Christopher M. Bentley

Christopher M. Bentley

Shareholder

BOARD CERTIFIED IN LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT LAW

(813) 580-8400

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Biography

Christopher M. Bentley is a Shareholder. He is Board Certified in Labor and Employment Law by the Florida Bar.  He has represented employers for the last fourteen years. Chris counsels both public and private-sector employers across the country in all matters relating to employment law and labor relations.  He has handled a wide range of litigation matters in federal and state court, and has defended employers in a variety of matters including discrimination, sexual harassment, wrongful termination, breach of contract, wage and hour, retaliation, and state law torts. Chris enjoys counseling clients to solve tough issues and vigorously defends them when necessary. Chris received his undergraduate degree from Stetson University and his law degree from the University of Florida Levin College of Law in 2007. He has been recognized as one of Florida’s “Legal Elite Up and Coming” by Florida Trend, and as a Super Lawyers Rising Star. 

Chris serves as the Chair of the 13th Judicial Circuit Grievance Committee, which is responsible for continuing the investigation of possible lawyer misconduct referred by Bar discipline attorneys. He serves as a Member for the Labor and Employment Wage and Hour Administration Committee, the Labor and Employment Law NLRB and PERC Liaison Committee, and the Labor and Employment Law Special Projects Committee of the Florida Bar. Chris serves as an Advisory Board Member for the First Tee of Tampa Bay, and recently was the 2021 Chair of the Board for the South Tampa Chamber of Commerce. Chris is a presenter for the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association, the City, County, and Local Government Section for the Florida Bar, and the Florida Public Employer Labor Relations Association. Chris was born in Louisville, Kentucky.

Professional and Community Involvement

  • Chair of the 13th Judicial Circuit Grievance Committee
  • 2021 Chair of the South Tampa Chamber of Commerce
  • Advisory Board Member for the First Tee of Tampa Bay
  • Labor and Employment Wage and Hour Administration Committee, Florida Bar
  • Labor and Employment Law NLRB and PERC Liaison Committee, Florida Bar
  • Labor and Employment Law Special Projects Committee, Florida Bar
  • Volunteer for Special Olympics

Publications and Speeches

  • The Florida Bar
    • (Speaker, Public Sector Liability, 2020)
  • Hillsborough County Bar Association
    • (Author, Managing the Crisis: Challenges Employers Face as the Begin
    • Re-opening their Doors, 2020)
  • Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association
    • (Speaker, EEO-1: Are you ready for pay equity reporting, 2019)
    • (Speaker, Avoiding the Harassment Spotlight: Practical Solutions for Eliminating
    • Harassment for the Hospitality-Industry, 2018)
    • (Speaker, Effectively Litigating Employment Law Cases from Inception through End, 2017)
  • Labor & Employment Law Section Certification Exam Review Course
    • (Speaker, Worker Place Privacy Issues, 2017)
  • Grievance Handling & Arbitration
    • (Speaker, 2016)
  • City, County & Local Government
    • (Speaker, 2015)

Contact Us

100 N. Tampa Street, Ste. 1800 Tampa, FL 33602
Phone: 813-580-8400 - Fax: 813-580-8407

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