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Denise Anderson

Managing Partner | Tampa

As Managing Partner at Butler, Denise M. Anderson is the Chairperson of the firm’s Construction Litigation Practice Group. Denise is Board Certified in Construction Law by the Florida Bar and is an AV peer-rated attorney by Martindale-Hubbell. In 2023, she began serving her third term on the firm’s Executive Committee.

While she currently practices primarily in the fields of Construction Defect and Product Liability, in her legal career, she has handled various insurance-related disputes involving coverage and subrogation. Her construction experience includes representing general contractors, developers, designers, and every trade in the construction process, as well as suppliers and manufacturers of building components. She has served as the chairperson of several national construction seminars and regularly speaks to clients and peers on various construction and civil litigation topics.

After serving as the Regional Chairperson (Southern Region) for the Women in Construction Litigation Alliance (WCLA), Denise was appointed to the Board of Directors of the WCLA in 2015. Denise served as the National Membership Vice Chairperson of the Association of Defense Trial Attorneys (ADTA) from 2014 to 2016. In 2016, Denise was elected to a three-year term on the Executive Council of the ADTA. In addition, Denise has served as a Florida delegate for the Claims and Litigation Management Alliance. In 2013, she was appointed to serve as the Chairperson of the Steering Committee for the CLM’s production of a Claims Handling Manual which is a national initiative undertaken by 150 attorneys from across the U.S. and Canada. Also, Denise was selected two years in a row as a Chairperson for the CLM’s Annual Construction and Environmental Conference (Boston 2014, Atlanta 2015). Denise was also asked to co-chair the ExecuSummit Construction Claims and Litigation Conference from 2016 to 2019 and again in 2022 when the conference resumed post-Covid. Of great importance, Denise was appointed to serve as a member of CLM’s National Construction Advisory Board in 2020 and in 2023, she was appointed to CLM’s National Construction Leadership Team.

She received her Bachelor of Arts, with high honors, from Auburn University (1991) and her Doctor of Jurisprudence from Mercer University School of Law (1994). Denise is licensed to practice in the state and federal courts of Florida and the state courts of Georgia. Her professional memberships include the Association Defense Trial Attorneys, Women in Construction Litigation Alliance, The Florida Bar, the State Bar of Georgia, the Hillsborough Bar Association, the American Bar Association, the Hillsborough Association of Women Lawyers, the DRI, the National Association of Subrogation Professionals and the Claims & Litigation Management Alliance.

She has also been a member of the Junior League of Tampa since 2002, serving on committees for community projects to assist foster children, children aging out of foster care, and children’s literacy, among others. Denise is a native Floridian and has been employed with Butler since November 1995.

Admissions

  • Florida
  • Georgia

Recognitions

  • AV Peer Rating, Martindale-Hubbell
  • Board Certified in Construction Law

Education

  • Auburn University
    Bachelor of Arts
  • Mercer University
    Doctor of Jurisprudence

Memberships

  • Association of Defense Trial Attorneys (ADTA), past Executive Board member
  • Claims and Litigation Management Alliance (CLM), past Construction Advisory Board member, Construction Leadership Team member 2023-2024
  • Defense Research Institute (DRI)
  • Hillsborough Association for Women Lawyers (HAWL)
  • Hillsborough County Bar Association (HCBA)
  • Junior League of Tampa (JLT)
  • State Bar of Georgia
  • The Florida Bar

Courts

  • United States District Court – Northern District of Florida
  • United States District Court – Middle District of Florida
  • United States District Court – Southern District of Florida
  • Florida State Courts

Media

Denise Anderson Featured in Tampa Bay Business & Wealth Magazine

Tampa Partner Denise Anderson was featured in a Tampa Bay Business & Wealth (TBBW) article highlighting her recent appointment and career milestone as Managing Partner of the firm. The TBBW magazine is the leading resource for business leaders in the Tampa Bay region, with a focus on emerging business ecosystems. Click here to read the full article. Watch our recent video spotlight for Deni...

Denise Anderson – Managing Partner Spotlight

Butler proudly presents our firm's first female Managing Partner, Denise Anderson. We're celebrating International Women's Day by providing a glimpse into Denise Anderson's journey to becoming the Managing Partner of Butler's 8 locations across the U.S. Appointed by her colleagues to lead the Firm, Denise's dedication and passion are evident both inside and outside of the firm. Watch the video to...

