Ernest H. “Skip” Kohlmyer

Federal Commercial Litigation and International Business Law

29 years in law has provided Skip Kohlmyer with many leadership opportunities as a partner attorney, association president, arbiter, and speaker. Primarily focused on litigation, he has successfully defended international commercial cases including business litigation, commercial arbitration, and consumer protection defense. 

Mr. Kohlmyer is most well known in the industry for his experience in matters related to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), and the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA). Mr. Kohlmyer has recently served as appellate counsel for two landmark TCPA decisions in the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals. 

Never complacent, Mr. Kohlmyer continues to seek opportunities to learn and follow his passion. He was recently accepted to George Mason University School of Law where he will pursue his second LL.M. in Antitrust and Global Economics starting this Fall.  

Mr. Kohlmyer began his Florida legal career in 1997 working as an associate concentrating in the areas of land use and civil rights defense for municipal governments, such as Ponce Inlet,  City of Deland,  Kissimmee Utility Authority, St. John’s River Water Management District, and many other governmental entities. During this period, Mr. Kohlmyer served as defense counsel on numerous civil rights cases that involved constitutional and land use issues.  He also participated in cases that defined the laws governing inverse condemnation, procedural due process, sovereign immunity, and qualified immunity for local governmental officials.  

In 2012, Mr. Kohlmyer elected to develop his practice in commercial litigation and international law.  In 2014, he obtained his LL.M. in Transnational Business from Lazarski University, School of Law in conjunction with Boston University and Universität of Salzburg, representing foreign individuals and corporations in litigation and transactional matters. While primarily a defense lawyer, Mr. Kohlmyer obtained a $5.4 million judgment for his client in a federal commercial litigation case in 2019.  

Mr. Kohlmyer is a graduate of Florida State University in Multi-national Business Operations and a member of the State Bars of Florida, Georgia, and New York. He is also admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of the United States, Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, and the United States Court of International Trade. This year he will serve as President of the Florida Collectors Association and will continue to serve in various leadership roles with ACA International.

Entering his fourth year as a shareholder with Shepard, Smith, Kohlmyer & Hand, P.A., Mr. Kohlmyer continues to grow his practice. The firm’s practice areas include local government law, land use and zoning law, real estate development, homeowner and condominium association law, complex commercial and business litigation, construction litigation, insurance defense, business planning, employment law, employment law litigation, and alternative dispute resolution. The firm’s clients include municipalities, professional associations, commercial contractors, developers, insurance and surety companies, homeowner and condominium associations, and individual businesses. 

In his spare time, Mr. Kohlmyer enjoys spending time with his family at his home in Lake Nona, traveling, and watching FSU football.