On June 18, 2008 Kottkamp became Acting Governor of the State of Florida while Governor Charlie Crist was under anesthesia for knee surgery. Crist filed a Proclamation with the Secretary of State transferring power to Kottkamp pursuant to Article IV Section 3(b) of the Florida Constitution. In 2010 Kottkamp placed second in a three-way race for the Republican nomination for Attorney General, losing to Pam Bondi. Kottkamp is Founder and President of Jeff Kottkamp, P.A. Before forming his own firm, he was a member of the law firm of Messer, Caparello and Self. He began his legal career at the Kimbrell & Hamann firm which was one of the largest and oldest firms in Miami at the time. He primarily practiced in the Products Liability and Commercial Litigation area. Kottkamp then served as a Law Clerk to United States District Court Judge Joe Eaton. He later served as a Law Clerk to United States District Court Judge Sidney Aronovitz. Throughout his legal career Kottkamp was an active member of the bar. He served as chairman of the Florida Bar Journal Editorial Board in 2000 as well as president-Elect of the Florida Council of Bar Association Presidents. In 1998 he served as president of the Lee County Bar Association and was Vice-President of the Southwest Florida Federal Bar Association in 1996. He was a member of the Calusa Inns of Court. Kottkamp became active in the Republican Party at an early age serving as a volunteer for the Ronald Reagan Presidential campaign in 1980. From 1996 to 2006 he served on the Lee County Republican Executive Committee. Thereafter, he was selected to serve on the Republican Party of Florida Executive Committee from 2007 to 2011. Kottkamp was a delegate at the Republican National Convention in 2008. In 2010, Kottkamp was named to the Florida DeMolay Hall of Fame. During the Coronavirus outbreak of 2020, Kottkamp publicly supported the response to the outbreak by Florida Governor Ron Desantis.