest financial institutions in the country to regional small businesses and bankruptcy trustees. Prior to moving to Tampa in 2009, Rob spent 5 years working in the Atlanta office of an AmLaw top 20 firm, handling complex commercial litigation and products liability matters for major corporations.

Rob graduated, magna cum laude, from Tulane University with a B.S.M. in Finance in 2000. He is a member of the national business honors fraternity, Beta Gamma Sigma. In 2003, he earned his J.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, graduating with honors. He has served as a law clerk to the Honorable Thomas E. Baynes, Jr. of the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Florida and as a judicial intern for both Chief Judge Elizabeth A. Kovechevich and Magistrate Elizabeth A. Jenkins of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida. Rob is admitted to practice before Georgia and Florida state courts, as well as the Middle and Southern Districts of Florida and the Northern District of Georgia.

Rob takes great pride in representing Cope, Zebro & Crawford’s diverse clientele in various matters. During his free time, Rob enjoys adventure travel, sports and supporting local charities.

Practice Areas

  • Bankruptcy
  • Commercial Litigation
  • Commercial Landlord Tenant
  • Consumer Finance and Compliance
  • Litigation Avoidance
  • Local Counsel

Bar Admissions

  • Florida
  • Georgia

Court Admissions

  • United States District Court, Middle District of Florida
  • United States District Court, Southern District of Florida
  • United States District Court, Northern District of Georgia

Professional Associations & Activities

  • American Bar Association
  • Beta Gamma Sigma
  • Hillsborough County Bar Association
  • Tampa Bay Bankruptcy Bar Association
  • Tulane University Alumni Association
  • University of North Carolina Alumni Association

Education

  • 2003 – J.D., University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Law, with Honors
  • 2000 – B.S.M., Tulane University, A.B. Freeman School of Business, Magna Cum Laude

Our Team

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Donald H. Crawford II

Personal Background

Don Crawford graduated magna cum laude from the University of Florida Levin College of Law in 2003. During law school, he served as the Management Editor of the Florida Law Review and was a certified legal intern in the Office of the State Attorney for the 8th Judicial Circuit.

After graduating, Don worked as an associate in the Atlanta office of a large international law firm. Don handled complex commercial litigation matters for major corporations and gained invaluable litigation experience, including conducting and defending depositions and handling both motion and evidentiary hearings. He also mentored junior associates and was an active member of the office's associate development committee. After 4 years in Atlanta, Don longed for a life closer to water and returned to his former home in Tampa, Florida

In Tampa, Don worked as an associate in the Tampa office of another large international law firm. There Don again handled complex commercial litigation matters and continued to hone his litigation skills. Don also gained experience in environmental law and white-collar criminal defense. After 4 years, however, Don was ready for a new challenge.

He found that challenge starting a law practice with his friends Tom Cope and Rob Zebro.

Practice Areas

  • Commercial Litigation
  • Commercial Landlord Tenant
  • Litigation Avoidance
  • Bankruptcy
  • Local Counsel
  • White Collar Criminal Defense

Awards & Recognitions

  • Florida Super Lawyers Rising Star – 2012 & 2013
  • Order of the Coif

Bar Admissions

  • Florida
  • Georgia

Court Admissions

  • United States District Court, Middle District of Florida
  • United States District Court, Southern District of Florida
  • United States District Court, Northern District of Georgia
  • United States District Court, Middle District of Alabama

Professional Memberships &Admissions

  • The Herbert G. Goldburg Inn of Court
  • The American Bar Association
  • The Hillsborough County Bar Association

Education

  • 2003 – J.D., University of Florida, Levin College of Law, Magna Cum Laude
  • 1997 – B.A., Oglethorpe University

Notable Client Work

Coordinated all commercial landlord tenant in Florida work for one of the largest shopping center owners in the country, including handling complex eviction and breach of lease actions, negotiating settlements, and helping center management monitor potential troubled tenants and avoid escalating arrearages.

CZC News

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CZC Careers

Cope, Zebro & Crawford is not actively hiring attorneys or staff at this time. However, we are always interested in adding talented experienced professionals to join our litigation team. If you are such a professional, please mail us your resume, writing sample, and list of professional recommendations.

Contact Us

If you or your business have a litigation issue, please contact Cope, Zebro & Crawford to discuss retaining us.

