Founded in 1985, RASCO KLOCK PEREZ & NIETO is a boutique law firm with offices in Miami and New York that handles major, complex litigation, including international arbitration, commercial dispute resolution, and sophisticated business and transactional matters. The firm is dedicated to providing its clients with high quality, prompt and efficient legal services. Rasco Klock’s attorneys were trained in major law firms or by attorneys trained in major law firms.
The firm services the needs of domestic and international clients, including public and private companies, financial institutions, entrepreneurs and high net worth individuals in a wide range of practice areas, which include: Administrative Law, Banking, Bankruptcy, Business & Corporate, Environmental, Immigration, Intellectual Property, International Arbitration and Litigation, Litigation in U.S. Federal and State Courts, Taxation (US and International) Trust & Estate Planning Law, Real Estate and Sports, Arts & Entertainment law.
We are minority owned and operated, and have demonstrated a longstanding commitment to community service and involvement. The firm’s main priority is the relationship it maintains with clients, who are not only our most valuable asset, but also the best reference of the skills and talent of the firm’s attorneys.
RASCO KLOCK is proud to have the highest rating (AV) awarded by the Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory, and its attorneys have received numerous recognitions and awards, including Chambers, Best Lawyers, Legal Elite and others.
AREAS OF PRACTICE Administrative and Governmental Immigration Real Estate Banking Intellectual Property Securities Finance & Compliance Business & Corporate Legacy, Wealth Planning, Trust & Estates Sports, Arts & Entertainment Environmental Litigation Taxation – U.S.& International
2555 Ponce de Leon Blvd., Suite 600, Coral Gables, FL 33134 • Tel. 305-476-7100 • Fax 305-476-7102 • Email: [email protected]
Ramón E. Rasco, Esq. PARTNER [email protected]
Ramón E. Rasco with more than 30 years in the practice of business, real estate and banking law, and nearly two decades of service on the boards of commercial banks, including his chairmanship of U.S. Century Bank, brings a unique and experienced skill set to the issues that confront banks, businesses, and real estate investors and developers today.
Mr. Rasco was an organizer and founder of Ready State Bank in 1983 and of U.S. Century Bank in 2002. He served as board secretary of Ready State Bank from 1983 until its merger with Union Planters Bank in 1998, and he has served as Chairman of U.S. Century Bank from its opening in 2002 through 2013. He also served as an advisory board member of Union Planters Bank (now Regions Bank) from 1999 to 2001.
Mr. Rasco has firsthand knowledge of the local real estate markets. He has represented real estate investors, owners and developers in a myriad of transactions, including acquisitions, sales, leases and developments. Additionally, he has served on the board of several local real estate development and investment companies.
Mr. Rasco has also served as an arbitrator of the American Arbitration Association, and he has lectured on real estate and commercial leasing law before the Third and Sixth Conferences of Lawyers of the Americas; the 1989, 1991, and 1994 University of Miami Conferences PRACTICE AREAS for Latin American Jurists, and before various Florida Bar groups. In April, 1992, Mr. Rasco testified before the U.S. Senate Banking • Litigation Committee on the credit crunch and real estate markets, and in July, 1997, he testified before the U.S. House of Representatives Sub- • Business Law – including complex real estate Committee on International Economic Policy and Trade regarding Fast-Tracking NAFTA and a Free Trade Area of the Americas. purchase and sale agreements, financing, leasing and syndication transactions and Throughout his career, Mr. Rasco has given back to the community in many ways, including service on numerous boards. He has served workouts as a board member of Doctors Hospital in Coral Gables and of the Baptist Hospital Foundation, and he was Founding Chairman of the • Real Estate Baptist Children’s Hospital Foundation. In 2009, Mr. and Mrs. Rasco chaired the American Cancer Society Annual Gala and remain actively • Corporate and Banking Transactions • Litigation Strategy involved in the organization. Mr. Rasco was appointed by Governor Jeb Bush as a Commissioner on the Eleventh Circuit Judicial • Workouts and Receiverships Nominating Commission and served from 2000 to 2002. Earlier in his career, he served as board member and chairman of the Board of • Corporate Governance Issues and Trustees of the Bertha Abess Children's Center and on the Boards of Directors of the Latin Builders Association and the Beacon Council. Stockholder Disputes • Commercial and Government Leases – Mr. Rasco has received numerous awards and recognitions, including a Pro Bono Service Award from the Florida Supreme Court in 1996 public/private projects and Miami Today’s Silver Medal for outstanding achievement in 2010. He has also received the highest rating (AV) given by Martindale • Organization of De Novo Banking Institutions Hubbell, and has been recognized by numerous other publications. • Bank Regulatory and Compliance Issues • Representation of Foreign Banks Mr. Rasco is admitted to practice in the State of Florida, the U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida and the United States Tax • Corporations and Persons doing Business in Court. He is a member of the American Bar Association, the Inter-American Bar Association, the Cuban-American Bar Association and the the United States Dade County Bar Association. Born in Havana, Cuba, Mr. Rasco received his law degree from the University of Miami School of Law in • General Business Law 1976. He graduated cum laude, with a Bachelor in Business Administration from the University of Miami in 1973, and graduated summa cum laude, from Belen Jesuit Preparatory School in 1969. Before founding this firm, Mr. Rasco was a partner of Holland & Knight. EDUCATION • JD University of Miami School of Law BUSINESS RELATIONSHIPS: • Bachelor in Accounting, cum laude University of Miami First National Bank of South Miami; Grove Bank and Trust; Iberia Bank; International Finance Bank; Ocean Bank; Pacific National Bank; U.S Century Bank; Adrian Builders and Affiliates; AeroThrust Holdings and Affiliates; Cayon Family Partnership; Century Homebuilders; BAR ADMISSION • Florida Doctor’s Healthcare Plans, Inc.; Machado Family Limited Partnership and Affiliates; Neighborhood Planning Company; Sedano’s COURT ADMISSION Supermarkets; Tres Mares Group. • U.S. District Court • Southern District of Florida United EXPERIENCE AND SELECTED TRANSACTIONS • States Tax Court • Represented a Hialeah major property owner and operator in financings totaling $60 million in real estate and asset-backed loans in MEMBERSHIPS 2015 and 2016. • American Bar Association • Inter-American Bar Association • Represented and/or advised community banks in more than $100 million in real estate and asset-backed loans from 2014 through • Cuban-American Bar Association 2017. • Dade County Bar Association • Represented aviation company in asset-backed loans of over $100 million from major NY and Miami banks from 2014 to 2017. • Arbitrator of the American Arbitration • Represented and advised the stockholders of an environmental services company in their sale of stock to a private equity firm in 2016. Association • Represented the owners of an aircraft servicing and leasing company in the sale of their membership interests to a London/New York • Former board member and chairman of the investment firm in 2018. Board of Trustees of the Bertha Abess • As Board Chairman of U.S. Century Bank, was instrumental and intimately involved with the negotiation, execution and attempted Children’s Center closing of five recapitalization transactions, ranging from $50 to $200 million, between 2010 and 2013. • Former secretary and director of Ready • As Loan Committee Chairman of USCB, was intimately involved in the review, approval, negotiation and documentation of almost State Bank • Served on the Board of Directors of the Latin $1.5 billion in loans. Builders Association and the Beacon • Acquisition of close to 300 acres in Doral, Florida for almost $250 million. Council • Represented development group in the proposed long-term lease and redevelopment of Homestead Air Reserve Base as a commercial • Served as treasurer of the Baptist Hospital airport. Foundation • Represented investor group in the assembly of over 1000 acres outside of the urban development boundary in Miami-Dade County, • Chaired the Baptist Children’s Hospital Florida. Value of aggregate acquisitions in excess of $100 million. Development Board Committee • Represented investor group in the acquisition of over 114 acres in Miami-Dade County, Florida for approximately $50 million. • Chairman of US Century Bank • Represented successful bidder before the City of Miami in securing redevelopment rights for Grove Harbor Marina and negotiated • Director on Doctors Hospital’s board. long-term lease. AWARDS • Represented investor group in the acquisition of 77 acres for commercial development for approximately $25 million. • Appointed by former Governor Jeb Bush as • Represented numerous developers in development and construction loans over $500 million. a Commissioner on the Eleventh Circuit • Represented and investment/development group in the purchase of land for $9 million in 2003. Judicial Nominating Commission • Represented investors/developers in the sale of residential development land for $85.5 million in 2004. • Financiero del Año by CAMACOL in 2007 • Represented a Bank in sales of numerous loans, including a multi- loan sale of $31.5 million in 2012. • Named one of Top Florida Lawyers by • Represented a Bank in a loan of $23 million for the purchase of gas stations in 2009. Superlawyers.com in 2006, 2007, 2008 • Represented a Bank in an acquisition and development loan of $50 million involving a Homestead commerce park in 2007. • 2019 Sunshine Award by South Florida Hispanic Chamber of Commerce • Represented a Bank in a $15 million construction loan in 2006. • Represented a Developer in a land purchase of $7.5 million in 2004. • Represented a Seller of a Walmart property for $11.5 million in 2004. • Represented Buyers in the purchase of two Walmart properties for $13 million in 2003 and 2005.
