352-375-7700 / 352-375-1000
·
Mon-Fri: 8:30am - 5pm
Free Consultation

Krista L. B. Collins

Partner

Biography

Krista L.B. Collins practices in general civil litigation, including business disputes, contracts, construction law, commercial litigation and foreclosure law. Ms. Collins is passionate about working with her clients to reach the best possible outcome on their behalf. Ms. Collins is a native Floridian, whose family ultimately settled in Southwest Florida. Ms. Collins graduated summa cum laude from Stetson University in 2001, with a double major in history and American studies. She then continued her studies at Stetson University College of Law.

Learn More About Krista

While in law school, Ms. Collins “graded on” to the Stetson Law Review by placing in the top five percent of her class and worked on the Law Review’s Publication Committee. As a member of the Stetson Law Review, Ms. Collins wrote her Comment on what was then one of the most significant intellectual property issues: online file-sharing. She presented the Comment, entitled “Winning the Battle and Losing the War: The Recording Industry Association of America’s Fight Against File-Sharing,” at Stetson’s Fall Scholarship Dinner in November 2003. Ms. Collins earned the Book Award in five subjects, and tied for the Book Award in another two, which award is given to the student who earns the highest grade in the course. In her second and third years at Stetson Law, Ms. Collins also worked as a Dean’s Fellow, tutoring first-year students in many of the required subjects before graduating cum laude in 2004.

After being admitted to the Florida Bar in 2004, Ms. Collins returned to Southwest Florida and began her practice with the firm of Bill McFarland, P.A., where her practice included real estate and probate law. From 2007 through September 2013, she practiced with the Fort Myers firm of Andrew S. Epstein, P.A., assisting clients with general civil litigation, business disputes, construction law, foreclosure defense and collections. She was an active member of the legal community in Fort Myers as a member of the Lee County Bar Association and served a three-year term as a member of the Calusa Inn of Court. Ms. Collins is admitted to practice before all Florida State Courts, the U.S. District Courts for the Middle and Northern Districts of Florida, and has been admitted as a solicitor in England and Wales.

Ms. Collins joined Siegel Hughes Ross & Collins shortly after relocating to Gainesville in 2013, when her husband took a position at the University of Florida’s McKnight Brain Institute. She has enjoyed getting to know the Gainesville area and is a member of the Eighth Judicial Circuit Bar Association, Eighth Judicial Circuit Chapter of the Florida Association for Women Lawyers, Adkins Inn of Court, and Gainesville Area Women’s Network.

When not at work, Ms. Collins is an avid reader of spy books and historical fiction, and enjoys spending time with family and friends, playing music, and traveling.

Areas of Practice

BUSINESS AND COMMERCIAL MATTERS

  • Breach of Contract & Contract Disputes
  • Business Dissolution
  • Shareholder/Derivative Actions
  • Partnership Disputes
  • Insurance Litigation
  • Non-Compete Litigation
  • Trade Secrets Litigation
  • Unfair Competition and Tortious Interference

TRUSTS AND ESTATES

  • Estate & Will Disputes
  • Lack of Capacity
  • Undue Influence
  • Breach of Fiduciary Duty
  • Trust Disputes

REAL ESTATE

  • Residential and Commercial Lease Disputes
  • Residential and Commercial Evictions
  • Residential and Commercial Foreclosures
  • Partition Actions
  • Construction Defect
  • Sale and Purchase Disputes

TORT

  • Personal Injury
  • Wrongful Death
  • Agency Liability
  • Wrongful Death by Inadequate Supervision
  • Premises Liability

A.D.A. LITIGATION

Representative Matters

  • Ms. Collins successfully defended a business owner in federal court against a claim that his restaurant violated the Americans with Disabilities Act.
  • Mr. Ross and Ms. Collins obtained a jury verdict for the owner of a commercial property whose tenant failed to pay rent and damaged the premises, removing air conditioning units and a commercial hood system. They also successfully defended against the tenant’s counterclaim seeking damages of over $300,000.00 for lost profits and overpayment of rent.
  • Mr. Siegel & Ms. Collins successfully represented an elderly widow in her dispute with a national developer regarding her family’s condominium. The dispute included lawsuits filed in multiple courts and as well as arguments before various governmental agencies and bodies. After more than a year and a half of litigation, the parties mutually resolved the dispute through a confidential settlement. Links for articles:
  • Ms. Collins has successfully obtained foreclosure judgments on commercial property valued in excess of $1,500,000.00, and has successfully defended both commercial and residential foreclosure actions.
  • All partners in the firm collectively represented local real estate agents in a commission dispute with their broker and obtained and collected a judgment in excess of $1.4 million dollars.

Honors and Distinctions

  • Eighth Judicial Circuit Bar Association
  • Florida Association for Women Lawyers, Eighth Judicial Circuit Chapter, Secretary
  • Eighth Judicial Circuit Grievance Committee, Chairwoman
  • Gainesville Area Women’s Network since 2014
  • Adkins Inn of Court since 2015, group leader since 2016
  • Recognized by Florida Rural Legal Services for pro bono services rendered in 2010 and 2011

Bar Licensure and Court Admissions

  • Florida Bar Association, 2004
  • U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida since 2008
  • U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida since 2014
  • Solicitor, England & Wales
ARE YOU LOOKING FOR LEGAL REPRESENTATION?

Let us help you! Call Now: 352-375-7700

Monday-Friday: 8:30 am – 5:00 pm