Akerman proudly welcomes Ricardo Bernard and Joseph Brasile to our New York office. Bernard is a partner in the firm's corporate practice and Brasile joins as a partner in the real estate practice.

Bernard focuses his practice on private equity, venture capital, M&A and general corporate matters. He regularly advises investment firms and their portfolio companies in connection with domestic and cross-border mergers, acquisitions, buyouts, joint ventures, restructurings and other investments across multiple industries, including technology, healthcare, industrials, consumer goods and infrastructure.

Prior to joining Akerman, Bernard helped co-found the Washington, D.C., office of an international law firm focused on emerging market transactions.

Brasile focuses his practice on complex commercial real estate transactions for owners, developers, institutional and private lenders, borrowers, landlords and tenants. He has broad real estate financing experience, including advising clients on permanent loans, acquisition loans, construction loans and mezzanine loans. His work with distressed assets includes loan workouts, forbearance agreements and deed-in-lieu of foreclosure agreements.

For owners and developers, Brasile has experience negotiating purchase and sale agreements, ground leases, sale leasebacks, office leases, retail leases and the purchase and sale of air rights, among other matters. He also has comprehensive experience representing lenders, owners, developers and tenants of all types of asset classes, including office buildings, development projects, hotels and shopping centers.

About Akerman

Akerman LLP is a top 100 U.S. law firm recognized among the most forward-thinking firms in the industry by Financial Times. Its more than 700 lawyers and business professionals collaborate with the world’s most successful enterprises and entrepreneurs to navigate change, seize opportunities, and help drive innovation and growth.