Four Akerman office managing partners have been named to the South Florida Business Journal's 2026 Power Leaders 250 – Professional Services, a prestigious recognition of the region's most influential legal and business leaders.
The honorees are Christopher S. Duke, Office Managing Partner of Akerman's West Palm Beach and Boca Raton offices, Neisen O. Kasdin, Co-Office Managing Partner of Akerman's Miami office, Luis A. Perez, Chair of Akerman's Latin America and the Caribbean Practice and Co-Office Managing Partner of Akerman's Miami office, and Leslie Miller Tomczak, Office Managing Partner of Akerman's Fort Lauderdale office.
Selected by the publication's editorial team, the Power Leaders 250 recognizes professionals whose leadership and expertise shape South Florida's legal and business landscape and drive the region's continued economic growth.
Christopher focuses his practice on employment law and complex commercial litigation. He represents clients in federal and state courts, arbitration forums, and before federal, state, and local administrative bodies, advising employers and municipalities across industries including hospitality, travel and recreation, healthcare, retail, financial services, and alternative energy. Chris frequently lectures on employment law and compliance issues and is consistently recognized by The Best Lawyers in America and other leading publications for his labor and employment work.
Neisen is a partner in the firm's Real Estate Practice Group and a land use and development attorney with extensive experience in urban revitalization and complex, large-scale, mixed-use development projects. A former mayor of Miami Beach, Neisen played a central role in the revitalization of South Beach and the creation of Miami's Downtown Master Plan. His practice includes representing clients on transformative projects throughout Miami, including in established and emerging neighborhoods, and he is recognized by Chambers USA and The Legal 500 as a leading Florida land use and zoning lawyer.
Luis focuses his practice on international dispute resolution, handling complex commercial litigation and arbitration matters across the United States and Latin America. Ranked by Chambers Global and Chambers USA, Luis regularly represents multinational companies in high-stakes cross-border disputes and is recognized by Latinvex as one of Latin America's Top 100 Lawyers.
Leslie is a Florida Bar board-certified construction lawyer whose practice focuses on representing lenders, developers, owners, landlords, contractors, subcontractors, architects, and other design professionals in complex construction contract, project administration, lien, and construction litigation matters. A LEED® Accredited Professional, Leslie advises clients on sustainable building issues and brings extensive experience in construction litigation and alternative dispute resolution. She is consistently recognized by leading legal and real estate publications for her work in construction and real estate law.