Ava Doppelt, Shareholder, Allen, Dyer, Doppelt + Gilchrist PA

In an interview with Invest:, Ava Doppelt, shareholder at Allen, Dyer, Doppelt + Gilchrist PA, discussed the rising focus on AI in the legal industry, the entrepreneurial spirit in Orlando, and the importance of early legal counsel for protecting intellectual property and avoiding costly mistakes.

What have the last 12 months looked like for the firm in terms of main highlights and achievements?

Everything from last year remains largely the same, except for one major shift: the relentless focus on AI. It’s surprising how AI went from barely being mentioned to dominating nearly every conversation. Aside from that, things are pretty much the same. There hasn’t been a significant jump or loss in any particular area.

Our firm continues to specialize in patents, trademarks, copyrights, and trade secrets, with a focus on helping startups protect their ideas. And that means we’re deeply involved with startup businesses. Our focus is on helping businesses protect what they have, figuring out whether their ideas are protectable, whether they can have a legal monopoly on what they’re doing, or if they’ll have to compete in the marketplace, which is fine, but doesn’t offer the same protections.

The marketplace still sees new entrants with fresh ideas. When I moved here from New York, one of the biggest differences was Orlando’s lower barriers to entry. This city thrives on innovation, offering fewer bureaucratic hurdles and a more welcoming environment for entrepreneurial ventures. It’s less dominated by large institutions and more about testing new ideas, which aligns perfectly with our work.

What are the greatest opportunities in the legal sector in Orlando at the moment?

It’s hard for me to speak on every field, as my expertise is specialized and doesn’t overlap with areas like matrimonial law or personal injury. One significant change I’ve seen since arriving here 40 years ago is the presence of law schools. When I first moved to Orlando, there were none. Now, we have two: Barry University School of Law and Florida A&M University College of Law. As chairman of the Dean’s Advisory Council for FAMU Law, I’ve seen how their presence has transformed legal practice here. Many graduates stay in Orlando to live and practice law.

These schools, along with UCF, bring in people from outside the area who often stay and start their own firms. That’s a big change from my time in New York, and it’s accelerating.

I also serve on the board of a professional liability insurance company for lawyers, and most of our clients are one- or two-person firms, reflecting how law is practiced in Central Florida. While “big law” is growing in South Florida, Central Florida is still dominated by small firms of five or fewer attorneys.

The entrepreneurial spirit here is impressive. Many law school graduates start their firms right out of school, something I couldn’t have imagined doing when I graduated. Marketing has also evolved, young attorneys are savvy in promoting their services in ways that my generation never considered, and it works. With the law schools producing graduates each year, and others moving here for opportunities, Orlando has become a place where young professionals can thrive — a big shift from the past.

What sets your firm apart from the competition or gives you a competitive edge?

When I started, general practice law firms didn’t handle intellectual property work, it was a niche specialty, especially patent law, where attorneys need special certification. Becoming a registered patent lawyer requires a science, engineering, or technology background, which made it a small, specialized field for a long time.

Over the years, large general firms began handling patent litigation, though you don’t need to be a registered patent lawyer for that. While big firms entered the space, we’ve always been a specialized intellectual property firm. I came to Florida in the early ’80s from New York, but our firm has been around since the ’60s, focusing on intellectual property.

Florida didn’t initially have much high-tech or manufacturing, unlike the industrial Northeast, where patent law was a necessity. When I arrived, there were only a few patent lawyers in the state. Today, Florida’s legal landscape has shifted with nearly 115,000 bar members, and intellectual property law has become prevalent as industries move from physical goods to intellectual property.

We work in a range of industries, even unexpected ones like golf and fishing. With the rise of content creation, ownership, and protection have become even more critical. Our long-standing specialization sets us apart; we’ve been doing this for over 60 years and likely have the largest concentration of intellectual property lawyers in Florida.

What changes have you observed in the demand for your services, are certain areas experiencing greater growth than others?

Some of the demand reflects our location. Local universities, once behind institutions like Harvard or Michigan in patent filings, are now prioritizing intellectual property protection and portfolio building. Historically, we represented individual MDs inventing and forming businesses, but now hospitals and universities are much more proactive in supporting and sharing in their employees’ inventions.

A significant change on the horizon, though not strictly IP-related, is the uncertainty around non-compete provisions. The Federal Trade Commission passed a rule banning non-competes, set to take effect on Sept. 4. This is a big shift, especially for businesses in Florida, where non-competes have long been strictly enforced. However, a recent appellate court decision in Texas blocked the rule, leaving us in limbo about future enforceability.

Patent litigation has also seen shifts in where cases are filed. Texas, once favored for its plaintiff-friendly judges, changed its judge-assignment process, leading cases to be filed in other states. Despite this, patent litigation remains expensive and complex, which is why we rarely take cases on contingency. Our extensive experience in patent trial work, including appeals in the Federal Circuit, sets us apart from other firms in Florida and nationally.

What are the current challenges facing the legal industry in Orlando?

You can’t talk about challenges today without mentioning AI. I’m sure everyone you’ve spoken to has brought this up. AI has gone from a background technology to a constant topic. It’s been around for decades, Westlaw, for instance, but the current focus on AI is unprecedented.

There are two angles here. First, how AI will change law practice, and how we run firms and serve clients. Second, the legal issues AI is creating, such as class-action lawsuits by content creators, authors, and musicians, claiming AI has used their work without permission, leading to infringement claims. This impacts everything from patents to copyrights, and the answers aren’t clear yet.

Despite AI fatigue, this will be a major issue for years. While none of my colleagues or I are using AI to write briefs yet — I’ve asked my team to avoid it in light of the cases with fake citations, it’s clear we’ll need to navigate AI’s ethical and practical implications. Florida was the first state bar to issue a policy on AI ethics, and I expect rapid evolution of those guidelines. Younger attorneys are starting to use AI to draft documents, which raises intellectual property questions: Who owns AI-generated work? How was it trained? Did it use content legally? I foresee this evolving like when the internet emerged, with licensing agreements ultimately regulating content use.

What are some common mistakes clients or businesses make that could be easily avoided if they sought legal counsel earlier?

There are a million little things, but a big one is the “do-it-yourself” mentality, especially in startup culture. It’s impressive that younger entrepreneurs feel empowered to handle everything themselves, filing trademarks, navigating legal issues, etc., but it’s also dangerous. While it may save money short-term, it can lead to serious problems later.

One issue is not addressing legal matters early enough. In intellectual property, waiting too long can be critical. If you delay filing for patent protection on a novel invention, you could lose the chance entirely. The same goes for trademarks, without early consultation, you might invest in marketing a name only to find it’s already taken, costing goodwill and money in legal battles.

Ownership is another area, particularly in today’s gig economy. Many assume paying an independent contractor means the buyer owns the work, but in copyright law, that’s not the case. If you don’t have a proper assignment of ownership, major issues can arise, especially if you want to enforce your rights later.

The biggest mistake is failing to plan for these issues upfront. Entrepreneurs often prioritize other needs over legal protections. But your first question should be, “Do I have something I can protect with a legal monopoly?” If not, be prepared for competition, and seek early legal counsel to avoid costly pitfalls.