Joseph P. Klock, Esq. PARTNER [email protected]
JOSEPH P. KLOCK Equally at home in the boardroom or courtroom, Joe Klock Jr. has negotiated acquisitions and mergers, counseled families on the re-structuring of family enterprises and investment portfolios, advised corporate CEOs on corporate and personal matters, and has also litigated cases through every court level in Florida, including two successful arguments in the Supreme Court of the United States that resulted in President Bush succeeding in his bid for the White House in 2000. He has previously served as a board member of a public company and on its audit and litigation review committees, as well as advising domestic and international, for-profit and not for profit, boards of directors.
In the courtroom, he handles complex civil litigation in state and federal courts, as well as criminal (state and federal, trial and appellate) law, agricultural, environmental, election, and constitutional/civil rights issues. He has litigated complex and multi-district cases as well as domestic and international arbitrations and other forms of alternate dispute resolution, and has also handled election and other issues before the Florida appellate courts and the U.S. Third, Fifth, Sixth, and Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals and Supreme Court of the United States. Mr. Klock also represents individuals, families, and investor groups who control and invest in large publicly- and privately-held business enterprises, as well as professional PRACTICE AREAS athletes. His practice spans corporate, litigation, family wealth planning, immigration, professional licensing, and personal law issues. • Litigation, Complex Civil and Criminal • Entertainment & Sports REPRESENTATIVE EXPERIENCE
• Environmental • For 32 days following the presidential election in 2000, he headed a team of 20 lawyers who represented then-Florida Secretary of State Katherine
• Family, Legacy & Wealth Harris in the various Bush-Gore election challenges. He personally argued multiple appeals and trial court proceedings in Florida appellate courts, an en banc appeal to the US Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit; and two successful appeals within eight days to the United States Supreme EDUCATION Court. • J.D., University of Miami, 1973, cum • Following the 2000 election, he headed the teams that defended Florida election laws during 2001-2003 in state and federal courts. He has since laude, Editor-in-Chief, University of handled litigation for candidates in contested state and local elections. Miami Law Review • He was lead counsel with a team of 27 lawyers in the representation of a major health insurer in a $2 billion-plus federal False Claims Act litigation • B.A., La Salle University, with honors, regarding alleged Medicare overpayments in the trial courts and then successfully settled the matter while it was pending in the United States 1970 Editor-in-Chief, The Collegian Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit on highly favorable terms. • He has served and continues to serve as general counsel and chief legal officer of a major international sugar farming, manufacturing and BAR ADMISSION distribution holding company, with extensive operations in the U.S., Canada, Europe, The Caribbean, and Mexico, including hotel and resort • Florida operations in the Caribbean. • District of Columbia • He led a team of lawyers in successfully resisting a series of class action suits seeking damages for lost wages for H2A guest workers from abroad • Pennsylvania in excess of $100 million over a 23-year period involving foreign governments, federal and state regulators, thousands of workers, and unrelenting local, national and international press coverage, resulting in three jury and two non-jury verdicts in favor of the companies, all of which have been COURT ADMISSION affirmed on appeal. • U.S. Court of Appeals, Third, Fifth, • He has litigated and continues to litigate issues relating to water quality and the impact of farming operations on the Everglades and surrounding Sixth, Ninth, and Eleventh Circuits waters and lands before the Florida Environmental Regulation Commission, the Division of Administrative Hearings, state circuit, appellate, and • U.S. District Court, Northern and supreme, as well as federal district and appellate courts. Southern Districts of Florida • He has handled politically sensitive and high-profile cases with extensive media coverage, including successfully arguing against amendments to the Florida state constitution that would have singled out farming operations for penurious taxes and which were being supported on a wide basis AWARDS inclosing by the then vice president of the United States. • University of Miami Center for Ethics • He served as co-personal representative of one of the largest estates ($750 million-plus) ever probated in Florida, overseeing multiple investment and Public Service Lawyers In portfolios as well as extensive oil and gas interests in Texas. Leadership Award • He has served as a director to a publicly-traded vertically-integrated producer of soft drink beverage products. • He serves as a director of a corporation that operates resort properties in the Dominican Republic, including Casa de Campo, and negotiating numerous hotel management contracts for resort owners and developers in the United States, the Caribbean, South America and Europe. • University of Miami law Alumni • He advises clients on wealth management and family wealth dispositions as well as complex U.S. and international marital litigation including the Association, Outstanding Alumnus o restructuring of business and property interests across the globe. the Year • He has negotiated the break-ups and dissolution of business entities, resolving complicated business disputes, and has mediated and negotiated • La Salle University, Doctorate in intercompany and interfamily disputes without resort to the courts. Humane Studies, Honoris Causa • He has handled MDL and complex class action defense cases in federal and state courts. • State Of Israel Bonds King David Award • He has handled post-trial and appellate issues involving novel or monetarily significant issues, most recently the defense of a $79 million verdict • Henry J. Morgenthau Jr Distinguished in federal court in South Florida. Service Award • He frequently argues cases in Florida appellate courts on novel issues of Florida constitutional and public interest law. • He has represented numerous private and governmental institutions in South America and the Caribbean, including in contested matters dealing MEMBERSHIPS with commercial sales and purchase transactions between China and South America. • American Bar Foundation, Fellow • He has represented professional athletes, musicians, horse breeders and owners, race tracks, and professional race car teams. • American Law Institute • He has successfully negotiated settlements with networks and other media regarding unwanted publicity of private clients. • Barry University, Trustee • He has handled international child kidnapping and wrongful removal cases in the United States District Court. • Bay Point Schools, Board Chair • He has handled several very high profile marital and family matters, both inside and outside of court. • Belen Jesuit Preparatory, Trustee • Served for five years as Special and General Master In Family Court Division of Sixteenth Judicial Circuit for Chief Circuit Judge Sandra Taylor in Friends of Drug Court, Trustee marital and guardianship cases, and has served as appointed special master in United States District Court, Special Master in the Eleventh Judicial Circuit of Florida, and as a Miami-Dade County School Board Hearing Officer. He has also served as a member of an adjudicatory tribunal for the • Fundación Mir, Trustee World Bank’s International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) • Iron Arrow Honor Society • He has handled over 300 matters involving criminal charges against individuals and family members in state and federal courts. • New Hope Charities, Inc., Trustee • He has handled incompetency proceedings, guardianships, and substance abuse interventions for foreign and domestic clients and has extensive • Florida Bar, Past Chair, Civil Procedure experience dealing with clients with substance abuse problems, including interventions and allied criminal and drug court matters. Rules Committee • Miami-Dade County Bar Association Mr. Klock is deeply committed to the firm’s pro bono tradition and has handled hundreds of cases in state and federal courts for indigent clients Sovereign Order of the Knights of involving criminal and dependency law, landlord/tenant rights and discrimination issues, as well as administrative actions in Florida courts for Malta individuals and nonprofit institutions. He also is extensively involved in dealing with the issues of drug abuse and the response of the judicial system to the challenge of cure and recidivism on the adult and juvenile level. In addition, Mr. Klock has served as guardian ad litem for a number of orphans and children in state dependency custody and continues to mentor and work with individuals who have aged-out of those systems.
