Attorneys

Valerie Barnhart

Partner

Valerie Barnhart is the founding partner of the Barnhart Law Firm. Valerie focuses her practice on Business Litigation, Business Transactions, and Employment matters.

Valerie advises clients in all aspects of business and risk management, including contracts, purchase and sale of assets, non-compete agreements, formation of business entities, subcontractor agreements, shareholder agreements, operating agreements, and data privacy compliance.

Valerie has been recognized by Florida Super Lawyers as a “Rising Star” in Business litigation every year since 2016 and named a top “40 Under 40 Outstanding Lawyers of South Florida” by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation in 2018. A proud alumnus, Valerie earned her law degree, summa cum laude, from Nova Southeastern University. In 2016, Valerie was named the University’s “Alumni of the Year.”

About Valerie

A South Florida native

Valerie is committed to the community and the legal profession. She currently serves on the Seventeenth Circuit Judicial Nominating Commission as well as on the Board of Directors for the Broward County Bar Association.

A frequent lecturer on business law and cybersecurity matters, her presentations include:

Cybersecurity In An Insecure World, Digital Marketing in a Mobile World Symposium, February 2017
Cybersecurity Issues in the Medical Marijuana Industry, Broward County Bar Association Medical Marijuana Legalization Summit, February 2017
Cyber Law, 2017 Tamarac Business to Business Expo, February 2017
Best Practices on Cyber Risk Management in the Insurance Industry, 2017
Cybersecurity & Data Privacy: The Dangers Facing You & Your Business, July 2016
Best Practices on Cyber Risk Assessment, Management and Remediation, February 2016
Locking the Cybersafe: Cybersecurity Obligations in the Law Office, 2015 Broward County Bar Association Bench and Bar Convention, October 2015
Beyond the Breach and How to Protect it All: Data Protection and Cybersecurity…..Don’t be the next target!, April 2015
Contract Law for Business Owners, August 2014

what we do

Our Experience

Publications

Ready, Set, Breach: Data Security in the Hospitality Industry, Florida Restaurant and Lodging, January/February/March 2015
Employee Data Privacy Issues: Risk and Responsibility in Cyberincidents, Westlaw Journal, February 18, 2015
Hacking Hospitality, Leisure and Hospitality International, Winter 2014
Knowing Evil When We See It: An Attempt to Standardize Heinous, Atrocious and Cruel, Nova Law Review, 2009

Representative Experience

Defended flea market against federal contributory copyright and trademark lawsuit brought by luxury handbag company for the alleged sale of counterfeit goods by vendors. The case proceeded to a jury trial and settled midway through the trial.
Represented transferee against claims seeking recovery of more than $5,000,000 in a federal bankruptcy adversary proceeding to recover fraudulent transfers arising from a Ponzi scheme. Settled the case for approximately twenty (20%) of the total recovery sought by the bankruptcy trustee.
Defended subcontractor against a third-party claim for common law indemnification arising out of a dispute over defective construction. Less than five (5) months into the litigation, obtained voluntary dismissal of client from lawsuit.
Represented co-owner of multimillion dollar technology business in seeking judicial dissolution of the corporation and a division of corporate assets. Obtained dismissal of all counts of adverse party’s counterclaim and settled cased for a seven-figure sum in favor of client.
Represented minority owner in dispute involving ownership interest in multimillion dollar electronic cigarette business. Successfully established ownership interest of client based on an oral contract and obtained a significant judgment for damages.
Defended client, a contractor, against a claim for breach of contract. Had Plaintiff’s pleadings stricken and obtained judgment in favor of client, and successfully recovered client’s attorney’s fees as sanctions for repeated violations of court orders.
Drafted HIPAA compliant information security policies for pediatric medical practice.
Drafted privacy policy for national e-commerce retailer.
Represented physician in multimillion dollar secured sale of medical practice with multiple locations.
Represented employee of addiction treatment center in negotiation and drafting of multi-year employment agreement and compensation package.

Awards

Prestigious Women Award Recipient, South Florida Business and Wealth, 2021
South Florida Best Lawyers, Commercial Litigation, 2019, 2020
Florida Trend Legal Elite – Up & Comer (Business Litigation), 2020, 2021
Paul May Professionalism Award, Broward County Bar Association, 2019
Cystic Fibrosis Foundation’s 40 Under 40 Outstanding Lawyers of South Florida, 2018
Rising Star, Business Litigation, Florida Super Lawyers Magazine, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021
40 Under 40 Rising Star, Daily Business Review, 2014
Rising Star, Leaders in Law, 2014
2016 Alumnus of the Year, Nova Southeastern University Student Life Achievement Awards
2016 Committee Chair Award, Broward County Bar Association
Most Productive Board Member, Florida Bar Young Lawyers Division, 2015

Associations

Seventeenth Circuit Judicial Nominating Commission (2019-present)
Board of Directors, Broward County Bar Association (2016-2018, 2021-present)
The Florida Bar Judicial Nominating Procedures Committee (2019-present)
Leadership Broward, Women Leading Broward (2017 Class)
Representative, 17th Circuit, Florida Bar Board of Governors Young Lawyers Division (2013-present)
- Chair, Technology Committee (2017-2018)
- Chair, Continuing Legal Education Committee (2013-2015)
- Chair, Commission on Women (2015)
- Liaison to Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad Law Center (2013-present)
The Florida Bar Committee on Technology (2016-2018)
Chair, Broward County Bar Association Technology Committee (2015)
Broward County Christian Lawyers Association

Education

Law School: Nova Southeastern University, Shepard Broad Law Center J.D, summa cum laude (2010)

Undergrad: Nova Southeastern University, B.S. (2006)

Attorneys

Valerie Barnhart

A South Florida native

Practice Areas

General Employment Matters

Business Transactions

Business Litigations

Data Privacy & Cybersecurity

Our Experience

Education

Our Firm

Practice Areas

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