Find Lawyers in Miami, Florida for Commercial Litigation
Practice Area Overview
Litigation increasingly occurs in various venues, from state and federal courts to private arbitrations and administrative hearings. Proceedings can involve business-to-business disputes or any number of government agencies. Understanding the motivations and outlook of each of the litigation participants is important for determining weak points to exploit and strong points that will persuade the audience in question. During the past decade, commercial litigators have seen a dramatic uptick in multidistrict and inter-disciplinary litigation, making the stakes higher, the cases more complex, the parties more numerous and the discovery more complicated and unwieldy. Firms that are able to develop and implement a creative legal approach to each individual problem, efficiently focus on the key legal and factual issues, and master and manage the various aspects of these complex matters will be the busiest in the years to come.
In the current challenging economic climate, commercial litigators are under increasing client pressure to keep costs in check, which has both sides testing the efficacy of alternative fee arrangements and the scope of reasonable discovery. Whether the “death of the billable hour” is ultimately realized, the keys to a commercial litigator’s success will continue to be strong client relationships, thought leadership, practical management skills, deep experience, and personal commitment.
A former Assistant U.S. Attorney with a focus on public corruption and national security, Jacqueline Arango is co-chair of Akerman’s White Collar Crime & Government Investigations Practice. She leads a team including former federal prosecutors, senior enforcement lawyers at the SEC, and government lawyers representing corporations, financial institutions, boards of directors, and individuals in government investigations, regulatory enforcement matters, grand jury probes, internal in...
Richard Alan Arnold is a nationally recognized trial lawyer specializing in complex litigation. He has tried antitrust cases for plaintiffs and defendants. During his over 30 years of concentration on these cases, his practice has emphasized individual plaintiff cases rather than class action or mass action representation. He has represented public companies, entrepreneurial individuals, and privately-held companies in plaintiff’s antitrust cases in a wide variety of industries, includi...
Michael Austin focuses his practice on complex commercial litigation matters, arbitration and regulatory investigation matters, with a particular emphasis in the healthcare industry. Michael serves as co-chair of the firm’s healthcare litigation team, and represents a wide range of healthcare clients, including health systems, hospitals, ambulatory surgical centers, diagnostic imaging companies, home health agencies, and medical and physician practice. Mike handles a variety of complex ...
Christopher N. Bellows is an appellate attorney who has handled complex civil appeals in the Supreme Court of Florida, all Florida District Courts of Appeal and the federal appellate courts. Mr. Bellows also has significant experience in complex commercial litigation, including areas of contract law, Uniform Commercial Code, business torts, foreclosures, receiverships, replevins, construction disputes, landlord-tenant litigation, product liability, personal injury, first amendment, employment...
Robert Burlington is Managing Member and co-founder of the firm. In his more than 35 years of practice, he has litigated and tried to completion a wide variety of jury and non-jury trials in state and federal courts. He has served as lead counsel in multiple arbitrations. These cases include business torts, commercial and real estate contract disputes, securities transactions, class actions, as well as many aspects of state and federal employment litigation. He has built his practice by assis...
Jose A. Casal practices in the areas of business and real estate litigation, international litigation and arbitration, and bankruptcy and creditors’ rights. He has handled civil trials in both Florida state and federal courts, and has conducted international arbitrations in both Miami and New York. His representative matters include corporate and partnership disputes, real estate and title insurance claims, receiverships, workout transactions, international litigation, banking litigatio...
Marko Cerenko is a go-to commercial and real estate litigator known for taking on the most complicated and sophisticated legal issues and business disputes. Marko is known for consistently shaping winning litigation strategies for clients by developing creative approaches that create successful results around high-level commercial, real estate and business tort cases. As a strong advocate for his clients’ interests and by custom tailoring his approach based upon specific needs or goals,...
Robert Chaskes is an esteemed trial lawyer with more than 35 years of experience in a wide range of complex commercial litigation, including jury and bench trials in state and federal courts across the United States. Among other matters, Mr. Chaskes has defended numerous class actions and has tried cases involving securities fraud claims, trademark disputes, trade secrets, non-compete and other restrictive covenants, insurance coverage disputes, lender-liability claims, and shareholder disput...
Michael Chavies is one of the most prolific and recognized trial lawyers in South Florida, having been lead counsel on and presided as a judge over hundreds of bench and jury trials. His 13 years on the civil bench has uniquely positioned him to try cases in nearly every courtroom, State and Federal, in Florida. Recognized by Law360 in its “Minority Powerbroker” series for his leadership and influence in the legal community, Michael focuses on mentorship and professional developme...