  • Cope Zebro & Crawford
  • 14020 Roosevelt Blvd, Suite 802
  • Clearwater, FL 33762
  • Phone: 727-369-6070
  • Fax: 727-431-9080


  • ©2013 All Rights Reserved.

Commercial Litigation

Cope, Zebro & Crawford's trial lawyers have extensive commercial litigation experience covering a wide variety of business-related and financial disputes. Our lawyers practice before federal and state courts as well as administrative agencies, at both the trial and appellate levels. Our considerable experience ranges from simple contract disputes to complex commercial matters, including

  • Alternative Dispute Resolution
  • Appeals
  • Business Breakups
  • Business Disputes
  • Class Action
  • Construction
  • Contract Disputes
  • Debt Collection
  • Employment Agreements and Enforcement
  • Environmental
  • Foreclosure
  • Maritime
  • Premises Liability
  • Products Liability
  • Real Property
  • Securities Litigation
  • Start-Ups
  • Unfair Competition and Trade Secrets

Cope, Zebro & Crawford focuses on efficiently staffing its cases, individually tailoring our services to each client’s needs and desired results. Drawing on our experience, Cope, Zebro & Crawford anticipates what may happen during the course of an individual matter and implements strategies to minimize the time and expense associated with litigation.

This approach often allows our client’s to drive litigation forward at a pace they deem appropriate, rather than being reactionary, expediting ultimate resolutions. For example, Cope, Zebro & Crawford encourages our clients to consider the resolution of business disputes through early negotiation, alternative dispute resolution, and related creative solutions when appropriate. However, when litigation is simply unavoidable, Cope, Zebro & Crawford's trial lawyers implement aggressive and efficient strategies to effectively represent our clients.

If you need assistance with a commercial litigation matter, call Cope, Zebro & Crawford.

Litigation Avoidance

Your business is, at some point, likely to be in a dispute over a contract; as a defendant accused of a breach or as a potential plaintiff trying to resolve your co-party’s breach. In either case, your business may have been able to avoid the time and expense of litigating by considering its contracts as more than summaries of business points and form provisions that it has been routinely using for years. Because of our experience litigating commercial disputes, Cope, Zebro & Crawford tries to help its clients avoid future litigation by looking for pitfalls that may not appear for years or until your company’s once-trusted partner determines that continuing to perform is not in its best interest. For instance, all of these potential issues with a contract could create fertile ground for a future dispute:

  • Undefined or improperly defined terms
  • Boilerplate provisions that no longer reflect current law
  • Inconsistent obligations created by form language
  • Provisions that create obligations that are inconsistent with the deal to which you agreed

If you are interested in looking at your contracts from the perspective of avoiding future litigation, contact Cope, Zebro & Crawford.

Commercial Landlord Tenant

Cope, Zebro & Crawford has experience handling all aspects of several major shopping centers’ commercial landlord tenant matters, including

  • Serving delinquent tenants with notices to vacate or pay rent
  • Litigating eviction and damages complaints against delinquent tenants
  • Advising clients on retaking possession after tenant abandonment
  • Dealing with abandoned property after tenants vacate or abandon
  • Ensuring post-petition rent payments by tenants who have filed bankruptcy
  • Preparing settlement agreements and payment plans with tenants

Cope, Zebro & Crawford also has helped commercial tenants negotiate leases and resolve disputes with their landlords.

If you need help with a commercial landlord tenant matter, call Cope, Zebro & Crawford.

Insurance Disputes

Insurance companies stay in business by collecting premiums, not paying out claims or defending their own in costly lawsuits. Whether an insurance company has denied you or your businesses claim or refused coverage after a lawsuit has been filed, we can help. We also offer our insurance company experience to businesses and individuals who want to make sure their insurance company is acting in their best interest, not just trying to save a dollar. Our early involvement can bring serious claims to a prompt resolution by an insurance carrier.

Cope, Zebro & Crawford was founded by ex-insurance company lawyers who left to help real people and their businesses prevail when fighting an insurance giant. Our team will use our trial experience and knowledge to prepare your case for trial from day one. We are firm believers that unless an insurance company fears an adverse result at trial, they will never offer a fair settlement.

We can help you with any of the following:

  • Car Accidents
  • Trucking Accidents
  • Boat Accidents
  • Insurance Denials
  • Nursing Home Negligence
  • Medical Malpractice
  • Dog Bites
  • Slip and Fall
  • Premises liability
  • Negligent Security

If you need assistance with an insurance dispute, call Cope, Zebro & Crawford.