Mr. Klock serves on the board of trustees of Barry University and Belen Jesuit Preparatory School. He has served on the Boards of the Miami Art Museum, the Carrolton School of the Sacred Heart (chair 1987-91; 1994-98) and St. Joseph’s Preparatory School in Philadelphia. He is the secretary and a board member of New Hope Charities, Inc., which sponsors schools and various support and medical programs for the indigent in the western part of Palm Beach County, Florida, as well as Fundacion Mir in La Romana, Dominican Republic, which runs trade schools, AIDS clinics and an orphanage for the underprivileged. Mr. Klock has served as board chairman at the Bay Point Schools, a highly-regarded boarding school in Miami for young men with behavioral and delinquency problems, where he also taught on an informal basis. He also serves as a board member of a nonprofit corporation that supports the work of the Miami-Dade Drug Court and has served as well on an advisory board to the County’s Juvenile Justice Center.
Mr. Klock has been honored with the University of Miami Center for Ethics and Public Service Lawyers in Leadership Award and served as president of the University of Miami Law Alumni Association, where he was later honored with the Outstanding Alumnus of the Year Award. Mr. Klock also served as an adjunct professor of law at the University of Miami teaching civil procedure, federal jurisdiction and real property for 10 years following his graduation from the school.
He has served as a panelist at The American Lawyer’s Law Firm Management Seminars, has written articles on civil procedure and has served on the Federal Judicial Nominating Committee in the Southern District of Florida, a group charged with nominating individuals for the United States District Court (district judges and magistrates) as well as candidates for the post of United States Attorney and United States Marshal. Mr. Klock has been named in Who’s Who in America.
Alfonso J. Perez, Esq. PARTNER [email protected]
Alfonso Pérez has extensive experience representing clients in both the jury and bench trials in complex civil litigation cases. Mr. Perez practices in the areas of international real estate, construction contract and general business disputes, and he represents clients from throughout the United States and Latin America to include the Caribbean. He is also a Certified Circuit Court Mediator, and he is able to conduct mediations in both the English and Spanish Language.
REPRESENTATIVE EXPERIENCE
• Mr. Perez has represented numerous corporate and individual clients involved in business disputes. • He has personally handled a large number of bench, as well as jury trials ranging from modest sums to millions of dollars. Having an accounting background and serving on a board of a community bank, has allowed Mr. Perez to assist the FDIC in investigations of the causes of failed banking institutions and Director and Officer’s liability.
PRACTICE AREAS AWARDS • Litigation • In 1992, he published his article, “Making a Difference – Contracting with Minority and Women-Owned Law Firms” in Mortgage Banking Magazine. • International Law • The co-recipient of the 1996 Voluntary Bar Association Pro Bono Service Award given by the Florida Bar for work involving the refugees at Guantanamo • Business Law Bay, Cuba. • The Governor of the State of Florida appointed Mr. Pérez to the Eleventh Judicial Circuit Nominating Commission from 1988 to 1992, and he served as EDUCATION Chairman from 1990 to 1991. • JD University of Miami School of Law • In 1994, he was appointed to the U.S. Senate Republican Task Force Advisory Committee on Hispanic Affairs. • Bachelor in Accounting, University of • In 1988, Mr. Perez was appointed by U.S. Senator Connie Mack to the Federal Judicial Advisory Commission. This resulted in 10 lifetime appointments Miami confirmed by the U.S. Senate to the federal bench throughout the State of Florida. BAR ADMISSION • In 1988, Mr. Pérez was requested by a group of prominent citizens to discuss the “Orlando Bosch” case with President Ronald Reagan. He was also • Florida selected by the Florida Chamber Foundation to the Leadership Florida Class XI from 1992 to 1993.
COURT ADMISSION • U.S. Southern District of Florida United
MEMBERSHIPS • Dade County Bar Association • American and Inter-American Bar Association • Hispanic National Bar Association • Association of Trial Lawyers in America • Past member of the Board of Directors and past Vice President of the Cuban- American Bar Association • City of Coral Gables Planning and Zoning Board from 1989 to 1994City of Miami Beach Special Master. From 1989-1992 • He served on the City of Coral Gables Code Enforcement Board from 1987 to 1989
Gabriel E. Nieto, Esq. PARTNER [email protected]
GABRIEL NIETO represents clients on complex matters involving regulatory programs; environmental regulations; development approvals and land use restrictions; and, public procurement and contracting. He also maintains an active civil litigation practice representing clients in various litigation capacities, including administrative hearings, federal and state civil litigation and appeals, over various governmental matters.
Mr. Nieto routinely interacts with environmental agencies in Florida, including the Florida DEP and South Florida Water Management District on both permitting and litigation matters. He has appeared in some of the most significant environmental matters involving those agencies, including the various challenges to the regulations, permits and environmental programs, as well numerous matters involving the licensing and permitting of large scale projects, including numerous electric power plants, the Homestead-Miami Speedway and other large-scale developments. In addition to environmental permits, Gabe’s land use practice covers development permits from state, regional planning council, water management district, and local government comprehensive planning and zoning agencies.