Kendall Coffey is a founding member of the law firm Coffey Burlington, PL, based in Miami, which handles matters in Florida and throughout the United States. Mr. Coffey also currently serves as the Chair of the Federal Judicial Nominating Commission for South Florida. Appointed by both of Florida's United States Senators, he presides over the 21-person commission that selects individuals to be considered by the White House to become U.S. federal judges and U.S. Attorney for South Florida. Mr....
Debbie Corbishley has more than 30 years of experience litigating complex commercial cases of all types in state and federal court. She has represented clients in bet-the-company litigation involving common law and statutory business torts, contract disputes, fraud and conspiracy claims, state and federal securities law violations, fraudulent conveyances, class actions, and corporate and partnership issues. In many of these matters, she has coordinated with criminal, SEC, regulatory, bankrupt...
David A. Coulson is a business litigator and trial lawyer who focuses his practice on complex commercial litigation and products liability actions in federal and state courts. In addition to prevailing in major cases through dispositive motions, David has tried numerous jury trials to favorable verdicts and has wide-ranging arbitration experience. He is also a skilled problem-solver who searches for cost-effective and creative solutions to help clients achieve results consistent with their bu...
Rick has over 40 years of experience litigating complex commercial cases of all types in state and federal court, as well as in arbitration. He has represented a host of clients in bet-the-company litigation involving common law and statutory business torts, contract disputes, state and federal securities law violations, shareholder derivative claims, class actions, director and officer liability, lender liability, partnership issues, real estate issues, employment matters, RICO, and independ...
Benton (Ben) Curtis, a former federal prosecutor and experienced trial attorney, focuses his practice on leading matters, both domestically and abroad, that involve government enforcement defense, internal investigations, compliance counseling, and due diligence regarding third parties and business transactions. Ben regularly represents clients before, and in litigation against, government agencies, including clients accused of health care fraud, kickback violations, Foreign Corrupt Practices...
Jesús E. Cuza is a partner in Holland & Knight's Miami office practicing in the areas of domestic and international litigation. Mr. Cuza concentrates in handling commercial and civil litigation matters filed in Spanish- and English-speaking jurisdictions. He drafts letters, motions and briefs; takes and defends depositions; attends and addresses court appearances; and tries and arbitrates cases in Spanish and English. Over the last 22 years, Mr. Cuza has represented numerous presti...
Robert M. Einhorn is a partner at Zarco Einhorn Salkowski, P.A. For over twenty- five years, Robert has focused on representing franchisees in litigation throughout the United States and internationally. He has represented franchisees from almost every major franchise system in the hotel, restaurant, and service industries. Robert holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he dual-majored in accounting and risk & insurance. He holds ...
Jeff Foreman is a shareholder in Kenny Nachwalter, P.A., resident in the firm’s Miami office. Jeff has spent his entire career practicing complex business litigation and has extensive experience trying both jury and non-jury cases for plaintiffs and defendants in federal and state courts and before arbitration tribunals. Jeff has represented both Fortune 500 companies and small to large businesses in a wide range of complex business disputes, including contract, business tort and shareh...
Velvel is a founding partner of Freedman Normand Friedland LLP. Vel is an experienced litigator known for finding creative solutions to complex problems. His practice focuses on high-risk litigation that includes consumer class actions, international disputes, and cryptocurrency/blockchain lawsuits. Vel’s clients value his responsiveness, creative solutions, and ability to achieve successful outcomes while balancing the needs of running a business. Vel’s practice spans a diverse a...
Adam S. Hall has extensive experience in representing victims against state sponsored terrorism and in a wide variety of civil litigation, including but not limited to, complex commercial/business litigation, professional malpractice litigation, intellectual property litigation, labor disputes, securities litigation, tort litigation, and appellate matters. Hall has been consistently recognized and honored as one of South Florida's top trial lawyers. He was recently named one of the three fina...
Adam Handfinger is co-managing partner of the firm’s Miami office. He is certified by the Florida Bar as a Construction Law Specialist and focuses his practice on construction law and commercial litigation matters, representing construction professionals in issues relating to construction defects, contract negotiation, project management, payment, bond claims, and the project closeout process, as well as the litigation of disputes. Adam’s experience includes settlement negotiation...
Marilyn J. Holifield practices in the general litigation area, with a specific emphasis on representing corporate clients. Her practice includes employment, business litigation, corporate governance, trade secrets, covenants-not-to-compete, class action and intellectual property litigation. Ms. Holifield has represented corporate clients as lead counsel in jury and nonjury trials, arbitrations and administrative proceedings. Ms. Holifield practices employment law and was named by Black Enterp...
Elizabeth Honkonen is an experienced commercial litigator in state and federal trial courts and arbitration, with a broad range of experience, such as federal antitrust matters, business torts, contract disputes, price-gouging claims, securities fraud cases, shareholder derivative actions, class action defense, federal RICO matters, intellectual property matters, independent investigations, and 28 U.S.C. § 1782 proceedings. With her math and science background, Elizabeth particularly enj...