Welcoming Our Firm’s Newest Managing Partner

Denise M. Anderson Elected Managing Partner at Butler Weihmuller Katz & Craig Tampa, FL - Tampa Partner Denise M. Anderson has been elected as Managing Partner of Butler Weihmuller Katz Craig beginning on January 1, 2024. She serves as the Chairperson of the firm’s Construction Litigation Practice Group and as a member of the firm’s Executive Committee. The firm previously was managed by ...

Butler Proudly Sponsors the 6th Annual Execusummit

Butler is proud to be a sponsor for the 6th Annual Construction Defect Claims & Litigation ExecuSummit on December 5-6, 2023, at the Mohegan Sun Hotel & Convention Center in Uncasville, CT. Tampa Partner Denise Anderson will present "Over, Under, Sideways, Down: Loss Transfer – Indemnity and Vertical Vs. Horizontal Exhaustion." Philadelphia Partner Michael Savett will present "Statutory...

Over, Under, Sideways, Down: Loss Transfer – Indemnity and Vertical Vs. Horizontal Exhaustion

Join Partner and Construction Practice Group Leader Denise Anderson and co-presenters Wendy Testa (Wilson Elser Moskowitz Edelman & Dicker LLP), Andy Kenney (Allied World Insurance Company), and Michael J. LeMoult (Allied World Insurance Company) at the 6th Annual Construction Defect Claims & Litigation Strategies ExecuSummit on December 5-6, 2023. The 6th Annual Construction Defect, Clai...

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Using Your Contract as a Sword & Shield

Join Tampa Partner Denise Anderson and co-presenters Donna MacConnell (IMA Group) and Wendy Testa (Wilson Elser) for the Claims Xchange 2023 Annual Conference from October 11-13, 2023, in Philadelphia, PA. Their presentation, "Using Your Contract as a Sword and a Shield: Adjusting Your Risk Management Strategy When Battling Claims Related to Public v. Private Construction Projects," is described b...

Best Lawyers – 2024 Edition

Join us in congratulating our attorneys who were recognized in the 2024 Best Lawyers publication! Click on their icons to learn more. Recognition by Best Lawyers is based entirely on peer review. Their process is designed to capture, as accurately as possible, the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal ...

Windows and Doors: Are They the Next Chinese Drywall for the Construction Industry?

Join Tampa Partner Denise Anderson and co-presenters Wendy Testa (Wilson Elser), Laura Straznicky (Engle Martin), Sandra Heiden (Arch Insurance Group Inc.), and Donna Friis (Envista Forensics) for the CLM Construction Conference on September 28, 2023, in Austin, TX. The program description is below: In addition to the rising trend in the number of construction defect claims for windows and doors,...

Save the Date! 6th Annual Construction Defect ExecuSummit

  Join us for the 6th Annual Construction Defect Execusummit from December 5-6, 2023 which offers fresh, high-impact, interactive, informative events and workshops. Insurance professionals take note of this opportunity for networking and learn what's new in construction litigation. Click here to learn more about the event.  Tampa Partner Denise Anderson is co-chair for the Execusummit. V...

Partner Denise Anderson Featured in Construction Claims Magazine

Tampa Partner Denise Anderson was recently featured in the Spring issue of the Construction Claims magazine. Her article, titled "Slaying the Beasts: Current Best Strategies for the Biggest Challenges in Construction," discusses problems facing the construction claims industry, preceding her upcoming presentation at the CLM Annual Conference on March 30, 2023. Click here to read the full article....

Slaying the Beasts: Current Best Strategies for the Biggest Challenges in Construction

Join Partner Denise Anderson as she collaborates with Stephanie Bright (Liberty Mutual), Donna MacConnell (IMA), Wendy Testa (Wilson Elser Moskowitz Edelman & Dicker LLP), and Lee Thunberg (Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance) for the CLM's one-of-a-kind Annual Conference in Tampa on March 29-31. This experienced panel of insurance company claims representatives, construction and design ...

Stick to Your Guns: How Changes to Design, Materials and Supply/Labor Shortages Can Come Back To Bite You

Join Partner Denise Anderson and co-presenter Wendy D. Testa (Wilson Elser) as they present for the 5th Annual Construction Defect ExecuSummit on December 6, 2022 in Mohegan Sun Hotel & Convention Center, Uncasville, CT. To learn more about the event, click here....