REPRESENTATIVE EXPERIENCE
PRACTICE AREAS • For the past 10 years, Mr. Nieto has represented one of Florida’s largest agricultural companies with respect to a myriad of issues affecting • Litigation the Florida Everglades. This has included litigation at every level of the state court system, the Southern District of Florida and the Eleventh • Environmental Law Circuit over Florida’s environmental regulations and policies. It has also included the crafting of regulations before Florida’s Environmental • Government and Regulatory Regulation Commission (in the most in-depth rulemaking process ever undertaken by that body), as well as challenges in the Florida Division of Administrative Hearings to environmental permits and regulations. Throughout this process, Gabe has worked closely with the regulators EDUCATION at the Florida DEP, Florida Environmental Regulation Commission, EPA Region IV and the South Florida Water Management District to help • J.D., with honors, University of Florida, 1997 • A. Florida International University, 1994 them craft solutions to the complex issues of nutrient control, water supply and hydro period restoration implicated by the largest environmental cleanup ever undertaken. BAR ADMISSION • Represented electric utilities in licensing of and litigation over new facilities. Mr. Nieto has worked extensively on the licensing and • Florida permitting of various electric power plants and in litigation throughout South Florida over the siting of electric transmission lines and
COURT ADMISSION substations. • U.S. District Court, Southern and Northern • Represented electric utility in rule challenge litigation over state implementation of the EPA Clean Air Interstate Rule. Districts of New York • Worked with a leading marketer of solid fuels to assist them with the various environmental issues implicated by their worldwide operations. • United States 11th Circuit Court of Appeals This has included acting as lead environmental counsel in a merger that addressed nearly two dozen facilities to the company throughout the US and Canada, many with major environmental issues that needed to be resolved. MEMBERSHIPS • The Florida Bar, Environmental and Land • Along with Rasco Klock Partner, Janet Munn, Mr. Nieto represented the city of Jacksonville against claims relating to the operation of City Use Section incinerators, in a case with alleged liability of over $100 million, which was favorably settled that year. • American Bar Association Environmental • Nieto has been involved in several cases that led to reported decisions on environmental and administrative law. These include Flo-Sun v. Litigation Committee Kirk, 783 So. 2d 1029 (Fla. 2001), which defined Florida’s doctrine of primary agency jurisdiction, Miccosukee Tribe of Indians v. Florida • Contributing Author to The Florida Bar’s Department of Environmental Protection (Fla. Division of Admin Hearings 2003), aff’d 2005 Fla. App. Lexis 11024 (Fla. 1st DCA), which Treatise in Florida Environmental and Land successfully defended the state’s environmental water quality standards for the Florida Everglades, Terwilliger v. South Fla. Water • Use Law and has published several articles Management Dist., 2002 WL 569482 (2002), aff’d, 846 So. 2d 526 (Fla. 4th DCA 2003), which successfully defended against challenges to on water quality regulation in Florida right-of-way permits issued by the District, Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co., Inc. v. Florida Gaming Centers 793 So. 2d 899 (Fla. 2001), which set AWARDS out the limits of state authority to grant special permits, Miami-Dade County v. Associated Aviation Underwriters, 840 So. 2d 264 (Fla. 2002), South Florida Legal Guide, “Best Lawyers” which successfully defeated a $400 million insurance claim regarding pollution at Miami International Airport, and Florida Association of Florida Trend Magazine “Legal Elite” Realtors v. Smith, 825 So. 2d 532 (Fla. 2002), where proposed taxation program was defeated on behalf of a consortium of sports facility owners.
Juan C. Antorcha, Esq. PARTNER [email protected]
Juan Carlos Antorcha focuses his practice in complex and multi-district litigation matters involving individuals, families, and investor groups who control and invest in large publicly- and privately-held business enterprises. His practice spans corporate, litigation, family wealth planning, immigration, criminal and personal law issues.
REPRESENTATIVE EXPERIENCE
• Representing clients in multi-district litigation involving. Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) • Representing third party interests in federal criminal forfeiture proceedings. • Representing clients in defense of a breach of contract claim. • Successfully defending against requests for preliminary injunction relief. • Advising clients on wealth management and family wealth dispositions as well as complex U.S. and international marital litigation including the restructuring of business and property interests across the globe. • Negotiating the breakups and dissolution of business entities, resolving complicated business disputes and being frequently selected to mediate and negotiate intercompany and interfamily disputes without resort to the courts. PRACTICE AREAS • Handling MDL and complex class action defense cases in federal and state courts. • Litigation • Representing one of Florida’s largest agricultural companies in environmental regulatory and rulemaking matters before the Department of Environmental Protection, Environmental Regulation Commission and South Florida Water Management District, and in EDUCATION related ruled challenge proceedings before the Division of Administrative Hearings. • JD University of Miami School of Law, • Representing automobile racing developer in the United States on land use issues before federal, state and local agencies. 2001 • Representing clients in federal litigation regarding EPA approval of environmental regulations. • Davidson College, 1998 Representing clients in multimillion-dollar class action litigation involving breach of contract dispute in the agricultural sector. BAR ADMISSION Representing clients involved in defense of class action breach of contract claim; successfully securing decertification of class and • Florida subsequent denial of request for class certification. • Representing clients in putative environmental/mass tort class action alleging diminution of mental capacity by exposure to a large COURT ADMISSION number of contaminants. • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit TRIAL EXPERIENCE • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit • Halmos et. al., v. Insurance Company of North America, Case No. 08-cv-10084 (S.D. Fla.)(Ch. Magistrate Brown, J.) • U.S. District Court, Southern District of • Bennington Foods, L.L.C. v. St. Croix Renaissance Group, LLP., Case No. 07-2254, (D.V.l.) (Bartle, J.) Florida • Facilities Solutions Group, LLC et. al., v. Tremco Inc., et. al., Case No. 06-20022, (S.D. Fla.)(Turnoff, J.) • Miccosukee Tribe of Indians v. United States of America, EPA et. al., Case No. 04-21448, (S.D. Fla.)(Gold, J.) MEMBERSHIPS • South Florida Water Management District v. State of Florida et. al., Case No. 2008 CA 031975, In the Circuit Court of the 15111 • Cuban-American Bar Association Judicial Circuit, Palm Beach County. • Miami Children’s Young Ambassador Board • Gutierrez v. Gutierrez, Case No. 99-09491, In the Circuit Court of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit, Miami• Dade County • J&S Development Corporation et. al. v. Montrose Global Assets Inc., et. al., Case No. 06-cv-0094 (D.V.l.) (Finch, J). • Michael Oarsman v. Shari Glazer, Case No., 03-22861 (S.D. Fla.)(King, J) • Kelray McDonald et. al. v. Okeelanta Corporation, Case No. 91-3105-AO, In the Circuit Court of the 15th Ju dicial Circuit, Palm Beach County. • Properties of Hamilton, Inc., v. Yana Estrov, Case No. 2002-sc-012702, County Court in and for Miami•Dade County, Florida. Read McCaffrey, Esq. SENIOR COUNSEL [email protected]
READ MCCAFFREY is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers and for more than forty years has been involved in Commercial Dispute Resolution as first chair of bench and jury trials in Federal and State courts throughout the United States as well as lead or co- lead Arbitration counsel before international tribunals in Paris and The Hague and, more often, in negotiations or mediations involving international parties striving to amicably resolve business disputes.
