The South Florida Business Journal has named four Akerman partners to its “2025 Power Leaders in Law & Accounting” list: West Palm Beach Office Managing Partner Chris Duke, Miami Co-Office Managing Partners Luis A. Perez and Neisen Kasdin, and Fort Lauderdale Office Managing Partner Leslie Tomczak.
As individuals and organizations face domestic and international issues that require elevated expertise, the Power Leaders are recognized for their “skills and acumen to guide clients of all kinds and caliber toward future success.”
Chris has a diverse practice in employment law and complex commercial litigation. He represents clients in federal and state courts, as well as in various arbitration forums and before federal, state, and local administrative bodies. His clients operate across multiple sectors, including hospitality, travel/recreation, healthcare, retail, financial services, and alternative energy. Chris maintains a robust thought leadership profile, frequently conducting lectures to employer and trade groups on aspects of employment law and compliance. He has been continually ranked for his labor and employment acumen by Best Lawyers, among other publications.
Neisen is a partner in the firm’s Real Estate Practice Group and well-respected in Miami, having served as mayor of Miami Beach and a leader in the revitalization of South Beach. He has also served as vice chair of the board of directors for the Miami Downtown Development Authority and was responsible for leading the creation of Miami’s Downtown Master Plan. In addition to large-scale projects, Neisen has represented clients in developments in emerging Miami neighborhoods such as Little Haiti and Wynwood. He is recognized by Chambers USA and The Legal 500 as a leading land use and zoning lawyer in Florida.
Luis chairs the firm’s Latin America and the Caribbean Practice, an internationally recognized team providing legal counsel across multiple disciplines. His practice, ranked national by Legal 500 and globally by Chambers & Partners, focuses on international matters, specifically complex commercial disputes, including claims for breach of contract and resulting damages. Luis has been listed as one of Latin America’s Top 100 Lawyers by Latinvex and named by Chambers Global among the “Leaders in their Field” for International Arbitration (Latin America-wide).
Leslie is a construction attorney, Board Certified by the Florida Bar in Construction Law, whose practice focuses primarily on the representation of lenders, developers, owners, landlords, contractors, subcontractors, architects, and other design professionals in a wide range of complex construction contract, project administration, lien, and construction litigation matters. She is also a LEED® Accredited Professional who represents clients with respect to sustainable (e.g. “green”) building issues. Additionally, Leslie has extensive litigation and alternative dispute resolution experience, is an active member of the Construction Law Committee (CLC) of the Florida Bar, and writes frequently on matters relating to construction contracting in Florida.