Bankruptcy

Cope, Zebro & Crawford has a broad range of experience handling all aspects of bankruptcy matters for creditors, trustees and other adverse parties, including

  • Chapter 7, 11 and 13 bankruptcy representation
  • Loan workouts
  • Commercial litigation (adversary proceedings)
  • Appellate litigation
  • Lender liability
  • Commercial and residential foreclosures
  • Repossessions
  • Insolvency proceedings
  • Assignments for the benefit of creditors

Cope, Zebro & Crawford's lawyers have the knowledge, skill and experience to anticipate and address a variety of creditor issues. These issues range from pre-bankruptcy negotiations, workouts and preliminary stay litigation to adversary and state court litigation and post-discharge matters. Recognizing the benefits and disadvantages of bankruptcy related litigation, Cope, Zebro & Crawford focuses on providing its clients with the practical counseling necessary to navigate the debtor-creditor-trustee relationship and to make the necessary cost-benefit analysis clients should conduct prior to making a claim or proceeding with bankruptcy litigation.

If you need assistance with a bankruptcy matter, call Cope, Zebro & Crawford.

Consumer Finance Compliance and Litigation

Cope, Zebro & Crawford has substantial experience representing international, national and regional financial service institutions. We support our clients’ changing needs in an ever shifting regulatory environment, including

  • Defending financial services litigation
  • Preparing and implementing policies and procedures compliant with the requirements of various regulatory agencies
  • Responding to regulatory inquiries and negotiating resolutions of such inquiries
  • Providing compliance support for default, bankruptcy and foreclosure operations throughout the country

If you need assistance with a Consumer Finance matter, call Cope, Zebro & Crawford.

White Collar Crime

Thomas W. Cope is the Chair of Cope, Zebro & Crawford's White Collar Crime group. Mr. Cope was a prosecutor for the Sixth Judicial Circuit, which compromises Pinellas and Pasco Counties, including Clearwater, St. Petersburg and New Port Richey. As a prosecutor, Mr. Cope handled more than 40 criminal trials ranging from petit theft to First Degree Murder. As a lawyer for local business owners and certain individuals, our firm has helped individuals through investigations and defended those who faced charges from simple DUI’s to complex RICO and felony charges.

In selecting the client we represent in our White Collar Crime group, we focus on helping good people in bad situations. Through careful selection of the type and number of cases we handle, we can spend the time necessary to fully develop the facts and work to minimize our clients’ exposure.

If you need assistance with a criminal matter, call Cope, Zebro & Crawford.

Fishing and Wildlife Regulations

Fishing and Wildlife Regulations have become increasingly more complicated. Even if you were not taken to jail and the infraction seemed minimal, almost all hunting and fishing violations can result in a permanent criminal record. Hunters and Fisherman face prosecution by local, state, and even federal authorities for regulations that may change week to week. Anyone who values their personal freedom and continued ability to hunt or fish should immediately retain counsel if charged or given a “ticket.”

Cope, Zebro & Crawford focuses on helping good people avoid a permanent criminal record from a simple mistake. Don’t let a good day on the water or in the woods result in a criminal conviction that could have far reaching consequences. Hire an experienced fishing and wildlife regulations lawyer.

If you need assistance with a violation of fishing and wildlife regulation, call Cope, Zebro & Crawford.

Local Counsel

From our experience as big law attorneys, we know that you need skilled litigators who are well versed in Florida’s procedural rules and the relevant local rules to serve as your local counsel. We also know that your local counsel must respect your relationship with your client and must never undermine it. That is why Cope, Zebro & Crawford’s only goal as local counsel is to use our over 25 combined years of litigation experience to guide you through the quirks of Florida law so you can obtain the best result for your client.

If our approach can benefit you and your clients who may be facing litigation in Florida, contact Cope, Zebro & Crawford.

If you have a question for
a CZC attorney please call us at
727-369-6070 or use the
Contact us box to the right.

The hiring of a lawyer is an important decision that should not be based solely upon advertisements. Before you decide, ask us to send you free written information about our qualifications and experience. The information included in this site is not, nor is it intended to be, legal advice. Please consult an attorney at Cope, Zebro & Crawford for legal advice. Cope, Zebro & Crawford is an equal opportunity employer (EOE). Its attorneys are licensed to practice law in Florida and Georgia. Established 2012.

©2018 Cope, Zebro & Crawford, P.L. All rights reserved.