Christopher L. DeCort

A highly sought-after attorney in Tampa, Florida, Christopher L. DeCort holds the esteemed position of partner at Johnson, Newlon & DeCort, P.A. His focus lies in the realms of business and complex commercial litigation, primarily resolving contract disputes. 

Mr. DeCort has extensive experience practicing in both state and federal courts. He represents clients in a range of employment disputes, which often involve noncompete and other restrictive covenant obligations. Additionally, he has handled business tort cases that involve fraud and breach of fiduciary duty, corporate litigation, breach of contract cases, first-party insurance disputes and other complex matters.

After receiving his diploma from Tampa Catholic High School, Mr. DeCort pursued his bachelor’s degree in liberal arts at the University of Florida (UF) and graduated in 2002. During his time there, he was a recipient of the Florida Academic Scholars Award and part of the Sigma Chi Fraternity. He earned his Juris Doctor magna cum laude from The Florida State University College of Law (FSU) in 2010.

During his time at FSU, Mr. DeCort was placed on the Dean’s List and inducted into the Order of the Coif. He also represented clients before the Division of Administrative Hearings (DOAH) as a legal intern at the Public Interest Law Center. He then worked as a certified legal intern at the Office of the State Attorney, 2nd Judicial Circuit, prosecuting over 300 misdemeanor cases and trying several jury trials to verdict. 

Mr. DeCort is licensed to practice in Florida (2011), the U.S. District Court for the Middle and Southern Districts of Florida, the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Middle and Southern Districts of Florida and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit.

Chris sits on the Executive Council of the Business Law Section of the Florida Bar, currently serving as Vice Chair of the Labor Day Retreat Committee.  He previously served as Chair of the Business Litigation Committee, the Rules of Court Committee, and the State and Federal Court Judicial Liaison Committee, and in 2023 was named Business Law Section Member of the Year. A long-time supporter of local nonprofit organizations, Chris previously served as Chair of Tampa Connection and sat for many years on the Board of Directors of the Bob Sierra YMCA.

For his outstanding professionalism and client services, Mr. DeCort has been rated "Excellent" through Avvo and carries a "10.0" Lawyer Rating on Justia. He has also been recognized by The Best Lawyers in America for his work in Commercial Litigation.