He was a Senior Litigation partner at Patton Boggs LLP and, prior to their merger with Squire Sanders, chaired their Commercial Litigation practice group.
In 2017 he was again declared a Pre-eminent A/V rated attorney by Martindale Hubble, the highest peer rating available for legal abilities and ethical standards.
His practice continues to focus on International Dispute Resolution, Risk Assessment and Asset Recovery.
PRACTICE AREAS REPRESENTATIVE INTERNATIONAL DISPUTE RESOLUTION CASES • International Dispute Resolution • Risk Analysis • Representation of the families of the crew members murdered on Pan Am 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland and service as court • Crisis Management appointed Plaintiffs’ Committee in the negotiation of a settlement of all claims with the government of Libya – United States District • Asset Recovery Court for the Eastern District of New York – disposition – Settled in favor of the families • Corporate Compliance/Dodd Frank, FATCA, OFAC, CISADA, • Representation a Hong Kong investment group against ABM AMBRO for wrongful payout of funds on deposit – New York Supreme • Basel III, FATF, etc. Court – disposition – transferred to the Netherlands • Representation of a U.S. bank against Lazard Freres (now Lazard Ltd.) for enforcement of a Residual Fee Agreement arising from EDUCATION the sale of Philippine Airlines equipment – Supreme Court of New York – disposition – won by First National Bank at trial • University of Baltimore, JD • Representation of a Croatian pharmaceutical company in an action against Baxter International Inc. for wrongdoing involving fifty- • University of Virginia, BA three deaths occurring in Croatia and Spain. Action was filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois BAR ADMISSION – disposition – settled in favor of the Croatian company • Maryland • Banco del Progreso v. Pedro Castillo – representations of shareholders of bank in claims against former Executive President for • Massachusetts theft of $50 Million over a five year period of fraud. Events occurred in the Dominican Republic and Florida. Action was filed in • District of Columbia Circuit Court for Dade/Miami County – disposition – verdict at trial for Banco – $ 100 Million • New York • Representation of a large energy company in claims against Societe Generale Group for fraud and corporate waste to be filed in STATE COURT ADMISSIONS the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York – disposition – settled in favor of Plaintiff days prior to filing Minnesota • Representation of CNA Insurance to perfect and collect an ICSID award against the Argentine Republic – previously pending in the Georgia United States District Court for the District of Columbia – disposition – settled prior to trial Connecticut • Advisor to the Iraqi Finance Minister in assset recovery strategy following the discovery of the Oil For Food/U.N. scandal New York • Representation of business partners of Rafic Hariri (P.M. of Lebanon) in business dispute with Syrian interests. Resolved by Oregon settlement Virginia • Representation of The Trade Bank of Iraq and its claims against Union de Banques Arabes et Francaises (UBAF) for wrongful payment New Jersey under a Letter of Credit involving a sale of oil to Total FEDERAL COURT ADMISSIONS • Representation of a Balkan entity in Ad Hoc/UNCITRAL arbitration against MOL Hungarian Oil and Gas • USDC/SD Florida • Representation of Funds in the Caymans in an action against JPMorgan Chase • USDC/MD Florida • Representation of brokers in Financial Industry Regulatory Authority Arbitration action against Credit Suisse. • USDC/ED New York • USDC/SD New York REPRESENTATIVE PROFESSIONAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS • USDC/WD North Carolina • USDC/ED Virginia Fellow – The American College of Trial Lawyers • USDC/ND Texas Member – Council St. George’s House – Windsor Castle • USDC/District of Indiana Lead Counsel – Amtrak/Conrail Disaster • USDC/District of Delaware Lead Counsel Committee – Lockerbie Victims/Libyan Gov. • USDC/District of New Jersey Asset Recovery Advisor – Government of Iraq • USDC/District of Nevada • USDC/ND California Co-Lead Counsel – Arbitration Involving the Government of Iran • USDC/ED Pennsylvania Pre-eminent A/V Rating Martindale Hubbell • USDC/ND Illinois Partner – Patton Boggs, LLP (1990 – 2015) • USDC/Minnesota Partner – Whiteford, Taylor & Preston (1974 – 1990) • USCA – Fourth Circuit Assistant Public Defender – State of Maryland (1972-1974) • USCA – Second Circuit • USCA – First Circuit • USCA – Eleventh Circuit
AWARDS • Board of Governors, Maryland State Bar Association, Certificate of Accomplishment as Board Member • Governor of Maryland – Proclamation for Excellence in Legacy of Litigation • United States District Court for the District of Maryland – Service to the Court
Blaine H. Bortnick, Esq. PARTNER [email protected]
BLAINE H. BORTNICK represents both individuals and companies in a wide range of employment, securities and complex commercial litigation matters in federal and state courts, as well as before arbitration tribunals throughout the United States and abroad. As a veteran New York employment practioner, Mr. Bortnick has counseled high-level executives in a variety of industries, including many hedge fund managers. His expertise and in-depth knowledge of the intricacies of compensation arrangements unique to this field and non-competition issues have enabled him to negotiate favorable contracts and exit packages, as well as successfully litigate on behalf of his clients.
Mr. Bortnick also has an active and diverse commercial litigation practice. His clients include both public and private companies in a variety of industries, foremost among them the securities industry, the banking industry and the oil & gas industry. These representations have ranged from complex contract disputes to international bank and securities fraud cases.
PRACTICE AREAS Additionally, Mr. Bortnick regularly advises companies and partnerships, including broker-dealers, on issues of governance, employment • Employment and compensation, intellectual property, investigatory and general business matters. Mr. Bortnick also advises clients in internal • Commercial Litigation, Arbitration investigations. • Securities Brokerage Disputes As a former adjunct Professor of Law at Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, where he taught for 12 years, Mr. Bortnick’s expertise is • FINRA Regulatory Investigations (Individuals) often sought by out–of–state attorneys. • Business Counseling REPRESENTATIVE EXPERIENCE EDUCATION • B.A. Duke University, 1986 • Represented hundreds of clients nationally and abroad in federal and state courts, as well as arbitration, with dozens of favorable • J.D. Emory University School of Law, 1989 decisions and hundreds of favorable settlements. • LL.M. New York University School of Law, 1990 • Negotiated hundreds of employment contracts and exit agreements, including complex partnership and LLC employment
BAR ADMISSION arrangements. • New York • Obtained an award in excess of $4.5 million in a landmark California case on behalf of a securities industry trader for breach of • District of Columbia contract and wrongful termination. • Virginia • Obtained a FINRA arbitration award of over $2.4 million and expungement of the Form U-5 on behalf of a foreign currency derivatives trader. COURT ADMISSION • Successfully represented dozens of clients in disputes concerning brokerage accounts. • U.S. District Court, Southern, Eastern and Northern Districts of New York • Regularly represents clients in FINRA regulatory investigations. • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Virginia • Obtained many monetarily significant FINRA arbitration awards. • U.S. District Court, District of Columbia • Obtained both a significant judgment for sex discrimination as well as the second highest award for emotional distress damages in • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan an employment case in New York on behalf of an airline employee. • U.S. Courts of Appeals, Second and Fourth • Obtained an international arbitration award of $4.7 million on behalf of the largest privately owned oil wholesaling company in the Circuits United States against a foreign supplier. • United States Supreme Court • Part of an international team of lawyers who obtained a $79 million judgment on behalf of a foreign bank in an international fraud
AWARDS case. The matter was litigated in the Dominican Republic, Florida, Colorado and New York. Mr. Bortnick was in charge of all aspects • “Super Lawyers” New York metro area 2007- of the New York cases, including successfully restraining in excess of $10 million of the defendants’ assets prior to judgment. present • Co-represented a foreign government consultant in an international arbitration in the security and defense industry. • Martindale–Hubbell AV rating 2001-present • Part of a trial team that successfully defended a Maryland bank against a multi–million dollar fee claim related to the sale and 20– year leaseback of a Boeing 747. • Presently represents a NYSE publicly traded company as lead plaintiff in a multi–billion dollar antitrust class action.
