Joshua Carpenter is a commercial litigator with a focus on products liability, construction and real estate disputes, appellate litigation, and maritime matters. He represents global manufacturers, engineering and design-build firms, and developers across the manufacturing, construction, real estate, transportation, and hospitality industries in complex, high-stakes matters nationwide.
Josh regularly litigates and arbitrates cases in state and federal courts throughout the United States. He has first-chair trial experience, has tried cases to verdict in federal court, argued appeals at both the state and federal levels, and served as lead counsel in American Arbitration Association proceedings through final award. In addition to disputes, he advises clients on regulatory compliance, risk mitigation, and targeted transactional issues, including drafting warnings, instructions, and other materials designed to reduce litigation exposure.
A significant portion of Josh’s practice is devoted to product liability defense. He represents manufacturers and distributors in claims involving strict liability, design defect, wrongful death, negligence, fraud, failure to warn, and breach of warranty and contract. His experience spans individual actions, class actions, and multidistrict litigation across the country. He has deep experience in the marine and recreation products industry, where he defends vessel, engine, and equipment manufacturers in matters involving carbon monoxide exposure, propeller strike injuries, and alleged design defects. His work in this space includes regulatory preemption defenses under the Clean Air Act, product recalls coordinated with the Consumer Product Safety Commission, and Daubert challenges to opposing experts. Beyond marine products, Josh represents manufacturers in the pharmaceutical, electronics, and consumer logistics sectors.
In his construction and real estate practice, Josh represents both plaintiffs and defendants. He defends Fortune 500 engineering and design-build firms against professional negligence, breach of contract, and fraud claims on large public infrastructure projects, including multimillion-dollar Florida Department of Transportation roadway projects. He also represents developers in disputes arising from commercial property acquisitions, land use issues, and fraudulent misrepresentations, pursuing breach of contract, negligence, and fraud claims.
Josh takes a phased approach to dispute resolution. He works closely with clients with the goal of preventing disputes before they arise, working towards early and efficient resolution when conflicts emerge, and litigating aggressively through trial or arbitration when necessary.
Concentrations
•Products liability litigation
•Real estate litigation
•Construction litigation
•Commercial litigation
•Appellate litigation
•Maritime disputes
Judicial Clerkships
•Hon. Leslie B. Rothenberg, Third District Court of Appeal, State of Florida, 2013-2015
Recognition & Leadership
Awards & Accolades
•Listed, The Best Lawyers in America, “Ones to Watch,” Commercial Litigation and Transportation Law, 2021-2025
•Recipient, Florida Daily Business Review, “Most Effective Lawyers Pro Bono Award,” 2019
