After years of contentious litigation involving alleged international banking fraud between Mexico and Tampa, cross-border financial transactions, multiple domestic and foreign defendants, and extensive discovery, Bernhard Law Firm secured complete summary judgment for our clients, a corporate defendant and officer, resulting in their dismissal from the case with prejudice. (Florida Bar disclaimer: results may not be typical. You may not have as beneficial a result, or same or similar results).

The Circuit Court for Hillsborough County granted summary judgment on all claims against Bernhard Law Firm‘s clients, after concluding that the plaintiff lacked admissible evidence creating any genuine dispute of material fact against them. See Hillsborough Civil Circuit case no. 18-10092-CA.

Facing allegations involving international banking transactions, commercial fraud, cross-border business disputes, or high-stakes business litigation? Bernhard Law Firm represents businesses, executives, investors, and individuals in complex commercial disputes throughout Florida and internationally. If you are involved in a business fraud lawsuit, international banking dispute, or commercial contract litigation, contact us today for a confidential consultation at 786-871-3349, email abernhard@bernhardlawfirm.com, or visit www.bernhardlawfirm.com.

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Taking Over a Difficult Case as Replacement Counsel

This victory did not come easily.

Bernhard Law Firm was retained as replacement counsel years into the litigation after extensive discovery had already been completed and the case had developed over nearly eight years. We were asked to completely reconstruct the defense in an extraordinarily complicated international commercial dispute involving alleged fraud, foreign banking institutions, multiple business entities, and participants located across the United States, Mexico, and the United Kingdom.

Rather than simply continue the existing defense strategy, we started over.

Our attorneys performed a comprehensive review of the pleadings, discovery, depositions, banking records, international correspondence, and related federal litigation to identify every available factual and legal defense.

Rebuilding the Defense from the Ground Up

Complex commercial litigation often turns not on one witness or one document, but on whether counsel can organize thousands of pages of evidence into a persuasive, legally supported narrative.

Our team fundamentally reworked the defense by:

• Developing entirely new affirmative defenses and legal theories grounded in Florida commercial litigation and fraud law.
• Reconstructing the factual timeline surrounding the international standby letter of credit (“SBLC”) transaction.
• Identifying, locating, and deposing witnesses across multiple jurisdictions, states, and countries whose testimony became critical to the defense.
• Developing evidence concerning international banking practices and the issuance of foreign standby letters of credit.
• Incorporating findings from related federal litigation involving other participants in the underlying investment transaction.
• Demonstrating that our clients had no knowledge of any alleged fraud, exercised no control over the disputed transaction, and had been removed from the underlying business relationship months before the failed closing occurred.

The result was a comprehensive summary judgment motion supported by years of discovery and extensive legal research.

The Court Agreed

The Court granted summary judgment on every remaining claim asserted against Bernhard Law Firm‘s clients.

The Court specifically found that, after full discovery, there was no admissible evidence—either direct or circumstantial—that either defendant knew the standby letter of credit was unfunded or invalid at any relevant time. The Court further held that Florida law does not permit fraud or negligent misrepresentation claims to proceed based upon speculation, hindsight, or guilt by association.

The Court further recognized that:

• Bernhard Law Firm’s clients were not parties to the purchase contract governing the underlying commercial real estate transaction.
• They made no personal guarantees regarding funding or performance.
• They had been removed entirely from the transaction before the alleged damages occurred.
• Plaintiff failed to establish evidence of scienter, fraudulent intent, reasonable reliance, or causation.
• Florida’s independent tort doctrine independently barred the remaining tort claims.

The result was complete dismissal of both clients from a case that had been pending for nearly eight years.

Experience in High-Stakes Commercial Litigation

This matter required extensive work involving:

• International banking disputes
• Standby letters of credit (SBLCs)
• Commercial fraud allegations
• Cross-border business transactions
• International business entities
• Commercial real estate litigation
• Banking and financial institution practices
• Complex summary judgment practice under Florida Rule of Civil Procedure 1.510

Cases involving multinational businesses and international financial transactions require counsel capable of mastering complicated factual records while developing practical, strategic litigation solutions.

At Bernhard Law Firm, we represent clients in high-value business disputes where careful investigation, aggressive motion practice, and creative legal strategy can fundamentally change the outcome of a case.

A Result That Matters

We are proud to have secured complete dismissal for our clients after years of complex litigation and extensive factual development.

While every case depends on its own facts and no result can be guaranteed, this case demonstrates the value of experienced litigation counsel willing to rethink a case from the ground up, identify overlooked evidence, and pursue creative legal strategies even after years of prior litigation.

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Contact Bernhard Law Firm

If you are facing a commercial fraud lawsuit, international banking or letter-of-credit dispute, or complex business litigation involving contracts, fiduciary duties, or cross-border transactions, Bernhard Law Firm is prepared to help.

We represent businesses, executives, investors, financial professionals, and entrepreneurs in sophisticated commercial disputes throughout Florida and internationally.

Bernhard Law Firm

🌐 www.bernhardlawfirm.com

📧 abernhard@bernhardlawfirm.com

📞 786-871-3349

Contact us today to discuss your business dispute and learn how experienced, strategic litigation can make the difference when the stakes are highest.