Hilton Napoleon II, Esq. ASSOCIATE [email protected]
HILTON NAPOLEON II focuses his practice in the areas of complex civil litigation, civil rights violations, federal and state criminal trials and appeals, post-conviction relief, election litigation, and governmental administrative proceedings.
Mr. Napoleon has deep roots in protecting the innocent from wrongful convictions based on faulty eyewitness identification, police misconduct, under zealous police investigations, and overzealous prosecutions. He works tirelessly to ensure justice occurs in all of his cases.
Mr. Napoleon takes particular interest in defending youths on a pro bono basis. He successfully removed a sexual offender designation under the “Romeo and Juliet Law” for a client who (at 18 years old) had sexual relations with a 15-year-old classmate. Mr. Napoleon used cell-cite locations, text messages, and video surveillance to show that his 17-year-old client, who was a high school all-academic football player, was at home when a robbery occurred, and therefore could not be the actual assailant. Mr. Napoleon also had manslaughter charges dropped against a juvenile who mistakenly shot his best friend with an adult’s unattended firearm.
Mr. Napoleon has overturned wrongful convictions based on constitutional errors committed by other attorneys in post-conviction proceedings. He has also protected his clients from unjustified state issued witness subpoenas in high profile cases.
PRACTICE AREAS Mr. Napoleon represents independent contractors who drive for a billion dollar ride-sharing corporation. He has successfully defended • Civil Litigation the independent contractors from civil citations issued by county municipalities. Mr. Napoleon has also protected a legendary • Civil Rights Violations greyhound kennel owner from violations issued by the Department of Pari-mutuel Wagering in both administrative proceedings and on • Federal and State Criminal Trials and Appeals appeal before a Florida appellate court. • Election Litigation • Administrative Law Before joining the firm, Mr. Napoleon served as an Assistant State Attorney in the Eleventh Judicial Circuit of Florida, where he litigated
EDUCATION over 30 jury trials. Mr. Napoleon interned in the Southern District of Florida for U.S. District Judge Donald Graham. Mr. Napoleon is a • J.D., University of Miami 2005 member of the University of Miami President’s Circle, and is on the Board of Hope World Wide, South Florida Chapter. • B.S., University of Detroit Mercy, summa cum REPRESENTATIVE EXPERIENCE
laude, 2002
BAR ADMISSION • Handled jurisdictional issues for one of Florida’s largest agricultural companies in a multi-billion dollar complex litigation matter. • Florida • Assisted in defending non-profit organizations from personal injury lawsuits. • Handled more than 70 cases for indigent clients involving criminal and civil litigation. COURT ADMISSION • U.S. District Court Southern District of Florida
MEMBERSHIPS • Hope World Wide, South Florida Chapter • University of Miami President’s Circle • Florida Association of Criminal Defense Attorneys • John W. Kozyak Mentorship Program • Mentor to underprivileged youth throughout Miami-Dade and Broward County
Janet T. Munn, Esq. PARTNER [email protected]
JANET T. MUNN is a partner practicing in the areas of intellectual property and complex commercial litigation, including class action defense, defense of business and mass torts; products liability defense, securities and media law. She has served as lead counsel to a variety of Fortune 100 clients, as well as medium and small corporations and individuals in the telecommunications, computer, media, chemical, biomedical, pharmaceutical and the insurance fields. She has also served as lead counsel in domestic and international arbitrations and disputes.
REPRESENTATIVE EXPERIENCE
• Defended class actions which sought certification of deceptive and unfair trade practices and marketing claims as well as claims for products liability, personal injury medical monitoring, violations of the securities laws; violations of the Fair and Accurate Transactions Act (FACTA); and environmental law claims. • She has defended RICO actions against multi-national corporations and has defended clients against claims for violation of the Foreign PRACTICE AREAS Corrupt Practices Act. • Litigation • Lead counsel in defense of putative environmental/mass tort class action for alleged property damage and personal injuries to over 6,500 • Commercial Litigation, including Class putative class members. Action defense
• Intellectual Property Litigation, including • Defense of nationwide FACTA class actions. trademark, copyright, patent, unfair • Defense of nationwide class actions for alleged sales practice, billing and quality of service claims against telecommunications carriers. competition, false advertising, unfair and • Defense of products liability and unfair and deceptive trade practices class action against chemical company. deceptive trade practices • Defense of telecommunications company in federal and state RICO action and in subsequent international arbitration arising out of Foreign • Domestic and International Arbitration Corrupt Practices Act violations. • Media Law • Lead counsel in defense of over 85 products liability cases for chemical manufacturer.
EDUCATION • Defense of consumer class action against internet service provider. • B.A. Duke University, 1986 • Lead counsel in defense of municipal bond issuer in FINRA arbitration proceeding. • J.D. Emory University School of Law, 1989 • Defense of antitrust action arising out of alleged false advertising claims. • LL.M. New York University School of Law, • Defense of chemical manufacturer in polybutylene class action. 1990 MEMBERSHIPS BAR ADMISSION • Florida American Bar Association
COURT ADMISSION International Trademark Association • U.S. Supreme Court Chaired Intellectual Property Litigation Committee, Litigation Section of the American Bar • U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit Association Chaired Trial Advocacy Committee, International Trademark Association Chaired subcommittee on international arbitration, • U.S. District Court, Southern, Middle and International Trademark Association Northern Districts of Florida Served on the Ad Hoc Committee on Rules and Procedures of the United States District Court, Southern District of Florida which drafts and AWARDS recommends changes to the Local Rules • Nova University Law School: Research Contributing Author of “50 State Surveys on Media, Privacy and Related Torts, the Florida Section” of the Media Law Resource Center Editor, Nova Law Review and Leo S. Instructor, National Institute of Trial Advocacy (NITA), National and Regional Sessions Goodwin Scholar Instructor, International Trademark Association, Trying Trademark Cases • Best Lawyers in America, Intellectual President Emeritus, Lawyers for Children America, a pro bono organization representing abused and neglected children Property Law • Florida Trend Magazine’s “Legal Elite” (www.lawyersforchildrenamerica.org) • Super Lawyers Rosana M. Gutierrez, Esq. PARTNER [email protected]
ROSANA M. GUTIERREZ focuses her practice on advising clients on business and transactional matters, including mergers and acquisitions, private equity, joint ventures, and public-private partnerships. She has extensive experience representing multi-national family groups (including their respective asset management businesses) as well as private and public companies.