Butler Proudly Sponsors the 2022 CLM Construction Conference

We are proud to be a Platinum Sponsor for the 2022 CLM Construction Conference. This event will take place from September 21-23, 2022 in San Diego. Partner Denise Anderson will be presenting "Stick To Your Guns: How Changes Can Come Back To Bite You," on September 22nd. In attendance will be Tampa attorneys Ashley Mattingly and Kim Ramey. For over a decade, the CLM Construction Conference has be...

Best Lawyers – 2023 Edition

Join us in congratulating our attorneys who were recognized in the 2023 Best Lawyers publication! Click on their icons to learn more. Recognition by Best Lawyers is based entirely on peer review. Their process is designed to capture, as accurately as possible, the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal ...

Stick to Your Guns: How Changes Can Come Back To Bite You

Join Partner Denise Anderson and co-presenters Carolyn Crawford (Nationwide Insurance Company), Sandra Heiden (Arch Insurance Group Inc.), Wendy Testa (Wilson Elser Moskowitz Edelman & Dicker LLP), and Taso Tselekas (Liberty Mutual) as they present for the 2022 CLM Construction Claims Conference. The program's description reads below: Contractors and design professionals face increased liabi...

Breaking Our Unconscious Bias

Join Partner Denise Anderson and co-presenters Donna Friis (Envista Forensics), and Henrietta Hinojosa (National Claims LLC) for a webinar hosted by Envista Forensics, Butler Weihmuller Katz Craig and National Claims Services LLC. This webinar will take place on March 8, 2022 from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM EST. This interactive session will explore: Recognizing unconscious bias The evolution of p...

Butler Proudly Sponsors the 2021 ExecuSummit Conference

Butler is proud to be a Silver Sponsor for the 5th Annual Construction Defect ExecuSummit Conference. ExecuSummit producers are in the forefront of construction defect claims and litigation strategies, monitoring & researching emerging issues and trends and bringing this strategic intelligence to attendees as it is developing. Partner Denise Anderson is Co-Chair for the event. Click here to l...

Attorney Spotlight | Denise Anderson

You’ve been with Butler for 25 years. As a woman and leader in the legal industry, what accomplishments are you most proud of? Being a member of the Firm’s Executive Committee.  I am incredibly honored that my partners had the confidence to select me to participate in the management of the Firm and some of the most important decisions to the Firm’s success.  The Creation of a thrivi...

Denise Anderson – Construction Community Advisory Board Nomination

Join us in congratulating Partner Denise Anderson for her recent nomination to the Construction Advisory Board of the CLM. As a board member, Denise will advise on key issues related to the construction community. Learn more about the CLM here....

The Impact Of Covid-19 On Construction Defect Claims

Unprecedented. That's the word all of us keep hearing from almost every source. BECAUSE IT'S TRUE. Upon us is not only a health crisis, but the pandemic's economic impacts and the consequences of our nation's attempts to respond to it, as well. While construction has been deemed to be less subject to Covid-19 impacts than other industries, such as restaurant and retail, that's cold comfort for ...

Butler’s Thursday Tips | Staying Fit

Partner Denise Anderson offers some tips on staying active and healthy while working from home. Stay tuned to find out more helpful tips! [embed]https://youtu.be/_nIhWt6q4wo[/embed]...

13 Reasons Why You Are Successful In Resolving Construction Claims 2020

Partner Denise Anderson and co-presenters Cynthia Romesburg (The Main Street America Group) and Robert Zaralban (SEA, Ltd.) presented "13 Reasons Why You Are Successful in Resolving Construction Claims" for the 2020 CLM Western Florida Chapter Education and Networking Event.  The presentation, 13 Reasons Why You Are Successful In Resolving Construction Claims addresses thirteen "reasons" for the...

Butler Sponsors 4th Annual Construction Defect Execusummit

Butler is proud to be a sponsor for the 4th Annual Construction Defect ExecuSummit on December 10-11, 2019. This event will be held at the Mohegan Sun Hotel & Convention Center in Uncasville, CT. Partner Denise Anderson is the Co-Chair for the conference and will be presenting "13 Reasons Why You Are Successful in Resolving Construction Claims". ...

