In an emotional article demonstrating the immense commitment Fraud and Recovery Practice Group Chair Michael Goldberg has made to the victims and families affected by the Surfside condo collapse nearly one year ago, the Miami Herald featured the Akerman lawyer for his court-appointed role as the Champlain Towers South condominium association's receiver.
Working at the center of one of the biggest disasters and class-action cases in Florida history, Goldberg serves as a sounding board for survivors and victims, as the go-between for dozens of lawyers in mounting lawsuits, as the "eyes and ears" of Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Michael Hanzman, and as de facto property manager of the two-acre remains of the building. He also helped shepherd the $120 million sale of the oceanfront land and, most significantly, he is responsible for guiding compensation of the victims and homeowners of Surfside, based on an expected $1 billion settlement.
Goldberg is shown as a patient, empathetic and self-sacrificing lawyer, with a relentless commitment to help the Surfside victims and Miami community recover from the tragedy. Despite his individual efforts on this case, he credits teamwork for achieving such extraordinary results.
He cited the efforts of the full team of lawyers and professionals working on the matter: "This would not have happened but for all the professionals working towards this goal…Judge Hanzman is the head coach with the game plan; I may be the quarterback, but I'm worthless without (mediator Bruce) Greer…and all the plaintiffs' lawyers blocking and tackling. This truly is the result of a team effort."
Goldberg also was quoted: "I've cried half dozen times in this case. I've seen other people cry, other lawyers cry. Just dealing with the raw emotion of the people who lost their loved ones… lends an entire emotional aspect to this case that I've just never dealt with before."
Akerman Chairman and CEO Scott Meyers shared his reaction to the Miami Herald article, "Mike is the consummate lawyer. He exemplifies trust, dedication, and a deep commitment to serve as an ally to clients, colleagues, and the community, which are true hallmarks of our firm. Mike’s knowledge and experience is not only effective in the courtroom and the boardroom but is also essential to bringing long-lasting change and recovery to the community. We can all learn from Mike's extraordinary example by leveraging our skills as lawyers to be an advocate for those most in need. The Miami Herald article is a well-deserved recognition of Mike’s remarkable accomplishments in this very difficult case. We have had the pleasure of working with Mike for more than 25 years, and we are proud to have him as part of our Akerman family."