Ms. Gutierrez also served as advisor to the president of the Government Development Bank for Puerto Rico, where she provided strategic advice and counsel on a variety of public policy issues. In that role, Ms. Gutierrez was responsible for designing, implementing and supervising several key government initiatives.
REPRESENTATIVE EXPERIENCE PRACTICE AREAS • Corporate Law In one of the largest private M&A deals in Latin America, represented seller in the sale of a major Central American mobile phone • Banking Law company to a European telecommunications group. • Fashion Law Represented the largest bank in Central America in the sale of 19 percent of its equity to a U.S. financial institution. EDUCATION Represented purchaser in the acquisition, construction, and financing of three utility scale solar projects in Latin America. • M.B.A. IESE Business School, University of Advised leading global solar energy company in international joint venture with Fortune 50 for up to 200MW of solar projects. Navarra in Barcelona, Spain Provided counsel and served as liaison between the Government Development Bank and the Public-Private Partnership Authority • Law degree, Columbia University School of in the concession of the Luis Muñoz Marin Airport in Puerto Rico, a transaction valued at over $2.6 billion. Law Counseled team in defining the strategy and negotiating the restructuring of a portion of the Government Development Bank’s • B.A. University of Florida • Florida Bright Futures Scholar recipient, portfolio valued at over $1 billion in real estate projects and other private investments. University of Florida Led and supervised internal and external team that designed, implemented and managed an innovative RFP process and $800 million+ Loan Guaranty Program in conjunction with private banks. BAR ADMISSION Served as assistant executive director to the Puerto Rico Authority of Financing for Industrial, Tourist, Educational, Medical and
• Florida Environmental Control Facilities overseeing various issuances of higher education revenue and revenue refunding bonds. Served • District of Columbia • New York as lead counsel to U.S.-based provider of consulting and technology services in connection with its operations in Latin America and the Caribbean, U.S., Spain and Portugal. MEMBERSHIPS Represented global financial service provider in the acquisition of a portfolio of underperforming assets from a major bank in • American Bar Association South America.
• The Florida Bar Advised a major Central American airline in a multi-jurisdictional transaction to secure financing from a syndicate of international • Columbia Alumni Association • IESE Alumni Association banks to fund multiple aircraft acquisitions. • Hispanic National Bar Association Represented international REIT in connection with the development and leasing of a 45-acre office park in Florida. Represented one of the largest utility companies in the United States in its securities filings and corporate governance matters. AWARDS Florida’s Legal EliteTM Florida Trend PUBLICATIONS magazine 20 Under 40 Top Attorney Award winner Quoted, “Florida Lawmaker Pushes Puerto Rico Exemption to Import Tax,” Bloomberg BNA (May 2017) (2016), Hispanic National Bar Association Presenter, Fashion Law Roundtable – Corporate Law Basics (May 2016) Team member, M&A Advisor Deal of the Panelist, “Left and Right Brain: Funding for Startups,” eMerge Americas & Women in Technology and Foley & Lardner LLP (January Year Award 2016) Team member, team ranked in Legal 500 Latin America Projects & Energy Team member, team ranked as top Panelist, "The Holy Grail: Pay Gap Increases and Negotiating to Decrease Inequity," Hispanic National Bar Association Annual corporate law firm in Miami as selected by Convention (September 2015) corporate directors in the annual “Legal Presenter, “Corporate Basics of Fashion Law,” St. Thomas University School of Law, Miami, Florida (March 2015) Industry Research Study Corporate Board Author, “Puerto Rico: A Haven for Manufacturers?” Manufacturing Industry Advisor (July 2014) Member” (2009) Presenter, “Florida Limited Liability Company Operating Agreements,” Venture Law Project and F&L Workshop, Miami, Florida (May 2014) Roundtable Panelist, “Custom-Made Counseling for Fashion on Fundamentals of Corporate Law,” Miami, Florida, (March 2014) Featured, “Desarrollo Para el Pueblo,” Noti- Uno’s En Caliente con la Jovet, San Juan, Puerto Rico (Summer 2012)
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Ms. Gutierrez serves as Alumni Ambassador for Columbia Law School and is also actively involved with the Hispanic community; currently serves as regional deputy president for the Hispanic National Bar Association.
Ms. Gutierrez has been a collaborator and mentor with the Venture Law Project of Dade Legal Aid. She has also mentored the Dade Legal Aid with its Take Stock in Children program.
Paul C. Savage, Esq. PARTNER [email protected]
PAUL C. SAVAGE is a Florida Bar Board Certified Specialist in City, County and Local Government Law. He has over twenty years of experience in governmental and related appellate practice, representing clients in a variety of complex governmental and litigation matters. After graduating from the University of Florida in 1993 and the University of Miami School of Law in 1996, Mr. Savage clerked for the Honorable Judge David Levy of the Third District Court of Appeal.
Following a two-year judicial clerkship, he worked in the Miami office of Greenberg Traurig for eleven years, practicing in both the Appellate and Environmental & Land Use Departments. Mr. Savage served as appellate counsel in various state, federal and administrative appeals, including appeals to the federal circuit courts of appeals, and jurisdictional and merits briefing in the Florida Supreme Court and the United States Supreme Court. He also handled local and state matters requiring litigation, as well as worked cooperatively with local and state government entities on public-private partnerships and legislation.
Mr. Savage’s experience with environmental matters includes environmental permitting analysis and other environmental legal services PRACTICE AREAS in connection with the public/private Port of Miami Tunnel Project, work on the environmental litigation team in complex federal court • Zoning and Land Use case involving limestone rockmining in proximity to the Florida Everglades, indoor air quality, asbestos, environmental due diligence, • Litigation the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), as well as local and state legislation drafting. He worked as counsel on local government matters and related litigation, including those involving development approvals, unsafe structures, historic designation, EDUCATION • University of Miami School of Law, Coral and various enforcement matters including those initiated by Miami-Dade County DERM. Experience as administrative trial counsel with Gables, Florida trial experience before the State of Florida Division of Administrative Hearings. • Juris Doctor, cum laude, May 1996 • University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida In the fall of 2009, Mr. Savage left Greenberg Traurig and founded Savage Legal, a successful boutique legal practice in Coral Gables, • Bachelor of Arts in English, History Minor, Florida. Mr. Savage’s law practice focused on local government matters and related litigation, including those involving development December 1991 approvals and challenges, property rights, street and alley closures, unsafe structures, historic designation, and code enforcement
BAR ADMISSION matters.
