Barry Burkett | Butler Weihmuller Katz Craig LLP

Barry Burkett is a Senior Associate at Butler in the Tallahassee office, and his practice focuses on first-party coverage, construction, and product liability.

A native of Alabama, Barry graduated from Auburn University, summa cum laude, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and received his Juris Doctorate from The University of Alabama School of Law.

Before joining Butler, Barry practiced law in Birmingham, Alabama, gaining experience in the product liability and construction practice areas.

Barry is licensed to practice law in Alabama and Florida.

Admissions

Alabama
Florida

Education

Auburn University
Bachelor of Science, summa cum laude
The University of Alabama School of Law
Doctor of Jurisprudence

Memberships

Alabama Bar
Florida Bar

Media

Barry Burkett & Abraham Shakfeh Featured in FDLA Trial Advocate Publication

To Err is Human; Knowing Who to Blame is Risk Transfer Congratulations to Senior Associates Barry Burkett and Abraham Shakfeh for being published in the FDLA's Trial Advocate publication! Their article focuses on defending premises liability claims by minimizing the defendant's liability and shifting responsibility to other parties, including non-parties, co-defendants, or the plaintiffs themselv...

Florida Supreme Court Answers Certified Question: Dram Shop Actions Are Negligence Actions

Florida’s “Dram Shop” statute permits liability against a bar or restaurant for the actions of a person who may become intoxicated and cause harm in only two circumstances. The first is when a vendor willfully and unlawfully sells or furnishes alcohol to an underage patron who then causes injury or damage to another.1 Although proof of willful misconduct on the part of the vendo...

Congratulations to Tallahassee Attorney Barry Burkett

Please join us in congratulating Barry Burkett in our Tallahassee office for becoming our newest Senior Associate! Barry was awarded the 2023 IMPACT Award for his articles and blogs on insurance litigation, diving into developments in Florida and federal law. This exemplifies Barry's dedication to his craft and commitment to in-depth analysis and writing within the field of law. Click his bio to ...

Federal Court Applying Alabama Law Finds That Insurer Has No Duty To Defend Failure-to-disclose Action

The duties to defend and indemnify arise out of an insurer’s contract with its insured. It is a commonly accepted principle under Alabama law that an insurer's duties to defend and indemnify are separate and distinct. Indeed, a finding by a court that an insurer is obligated to defend its insured against the allegations in an underlying complaint does not mean that it must also indemnify its ins...

Butler Presents the IMPACT Award of 2022

Butler’s Media Committee recently selected the recipient of the 2022 IMPACT Award. The word “IMPACT” stands for Insightful Marketing Promoting Attorney-Client Trust. Butler has a long tradition of legal scholarship. Each year, the IMPACT Award is awarded to the Associate or Senior Associate who has exceeded expectations and gone “above and beyond” in contributin...

To Remand or Not to Remand, That Is the Question

Generally, a case is not removable to federal court “more than one year after commencement of [an] action.” However, a defendant may remove a case to federal court after the one-year deadline if it can demonstrate the plaintiff acted in bad faith to prevent the defendant from removing the action. Essentially, the “bad faith” exception acts as a safeguard to prevent plaintiffs from deployin...

Dial v. Calusa Palms Master Association, Inc. – Florida Supreme Court Confirms Only Amounts Actually Paid By Medicare Are Admissible As Evidence Of Past Medical Expenses

On April 28, 2022, the Florida Supreme Court issued its decision in Dial v. Calusa Palms Master Association, Inc., which addressed the question: DOES THE HOLDING IN JOERG V. STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE CO., 176 SO. 3D 1247 (FLA. 2015), PROHIBITING THE INTRODUCTION OF EVIDENCE OF MEDICARE BENEFITS IN A PERSONAL INJURY CASE FOR PURPOSES OF A JURY’S CONSIDERATION OF FUTURE MEDICAL ...

Florida First DCA Reverses $28.6 Million Judgment and Emphasizes that Alleged Violations of the Florida “Dram Shop” Act are Negligence Actions

The effects of alcohol-impaired driving as it concerns life and limb are well-documented. Indeed, more often than not, the policy limits for the responsible party’s insurance policy are inadequate to compensate the injured party, and in some unfortunate circumstances their family, following these accidents. This is where Florida’s “Dram Shop” statute, which is codified at section 768.125, ...

Welcome Wednesday | January 2021

We extend a warm welcome to Benoy Sanil, Shaniqua Biggins, Barry Burkett, Michael Rainey, and Michael Ball, the newest members to join our Butler family! Click their pictures to learn more....