PRACTICE AREAS
FINANCIAL TRANSACTIONS
We represent international, national, regional and community financial institutions in entity selection, organization, mergers, acquisitions, governance and regulations. We have also represented the subsidiaries of major national and international financial institutions in structuring real estate transactions and development activities. We have represented individuals and entities in asset and/or real estate based lending, participations and lender relations, collection and litigation. We also represent borrowers in complex lending situations involving national and international lenders, mezzanine lending, securitization, and other complex loan transactions.
CORPORATE
We provide a broad range of services, beginning with choice of entity, formation and jurisdiction qualification to ongoing financial, governmental and tax requirements, including mergers, acquisitions, and leveraged buyouts, creditor rights and asset protection. We also have an active practice dealing with not-for-profit entities. We also represent creditors in all areas, with special emphasis on bankruptcy and insolvency proceedings, debt structuring, work-outs, insolvency and collections.
ENVIRONMENTAL
Our environmental law practice includes the representation of applicants for environmental permits, analysis and advice in the evaluation of environmental problems relating to real estate or business operations, developments of regional impact, and the representation of clients in regulatory enforcement actions and permit matters before federal, state and local government, the Army Corps of Engineers, and water management districts.
LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT
We provide day-to-day advice to the our clients on legal issues affecting the workplace, including all areas of employment discrimination, Americans With Disabilities Act and Family and Medical Leave Act compliance issues, sexual harassment policies, overtime and other wage and hour issues, contract disputes, occupational safety and health issues, collective bargaining and union organizing, and other concerns arising from the hiring, retention and termination employees. We also litigate labor and employment claims in Federal and State Court, before the Florida Public Employees Relations Commission and National Labor Relations Board, in arbitration and before other administrative tribunals.
LITIGATION
The collective experience of our attorneys and support staff allows us to effectively and efficiently meet all the litigation needs of our business clients. As a result of their substantial trial experience in the state and federal court systems, our attorneys are able to aggressively advance our client's interest in such diverse areas as eminent domain and inverse condemnation, employment law and probate litigation and guardianship matters. We also represent our clients in collection and creditor's rights matters, including in bankruptcy courts, and in the prosecution or defense of contract and other disputes.
ESTATE PLANNING, PROBATE, TRUST, AND GUARDIANSHIP ADMINISTRATION
The Firm provides a full range of services in probate trust and guardianship, administration and litigation including the filing of pleadings, post guardianship and post mortem estate and taxation planning, preparation and filing of estate tax returns, in close coordination with accountants, brokerage and insurance professionals, as well as filing and defending actions in all state and federal courts and, where necessary, the handling of appeals. We also provide a full range of advice to individuals requiring sophisticated estate planning and tax advice to maximize benefits to heirs and minimize taxation. In this regard, we prepare wills, trusts and business entities that reflect sound estate planning practices.
REAL ESTATE
We represent developers, land owners, investors and lenders in all purchase, sale, financing, approval, permitting phases, land use, environmental and regional impact requirements. We also maintain a consumer real estate department staffed by board certified and AV-rated attorneys to handle transactional real estate matters for developers, financial institutions and individual buyers, sellers, lenders and borrowers. We are uniquely qualified to manage a project from inception to acquisition, through all governmental approvals, financing development and sale or lease to the ultimate users.
TAXATION
We represent clients in formulating, acquiring and restructuring business entities with complex tax considerations including local, national, and multi-national companies. Another area of special emphasis is tax-exempt organizations. On an individual client level, areas of general tax advice include international taxation, estate administration, will and trusts, as well as financial and estate planning guidance and up-to-date knowledge of changing tax laws.
ZONING AND LAND USE LAW
Our attorney's include those with prior experience as in-house and as outside counsel representing major developers and governmental entities in all aspects of zoning and land use planning and regulatory approvals including local zoning, comprehensive plan, land use, and annexation matters to developments of regional impact. Over the years, we have developed strong working relationships with the staffs of various governmental entities before which we appear on behalf of our clients.
