A legal storm has erupted in Florida as a
resident takes on a law firm and an attorney, accusing them
of serious professional misconduct. Chris Gittens filed a
complaint against Kaye Bender Rembaum, P.L., and Shawn G.
Brown in the Circuit Court of the Sixth Judicial Circuit in
Pinellas County, Florida, on October 3, 2024. The lawsuit
alleges that the defendants failed to adequately represent
him in a derivative action brought on behalf of Regatta
Beach Club Condominium Association Inc.
The roots of this case stretch back to November 2019 when
Chris Gittens retained Kaye Bender Rembaum (KBR) and its
attorney Shawn G. Brown to represent him in a derivative
action involving the Regatta Beach Club Condominium
Association. The case was initially filed on May 8, 2020,
but soon became mired in controversy due to alleged missteps
by the defendants. According to Gittens, Brown and KBR
failed to schedule court-ordered mediation within the
required timeframe and allowed dual representation conflicts
to persist without objection. These failures are said to
have weakened Gittens' position significantly during
settlement negotiations.
Gittens claims that his attorneys' negligence went further
when they did not respond appropriately to discovery
requests, leading to an "agreed contempt order" being issued
against him without his knowledge or consent. He accuses
Brown of prioritizing his own interests over those of his
client by cooperating with opposing counsel at critical
junctures without consulting him. This betrayal allegedly
placed Gittens at risk of sanctions and compromised his
ability to negotiate effectively during mediation sessions
held much later than ordered by the court.
The plaintiff is seeking damages for breach of fiduciary
duty from both Brown and KBR. He argues that their actions
resulted in diminished property value at Regatta Beach Club
Condominium Association Inc., emotional distress over three
years, and excessive legal fees incurred due to their
alleged misconduct. Furthermore, he reserves the right to
amend his complaint for punitive damages under Florida
Statutes chapter 768.72.
Chris Gittens is representing himself in this matter. The
case is presided over by Judge Ken Burke with