13 Reasons Why You Are Successful In Resolving Construction Claims

Denise Anderson and co-presenters Marta Brown (BMC), Susan Domanski (Construction Disputes Consultants, LLC) and La Tonya Darby (RCM&D) presented "13 Reasons Why You Are Successful in Resolving Construction Claims." This presentation took place at the Execusummit 4th Annual Construction Defect, Claims & Litigation Strategies Conference at the Mohegan Sun Resort & Convention Center...

Denise Anderson – Co-chair of Execusummit Conference

Join us in congratulating Partner Denise Anderson for being named Co-Chair for the 2019 Execusummit Construction Defect Conference. Denise will be presenting "13 Reasons Why You Are Successful in Resolving Construction Claims" at this conference. View her event page here. ExecuSummit producers are at the forefront of construction defect claims and litigation strategies, monitoring & researc...

Butler Proud to Sponsor 2019 DRI Annual Meeting

Butler is proud to be a sponsor for the DRI Annual Meeting on October 16, 2019, in New Orleans, Louisiana. This program will give attendees the opportunity to: Experience outstanding educational programming on timely topics to include the ever-changing world and developing legal topics to stay ahead of the game. Earn up to 10 hours of CLE credit including up to 3 hours of ethics credit. G...

Denise Anderson – Winner of the Attorney of the Year Award

Join us in congratulating Denise Anderson for being selected as the recipient of the Vela Insurance Service’s Attorney of the Year Award for the Southeast Region of the U.S. The staff of Vela voted Denise as their favorite attorney to work with. She was recognized for her prompt responsiveness to inquiries, the ability for getting results and for always putting staff at ease with her complian...

Attacking A Claim: Plotting A Successful Resolution – A Panel Discussion

Partner Denise Anderson presented "Attacking a Claim: Plotting a Successful Resolution - A Panel Discussion" with co-presenters Susan L. Domanski, Christine A. Guaditis and Stuart Sobel. This presentation took place in Miami, FL on May 15, 2019 for the "Preventing or Minimizing Future Construction Defect Litigation" seminar....

3rd Annual Construction Defect, Claims & Litigation Strategies Execusummit

Partner Denise Anderson was named co-chair for the 3rd Annual Construction Defect, Claims & Litigation Strategies ExecuSummit in Uncasville, CT on December 4—5, 2018. The ExecuSummit is an event designed for educating Construction defect claims-focused insurance professionals on how to succeed in this rapidly changing environment....

Clm & Business Insurance Conference – Extrapolation: You’re Asking Me To Assume

Partner Denise Anderson, along with co-presenters: Carolyn Crawford, Thomas Brown, Robert Zaralban, and Chad Dunigan, presented "Extrapolation: You're Asking Me To Assume What?" at the 2018 CLM & Business Insurance Construction Conference in Chicago....

International Women’s Day

"LEADERSHIP IS ABOUT MAKING OTHERS BETTER AS A RESULT OF YOUR PRESENCE AND MAKING SURE THAT IMPACT LASTS IN YOUR ABSENCE." -SHERYL SANBERG (COO OF FACEBOOK) ...

2nd Annual Construction Defect, Claims Litigation Strategies Execusummit – Construction Risk Transfer

Denise Anderson from Butler Weihmuller Katz Craig was a moderator for a presentation in Uncasville, CT at the 2nd Annual Construction Defect, Claims & Litigation Strategies ExecuSummit on the topic of "Construction Risk Transfer"....

Denise Anderson: Co-chair of the 2nd Annual Construction Defect Conference Execusummit

Denise Anderson was selected to be the Co-Chair of the 2nd Annual Construction Defect Conference for ExecuSummit. This conference is held in Uncasville, CT on December 5 & 6, 2017 and is an educational event specifically designed for Construction defect claims focused insurance professionals. Congratulations on this honor, Denise! ...

2017 Clm & Business Insurance Construction Conference – There’s Nothing Wrong With The Construction, But It’s Still Your Fault!

Denise Anderson from Butler Weihmuller Katz Craig along with co-presenters Michele Blais, Chad Dunigan, and David Smith presented in San Diego, CA at the 2017 CLM & Business Insurance Construction Conference on the topic of "There's Nothing Wrong with the Construction, But It's Still YOUR FAULT!"...

