Woodrow “Woody” Pollack is a partner in the Tampa office of Shutts & Bowen, where he is Co-Chair of the Intellectual Property Practice Group. Woody is Board Certified in Intellectual Property Law by The Florida Bar. He focuses his practice on litigating complex patent, trademark, copyright and trade secret disputes. He litigates matters in state and federal courts as well as patent validity issues before the U.S. Patent Trial and Appeal Board. He also counsels clients extensively in developing patent and trademark portfolios. He has been lead counsel in over 100 intellectual property litigations.
A Martindale-Hubbell AV® rated attorney, Woody has been recognized by Chambers and Partners, Best Lawyers in America®, Florida Super Lawyers, and Florida Trend’s Legal Elite. Woody also serves on the Executive Council of the Florida Bar Business Law Section. He has chaired its Intellectual Property Committee, and currently serves as chair of its legislative committee. He is also a former chair of the Florida Bar’s Intellectual Property Board Certification Committee. Woody has also been an adjunct professor at Stetson College of Law, teaching Trademark Law since 2019.
Before starting his career in law, Woody received his Master’s degree in Computer Science from Stanford University and worked as a software engineer in Silicon Valley. He regularly applies his technical background to assist his clients in sophisticated software and other computer related disputes. He has represented clients in a number of technologies, including database encryption, antivirus software, medical devices and mechanical processes.
In the community, Woody served extensively on the Board of Directors of Tampa Connection, including serving as its Chair. Woody currently serves on the Board of Feeding Tampa Bay.
Credentials
Education
- Stetson University College of Law, J.D., magna cum laude
- Stanford University, M.S., Computer Science
- Colby University, B.S., Computer Science
Bar Admissions
- Florida
- U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
Court Admissions
- U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida
- U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
Professional and Civic
- Member, Florida Blockchain Task Force, 2019
- Member, Make-A-Wish® Southern Florida, Tampa Bay Advisory Board, 2018 – Present
- Member, American Bar Association
- Member, Litigation Section
- Member, Intellectual Property Section
- Member, American Intellectual Property Law Association
- Member, Federal Bar Association
- Member, The Florida Bar
- IP Certification Committee
- Chair, 2021
- Vice Chair, 2020
- Member, Business Law Section
- Intellectual Property Committee
- Chair, 2015-2016
- Legislative Vice Chair, 2014-2015
- CLE Vice Chair, 2013-2014
- Sponsorship Committee, Chair (2017-present)
- Digital Currency Taskforce, Chair (2017-present)
- Intellectual Property Committee
- Member, Trial Lawyers Section
- Member, Committee on Technology
- IP Certification Committee
- Member, Hillsborough County Bar Association
- Intellectual Property Committee
- Chair, 2012-2013
- Vice Chair, 2011-2012
- Pro Bono Liaison to 13th Judicial Circuit, 2010-2011
- Intellectual Property Committee
- Member, St. Petersburg Bar Association
- Business Law Section
- Co-Chair, 2016-Present
- Business Law Section
- Member, Tampa Connection
- Board of Directors, 2012-2018
- Chair, 2016-2017
- Vice Chair, 2015-2016
- Secretary, 2012-2015
- Class of 2011
- Member, Leadership Tampa, Class of 2013
- Member, Leadership St. Pete, Class of 2015
News & Insights
News & Speaking Engagements
Blog Posts
Practice Areas
Accolades
- Board Certified in Intellectual Property Law by The Florida Bar
- Chambers and Partners, Chambers USA: Intellectual Property (2021-2024)
- World Trademark Review 1000 (2024)
- “IP Star,” Managing IP Magazine
- Patent Star (2019-2024)
- Trademark Star (2019-2024)
- Best Lawyers in America® (2014-2025): Copyright Law, Information Technology Law, Litigation - Intellectual Property, Litigation - Patent, Patent Law, Trademark Law
- Lawyer of the Year, Copyright Law (2024)
- Lawyer of the Year, Patent Law (2023)
- Lawyer of the Year, Copyright Law (2020)
- Lawyer of the Year, Litigation – Patent (2016 and 2019)
- Lawyer of the Year, Trademark Law (2015)
- TAMPA Magazine
- Top Lawyers, Copyright Law (2020, 2021, 2022, 2023)
- Top Lawyers, Litigation: Patent (2019, 2020, 2022, 2023)
- Top Lawyers, Litigation: Intellectual Property (2019)
- Top Lawyers, Patent Law (2019 and 2022)
- Top Lawyers, Information Technology Law (2019, 2021, 2022, 2023)
- Florida Trend (2013-2022)
- Legal Elite (2015-2022)
- Florida Super Lawyers (2010-2023)
- Super Lawyer (2014-2024)
- Top 100: 2024 Florida Super Lawyers
- Top 50: 2024 Tampa Bay Super Lawyers
- Top 50: 2023 Tampa Bay Super Lawyers
- Feeding Tampa Bay
- Board of Directors (2022-present)
- Tampa Bay Business Journal, Top Up and Comer Under 40 (2013)
- Rated AV Preeminent® by Martindale-Hubbell