Adolfo E. Jimenez practices in litigation with emphasis in international disputes. He is the practice group leader for Holland & Knight's South Florida Litigation Group and the team leader for the firm's International Arbitration and Litigation Team. He also practices in the areas of media law, maritime and transportation with extensive litigation and trial experience. In addition to his civil litigation practice, Mr. Jimenez has represented clients in arbitrations administered by the Int...
Abbey Kaplan is a seasoned trial lawyer known for taking on complex cases and crafting creative strategies for tackling the most complicated legal issues in commercial litigation and business tort cases. A Founding Member of Kluger Kaplan, Abbey has extensive experience handling partnership and corporate breakups, real estate development disputes including banking and broker controversies, professional liability disputes, corporate finance issues, contract disputes and intellectual property. ...
Kevin Kaplan joined the firm in 1992, and now serves as its President. He has extensive trial and appellate court experience in commercial litigation. As trial counsel for corporations and entrepreneurs, Mr. Kaplan has litigated matters ranging from aircraft finance, banking and partnership disputes, to trademark and copyright, construction defect and contract claims. He approaches his cases by seeking creative and cost-effective trial strategies for complicated problems.
Founding Member Alan Kluger is a powerhouse trial attorney who advocates for his clients at all stages of the litigation process. Alan is a veteran courtroom lawyer who represents some of the nation’s largest businesses and most prominent individuals in their most challenging and complex cases. Many of his clients come to him after first facing him as an adversary and determining that Alan’s tough, no-nonsense litigation tactics, and creative, out-of-the-box thinking is what they ...
Michael N. Kreitzer is the Co-Chair of the firm's Litigation Group. He has been a Florida Bar Board Certified Attorney in Business Litigation since 1997. He has a broad commercial trial practice, with extensive experience in both jury and non-jury cases in state and federal trial courts, as well as appellate courts. His practice focuses on complex commercial disputes, lender liability and related financial institution litigation, construction litigation and shareholder and partnership dispute...
Philippe Lieberman is a founding shareholder of the firm with over twenty five years of experience representing domestic and international companies, real estate developers and investors, and entrepreneurs in complex business disputes. His financial experience and background gives him a strategic advantage over many of his adversaries, which allows him to quickly grasp the broader and complex financial issues, identify leverage, assess risk, and develop creative strategies to often exceed his...
Luis Llamas is a partner in the Maritime Practice Group. He concentrates his practice on complex commercial litigation, admiralty disputes, trade secret and non-compete disputes, and international law. Luis co-leads the firm's Latin America working group and is the head of the firm’s Miami office. Luis is a highly respected litigator. Luis has handled cases across the United States involving marine casualties, trade secret and non-compete agreements, breach of contract, unfair trade pra...
A native of Coral Gables, Andy Marks joined Coffey Burlington in 2013 as a partner after more than 25 years of practice as a litigation partner in the Washington, DC firm of Crowell & Moring LLP. Andy also maintains a practice in Washington as the Law Offices of Andrew Marks PLLC. Following graduation from the University of Michigan Law School, Andy clerked for U.S. District Judge Charles R. Richey in the District of Columbia and also served as Executive Assistant to Ambassador Sol M. Lin...
Mr. Murray practices in the area of franchise and distribution law and provides counsel and assistance with creating, managing, licensing, protecting and enforcing franchised business relationships, product distribution systems and dealership networks. His franchise and distribution law practice specifically relates to licensing and development, regulation and compliance, and dispute resolution through mediation, arbitration and litigation. Mr. Murray’s litigation experience consists of...
Born in New York City, Michael Nachwalter earned his B.S. from Bucknell University, his M.S. from Long Island University, his J.D. from the University of Miami with honors, and his LL.M. from Yale University. He is admitted to the bar in Florida and the U.S. District Court, Southern and Middle Districts of Florida; the U.S. Supreme Court; and the U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Fifth, Eleventh and Federal circuits. Michael clerked for the Honorable Ted Cabot and the Honorable Joe Eaton, Judges...
Daniel Newman is an experienced litigator of complex commercial, securities, and construction matters in state and federal courts and before various arbitration forums.Mr. Newman represents both plaintiffs and defendants in a variety of business and securities-related litigations, including commercial torts, contracts, shareholder derivative actions, class actions, and common law and statutory securities fraud actions.
Tracy A. Nichols practices in litigation with emphasis in defending securities class actions; derivative actions, complex commercial litigation and consumer class actions. She is the firm's National Practice Group Leader for the Securities Litigation Group. She is a frequent lecturer at national securities litigation conferences. Ms. Nichols has served as the lead attorney in more than two dozen class action lawsuits, and obtained one of the largest Rule 11 sanctions in the country against pl...
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