Clm 2017 Annual Conference – What About An Expert, Can Afford One, Can We Afford Not To Have One?

Denise Anderson from Butler Weihmuller Katz Craig along with co-presenters Diana Gersberger, David Levy, Phillip Wilbourn, and Ralph Woodard, presented in Nashville, TN at the CLM 2017 Annual Conference on the topic of "What About An Expert, Can Afford One, Can We Afford Not to Have One?" on March 31, 2017. ...

Inaugural Construction Defect, Claims & Litigation Strategies Execusummit

Denise Anderson from Butler Weihmuller Katz Craig along with co-presenter Katherine A. Jones from Fisher Kanaris, P.C. presented in Uncasville, CT at the 2016 Inaugural Construction Defect, Claims & Litigation Strategies ExecuSummit on the topic of "Wrap Ups: Are They working? " on December 6th, 2016. ...

Around the Clm: Getting to Know Denise Anderson

Denise Anderson a Partner at Butler discusses her and fellow co-chair Jacqueline Stein's work on CLM Atlanta, which takes place on Nov. 5-6, 2015. On the combined content format of CLM Atlanta: “The CLM Atlanta conference includes three tracks: One track on construction litigation and claims topics; one on environmental litigation and claims topics; and one on more general claims litigation m...

Florida Construction Law Seminar

Denise Anderson moderated a panel discussing, "Navigating the Minefields of the Tripartite Relationship" at MC Consultants' Florida Construction Law Seminar in Tampa, FL....

Denise Anderson Appointed to the Wcla Executive Board

Denise Anderson was recently appointed to the Women's Construction Litigation Alliance (WCLA) Executive Board. WCLA is a national non-profit public benefit organization that supports women in construction litigation. Please join us in congratulating her on this well-deserved role....

Denise Anderson Appointed to Wcla Southeast Regional Chair

The firm is pleased to announce that Denise Anderson has been selected to be the Regional Chair for the Southeast Coast Region of the Women's Construction Litigation Alliance (WCLA)...

2013 Clm Construction Committee Mini-Conference

Denise Anderson spoke at the 2013 CLM Construction Committee Mini-Conference on November 8, 2013. Denise's session was, "Right To Repair: Use It, Don't Abuse It."...

2013 Clm Construction/Environmental Adr/Afa Conference

Denise Anderson spoke at the 2013 CLM Construction/Environmental ADR/AFA Conference on November 8, 2013 in Costa Mesa, CA. Denise's topic was, "Right to Repair: Use It, Don't Abuse It."...

Denise Anderson Appointed to two Chairperson Positions

The firm is pleased to announce that Denise Anderson has been appointed the National Membership Vice-Chairperson of the Association of Defense Trial Attorneys (ADTA). Denise has also been named chairperson of the Oversight Committee for the development of the National Claims Handling Manual of the Claims and Litigation Management Alliance (CLM). ASSOCIATION OF DEFENSE TRIAL ATTORNEYS CLAIMS AND ...

Clm 2013 Annual Conference

Denise Anderson spoke at the CLM 2013 Annual Conference on April 10, 2013. Denise's session was, "Litigation Management-How To Lose A Client in Ten Days (Or Better Yet Keep the Client.)"...

Clm’s Construction And Environmental Mini-Conference

Denise spoke at the CLM Construction and Environmental Mini-Conference. The topic covered was "2012's Top Ten Cases Impacting Construction and Environmental Claims."...

The 2012 Women’s Leadership Forum: Paying It Forward And Paying It Back

"Inspiration to initiate improvement." That's what attendees can expect to take away from the CLM's  2012 Women's Leadership Forum. The 2012 Women's Leadership Forum...

Clm Florida Annual Meeting

Denise Anderson and Carol Rooney presented at CLM's Florida Annual Meeting. The panel presentation was on, "Managing Costs in Construction Defect Litigation."...

Something Old…Something New…: The Availability Of “Sentimental Value” Damages In Courts Throughout The United States

This article was originally published in the Subrogator, a publication by the National Association of Subrogation Professionals, Fall 2006, Page 49. © Copyright 2006 by NASP. All rights reserved. Republished by Butler with permission from NASP.    "My grandfather's law diploma means the world to me. It was framed and given to me after his death by my family, as I was the only child to becom...

Denise Anderson