Cornelius Demps is the founding partner of The Demps Law Firm, PLLC.  The Fort Pierce, Florida native first developed his passion for the law when he competed at the Harvard National Invitational Debate Tournament at 15 years old making him both the youngest and first African American student in St.  Lucie County history to accomplish such a feat.

Attorney Demps earned his bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering from the Florida State University.  He earned his juris doctorate from Stetson University College of Law and is a certified graduate of the esteemed Concentration in Advocacy program.  As a member of the Stetson Trial Team, Attorney Demps earned several best advocate awards at competitions in Portland, Kansas City, New Orleans, and Orlando.  Upon graduation, the university bestowed upon him the Victor O. Wehle Award for Excellence in Trial Advocacy and he was inducted into the National Order of the Barristers.

His career began serving as a trial prosecutor in the Sixth Judicial Circuit in New Port Richey where he handled serious felonies including Drug Trafficking, Sexual Battery, Home Invasion Robbery, and Murder.   Following his time as a trial prosecutor, he would go on to serve as an appellate prosecutor with the Florida Office of the Attorney General. Attorney Demps has argued cases before the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, the United States District Court for the Middle District, and the Second District Court of Appeal.

After a stellar career in public service, Attorney Demps went on to serve as a corporate litigator for prestigious Tampa Bay law firms.  During his career, he has represented privately held and Fortune 500 companies in a variety of commercial litigation matters including contract disputes, construction and real estate issues, employment litigation, intellectual property, and professional liability defense. Attorney Demps has also represented plaintiffs, corporate defendants, and governmental entities in a variety of personal injury matters including motor vehicle accident, trucking accident, premises liability, golf cart liability, and negligent security cases.

Attorney Demps continues his success by representing individuals, small businesses and large corporations in a variety of legal matters throughout the country.

PROFESSIONAL RECOGNITIONS

• AV Preeminent® Martindale-Hubbell Rating
• Tampa Bay Business Journal Up & Comers 2017, Nominee
• Florida Trend Magazine, Legal Elite Government Attorneys 2018
• Florida Super Lawyers, Rising Stars 2019 and 2020

BAR ADMISSIONS

• The United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
• The United States District Court for the Northern District of Florida
• The United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida
• The United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida
• The State of Florida

PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS

• Florida Bar Reece Smith, Jr.  Leadership Academy Fellow, Class IV

• George Edgecomb Bar Association
  • President Elect 2020-2022
  • Outstanding Young Lawyer’s Award Winner 2018
• Hillsborough County Bar Association
  • Appellate Practice and Diversity Committee
• North Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce
  • Economic Development Council

PUBLICATIONS & SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS

• “Building Optimal Youth Success (B. O. Y. S. ) Court”, Sixth Judicial Circuit of Florida, 2017-Present
• “The First Amendment and the Constitution”, Hillsborough County Bar Ass’n. Law Week, March 2019
• “Read to Dream Program”, Hillsborough County Bar Ass’n. Law Week, 2018-Present
• “Leadership Module”, Panelist, Diversity Access Pipeline, January 2019
• “Untapped Power of Diversity”, Panelist, Tampa Bay S. P. A. R. K. , February 2019
• “Survival of the Fittest”, Panelist, Stetson University College of Law, October 2018
• “Essential v. Non-Essential Businesses: What You Need to Know” North Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce April 2020
• Voter Rights Protection, Moderator, Virgil Hawkins Bar Ass’n.  of Florida, October 2018