• Florida Mr. Savage joined Rasco, Klock, Perez & Nieto, PL in April, 2018 as a Partner in the firm. With Paul’s expertise, the firm can advance or COURT ADMISSIONS challenge local development approvals, make presentations to City Commissions and participate in quasi-judicial hearings before City • The United States Circuit Court of Appeals for Commissions and local Boards. We handle all kinds of local government enforcement matters, as well as zoning approvals, variances, the Third and Eleventh Circuits legislation drafting and lobbying. The office possesses full expertise to appeal the determinations of local Boards and City Commissions • The United States District Courts for the by way of appellate or original circuit court proceedings. Southern and Middle Districts of Florida
MEMBERSHIPS • The Florida Bar • The Georgia Bar
Cristina M. Pelaez, Esq. OF-COUNSEL [email protected]
Cristina M. Pelaez focuses her practice on representing individuals, corporate entities and financial institutions in commercial real estate, asset-based and other secured commercial transactions. Ms. Pelaez is the former President of the Miami-Dade County Attorneys Real Estate Council, is fluent in both English and Spanish, and is board certified in real estate law.
REPRESENTATIVE EXPERIENCE
Represented and advised national and community banks with respect to business practices and procedures with the FDIC, Home Mortgage Disclosure Act, Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA) and Regulation X, TILA and Regulation Z and other applicable state and federal laws.
Represented residential and commercial buyers and sellers with respect to the acquisition and sale of land as well as representing lenders in domestic and international banking transactions, including real estate, secured finance and working lines of capital.
Represented and counseled real estate investors and developers in land acquisitions and sale transactions, drafted and successfully filed residential association documents for developers; represented several of South Florida’s leading financial institutions in connection with domestic and international banking transactions, including real estate, secured finance and working lines of capital.
PRACTICE AREAS BUSINESS RELATIONSHIPS Real Estate Banking Adrian Builders Ltd.; First Bank Florida; First National Bank of South Miami; Iberia Bank; International Finance Bank Ocean Bank;
EDUCATION Grove Bank and Trust; Pacific National Bank; Ready Mortgage Lenders; Union Mortgage Corporation.
JD University of Florida, Fredric G. Levin EXPERIENCE AND SELECTED TRANSACTIONS College of Law, 2002 with Honors Bachelor in Political Science, University of Represented Seller in the sale of a 56-unit apartment complex in Volusia County for $1,650,000.00, in 1/2010. Miami 1996-1999 – cum laude Represent Buyer in the purchase of 1660 acres in Suwannee County for $8.5 million, in 10/2006 and represented the Seller in the BAR ADMISSION subsequent sale of the property in 2017. Florida Continuous representation of a Lender on commercial loan transactions of up to $6,400,000.00 secured by various types (gas
COURT ADMISSION stations, retail shopping centers, restaurants, etc.) of real property located in Miami-Dade, Broward and Orange Counties. United States District Court for the Continuous representation of a Lender on commercial loan transactions of up to $1,000,000.00 secured by multi-unit rental real Southern District of Florida property located in all counties of Florida. United States 11th Circuit Court of Represented Lender in the sale of underperforming notes in the amount of $4.9 million. Appeals. Represented Developer in the financing, construction, sales on Hidden Lake Townhomes and drafted documentation for the MEMBERSHIPS Hidden Lake Homeowners Association. The Florida Bar, Real Property Continuous representation of private lender resulting in over $7 million of loans in 2018. Probate and Trust Law Section South Miami Kendall Bar Association Miami-Dade County Attorneys Real Estate Council.
AWARDS 2019 Sunshine Award by South Florida Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Kristen Canamero-Gomez, Esq. PARTNER [email protected]
Kristen Canamero-Gomez focuses her practice on providing clients with support and legal advice for their case. Mrs. Canamero- Gomez has experience representing both domestic and foreign clients in many areas, including legal contracts, licensing agreements, commercial real estate, residential and commercial closings, purchases and refinances, asset and share purchasing, intellectual property, and probate and guardianship estates. Her experience includes the following:
REPRESENTATIVE EXPERIENCE
Director Legal and Business Affairs at Ole Media Services, Inc., Coral Gables, FL: April 2013 - Present
Provide contracting and legal support for licensing of original programming obtained from domestic and foreign major studios Provide contracting and legal support for licensing of live professional sports games from domestic and foreign professional sports leagues as well as sublicensing to foreign distributors Provide legal support to domestic and foreign offices located in Venezuela, Mexico, Colombia, Brazil and Argentina, including vendor contracting, risk management and compliance, management of local outside counsel and provision of
corporate training PRACTICE AREAS Provide contracting and legal support to the advertising sales offices domestically and throughout Latin America including Real Estate risk management and compliance and the drafting of advertising sales representative agreements, advertising sales Corporate agreements and advertising barter agreements Intellectual Property Provide legal support regarding clearance matters and processes including drafting talent, material, location, crew and Entertainment Law writer releases EDUCATION Provide contracting and legal support to the original productions groups for the engagement of producers to create original The University of Chicago, The Law School, Chicago, productions for the television networks and digital properties as well as the licensing of original productions to other Illinois – Juris Doctor, June 2006 television networks and digital properties University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida – Bachelor of Business Administration, Accounting / Provide legal support to the digital properties group including the maintenance and update of terms, conditions and policies for the digital properties as well as risk management and compliance Legal Studies, cum laude, May 2003 President’s Honor Roll, Provost’s List; Dean’s List, Provide contracting and legal support to the television network and digital properties groups for the retention of third- Beta Gamma Sigma, Beta Gamma Sigma Honoree, party service providers including drafting services and independent contractor agreements Phi Kappa Phi, Golden Key International Honor Provide contracting and legal support to the television network group for the engagement of both domestic and foreign Society affiliates including the drafting of affiliate distribution agreements
BAR ADMISSION Provide legal support for the protection and defense of intellectual property rights both domestically and in foreign Florida territories including management of local outside counsel.
LANGUAGES: Associate at Rasco Klock Reininger Perez Esquenazi Vigil & Nieto, Coral Gables, FL: July 2007 - March 2013
English, Spanish (fluent – spoken and written) Represented domestic and foreign purchasers and sellers of residential and commercial real estate, performing title searches and examinations, reviewing liens (private and municipal), examining surveys, and preparing contracts, transfer documents and other documentation, including those required for the resolution and correction of title matters affecting the transfer of ownership Represented banks, mortgage lenders and other financial institutions in residential and commercial closings, purchases and refinances, drafting necessary documentation to assure properly secured lending Represented commercial landlords, drafting commercial office and shopping center leases Represented clients in the documentation of corporate transactions including supply agreements, consulting agreements, operating agreements and shareholder agreements Represented clients in asset purchase, share purchase and merger transactions, performing the necessary due diligence and transaction documentation Prepared and prosecuted trademark applications to registration Conducted extensive legal research and drafted motions and memoranda of law in support of commercial litigation in state and federal court Administered probate and guardianship estates
Associate at Kluger, Peretz, Kaplan & Berlin, P.L., Miami, FL: September 2006 - July 2007
Conducted extensive legal research in the intellectual property litigation practice area Drafted legal memoranda, motions, briefs and agreements Represented clients in connection with intellectual property matters and disputes Represented clients before U.S. Customs in obtaining the release of their detained or seized imports Collaborated with client’s foreign counsel regarding client’s importation of regulated goods into a foreign country