The 2013 edition of the Chambers USA Guide and the 2014 edition of the Chambers Latin America Guide, which list leading law firms and lawyers in an extensive range of practice areas throughout each region, jointly awarded Akerman Senterfitt high rankings in 15 practice areas both country-wide and in individual U.S. markets. They also collectively listed 56 Akerman lawyers representing 21 practice areas across the firm's national platform, including in New York, Florida, and Virginia.
Chambers USA ranked 14 of Akerman's practices, with the firm's Corporate, M&A, Private Equity and Insurance Practices once again receiving top honors in Florida – a distinction held by the firm's Corporate Practice Group for the last decade. Additionally, the firm's Construction Practice was once again recognized for its work on a national scale, as well as in Florida and Virginia.
Other firm practices ranked by Chambers USA include: Antitrust; Banking & Finance; Bankruptcy & Restructuring; Environment; Healthcare; Labor & Employment; Litigation: General Commercial; Real Estate; Real Estate: Zoning/Land Use; Tax.
Additionally, Chambers USA recognized 54 Akerman lawyers, representing 20 practice areas across the firm, as leading practitioners in the U.S. The number of individuals listed is a 27 percent increase since the 2010 edition, which underscores the firm's growing distinction in a number of key sectors. In addition to the practices mentioned, Akerman lawyers were ranked in areas including: Latin American Investment (New York); Leisure & Hospitality (National); Banking & Finance: Transactional (Florida); Litigation: Appellate (Florida); Tax: State & Local (Florida); among others.
For another consecutive year, Akerman's Latin America & the Caribbean Practice received a high ranking in international arbitration (Latin America-wide) by Chambers Latin America. Co-chair of the practice, Luis A. Perez, and Luis M. O'Naghten, chair of Akerman's International Litigation & Arbitration Practice, were singled out as "Leaders in their Field" in the Guide's forthcoming edition. Perez received the same distinction in the 2013 edition of Chambers Global Guide along with Felipe Berer who was recognized as a leader in the field of International Trade in the U.S. and Brazil.
The Chambers USA and Chambers Latin America Guides are part of a series of Chambers & Partners research-based guides to the legal profession. They rank the leading law firms and lawyers in an extensive range of practice areas throughout each region.
A collective list of the 56 Akerman lawyers recognized by Chambers USA and Chambers Latin America include:
Antitrust (Florida)
Lawrence D. Silverman
Banking & Finance: Regulatory (Florida)
Russell B. Hale
Virginia B. Townes
Banking & Finance: Transactional (Florida)
William C. Arnhols
Bradley D. Houser
Bankruptcy/Restructuring (Florida)
Jules S. Cohen (Senior Statesman)
Michael I. Goldberg
Andrea S. Hartley
Construction
Kimberly A. Ashby (Florida)
Stacy Bercun Bohm (Florida)
Donald G. Gavin (Virginia)
Jeffrey G. Gilmore (Virginia)
Stephen B. Hurlbut (Virginia)
Corporate/M&A & Private Equity (Florida)
Jonathan L. Awner
Bradley D. Houser
Teddy D. Klinghoffer
Stephen K. Roddenberry
Carl D. Roston
Environment (Florida)
Silvia M. Alderman
Edward Cole (Up and Coming)
Jason S. Lichtstein
Robyn D. Neely
Healthcare (Florida)
Marshall R. Burack
Kirk S. Davis
Joseph W. N. Rugg
Immigration (Florida)
Thomas L. Raleigh III
Insurance (Florida)
Marcy Levine Aldrich
International Arbitration (Latin America-Wide)
Luis M. O'Naghten
Luis A. Perez
Labor & Employment (Florida)
James S. Bramnick
Karen M. Buesing
Susan N. Eisenberg
Scott T. Silverman
David I. Spector
Richard D. Tuschman
Jennifer T. Williams
Latin American Investment (New York)
Carlos Méndez-Peñate
Leisure & Hospitality (National)
Andrew S. Robins
Litigation: Appellate (Florida)
Gerald B. Cope Jr.
Katherine Eastmoore Giddings
Litigation: General Commercial (Florida)
Joseph E. ('Ed') Foster
William P. Heller
David I. Spector
Real Estate (Florida)
Richard Bezold
Manuel A. Fernandez
Theresa M. McLaughlin
Eric D. Rapkin
Janice L. Russell
Andrew M. Smulian
Susanne Zabloudil (Up and Coming)
Real Estate: Zoning/Land Use (Florida)
Cecelia Bonifay
Neisen Kasdin
Tax (Florida)
L. Frank Cordero
Donald K. Duffy
Russell B. Hale
Henry H. Raattama Jr.
Tax: Employee Benefits (Florida)
Richard T. Hurt
Peter Salomon
Tax: State and Local (Florida)
Russell B. Hale
Peter O. Larsen
About Akerman Senterfitt
Akerman is a leading transactions and trial law firm known for its core strengths in middle market M&A, within the financial services and real estate industries, and for a diverse Latin America practice. With more than 550 lawyers and government affairs professionals and a network of 19 offices, it is ranked among the top 100 law firms in the United States by The National Law Journal NLJ 250 (2012). Akerman also is ranked among the top 100 law firms for diversity by MultiCultural Law magazine (2012) and recognized as the Law Firm of the Year for Diversity – South by Benchmark Litigation (2012). More information can be found at akerman.com or twitter.com/akerman_law.