Robert Alexander focuses his practice on all aspects of commercial real estate transactions, including the acquisition, development, financing, leasing, and disposition of real property. 

Beau Baker focuses his practice on real estate capital markets, securitizations, financial services, structured and commercial finance, creditors' rights, loan portfolio management and servicing, and financial restructuring. He represents traditional and non-traditional lenders in a variety of…

Rob Barkin's practice involves the representation of clients in all aspects of commercial real estate matters. Rob represents community, regional and national institutional lenders in construction and permanent loan transactions secured by real property as well as distressed asset loan restructuring…

Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Construction Law and a LEED® Accredited Professional, Stacy Bercun Bohm represents developers, contractors, subcontractors, and design professionals in complex construction contract, project administration, and litigation matters. She is one of the first lawyers…

William ("Bill") Bernfeld focuses his practice on real estate and commercial law. He regularly assists clients in acquisitions and dispositions, leasing, and financing of real estate projects in a variety of sectors throughout California including office, retail, restaurant, hospitality, and…

Joshua Bernstein serves as the co-chair of Akerman’s Hospitality Sector Team, a multidisciplinary group providing an extensive range of legal counsel and services to lodging and lifestyle companies. Josh's clients include hotel owners and operators, commercial property owners, lenders,…

Richard Bezold immerses himself in the details of a deal, helping clients maximize their investments and advance their business objectives. Chambers USA notes that he is sought after for his "considerable experience advising on real estate acquisitions and dispositions, joint ventures, financing and…

Jarrett Bingemann represents residential homebuilders, master planned community developers, commercial property owners, and institutional investors on all aspects of the evaluation, acquisition, sale, and development of properties throughout the United States. In addition, Jarrett has experience…

Robert Bowser represents developers, homebuilders, private equity groups, and investors in all phases of the acquisition, development, and sale of real property in Florida. From structuring the purchase of scattered finished lots for privately-held homebuilders to developing complex commercial,…

Robert Chaskes is an esteemed trial lawyer with more than 35 years of experience in a wide range of complex commercial litigation, including jury and bench trials in state and federal courts across the United States. Among other matters, Mr. Chaskes has defended numerous class actions and has tried…

Janis Cheezem leases, buys, sells, and finances office buildings and mixed use, retail, residential, and industrial real estate for her clients, also providing counsel for property management issues and in workouts and restructurings of commercial real estate assets. She is recognized by Who's Who…

Ginny Childs is the Orlando Office Managing Partner. She is a commercial litigator with significant experience in business torts, complex commercial foreclosures, non-compete agreements, creditors' rights, and real estate and lender liability. Clients turn to Ginny for help with their most…

Steven Chudnow focuses his practice on commercial real estate and real estate finance. Steven advises lenders (banks, debt funds, REITS, and family offices), owners, and developers on a diverse range of complex real estate financing matters, ranging from complex mortgage, mezzanine, bridge and…

With comprehensive knowledge across all asset classes, Dana Clayton represents clients in real estate litigation in federal and state court. Her clients include Fortune 100 financial institutions, REITs, developers, retailers, and public and private real estate companies in disputes in financing,…

Alan Cohen serves as co-office managing partner of Akerman’s New York office. With more than 30 years of experience, Alan has handled virtually every type of commercial real estate transaction over the course of his career. He is a real estate strategist, providing clients with a comprehensive view…

Spencer Crowley's practice focuses on large scale land use and environmental permitting matters, including zoning, growth management, urban development, transportation, sovereignty submerged lands, coastal regulation, marina permitting, wetlands, and water resources. He has worked with the…

Donald David is a litigator with experience in real estate, entertainment, estates, close corporations and partnerships, intellectual property and financing disputes. His clients include the estate of an internationally known rap artist (as well as other entertainers), the widow of the owner of one…

Aileen Davis represents financial institutions in a range of lending transactions and loan workouts. She has been recognized by The Best Lawyers in America for her work, including “Lawyer of the Year” honors for banking and finance law in Tampa. Aileen’s experience includes working on real estate…

Sandy Davis advises privately-held and publicly-traded companies, high-net worth investors, and investment funds on a broad range of U.S. and international tax matters. His practice is both transactional and advisory, focusing on corporate, M&A, partnership, finance, joint venture, real estate,…

John Dicks has a robust and diverse practice, in litigation, land use, and bankruptcy. As a litigator, John has experience in a wide variety of cases, but focuses primarily on business litigation and legal malpractice defense. Other litigation experience includes fraudulent transfers, D&O…

Thomas Diorio represents clients in connection with the financing, acquisition, sale, leasing, and development of a full range of real estate assets including office buildings, shopping centers, hotels, warehouses, mixed-use properties and U.S. ports. He also assists clients with real estate issues…

Lawrence Eiben focuses his practice on a range of transactional matters for commercial real estate clients. He represents REITs, real estate funds, real estate joint ventures, and developers in connection with acquisitions, sales, developments and financing of office buildings, shopping centers,…

As a former general counsel for a leading real estate developer, owner, and operator and decades of market experience, Bill Ellis provides his clients with a comprehensive real estate perspective. He represents private equity funds, global financial institutions, investment banks, REITs, other…

Carol Faber has extensive experience representing clients for over 30 years in a wide range of real estate transactions, including financing, leasing, and acquisition and sale transactions. Her financing experience includes representing borrowers and lenders in mortgage loans, ranging from several…

A leading corporate and securities lawyer, Paul Foley serves as Chair of Akerman’s Investment Management Practice Group. Paul also serves as the Managing Partner of Akerman’s North Carolina office. He offers his clients practical, business-oriented solutions. Paul focuses his practice on…

A veteran lawyer with three decades of experience, Dean Freitag represents lenders and corporations in a range of financing matters. Notably, Dean has represented clients in hundreds of multimillion dollar loan transactions, of all sizes, including syndicated or participated loans involving mortgage…

Irene Bassel Frick serves as the managing partner of Akerman's Tampa office. A trial lawyer with experience in state and federal court, arbitrations, and administrative proceedings, Irene has a multifaceted litigation practice encompassing contractual disputes, class action defense, fiduciary duty…

Tom Fullerton represents financial institutions in all facets of the loan cycle from origination to refinance to workouts and bankruptcy proceedings, including complex commercial litigation. He also represents clients in financings and other commercial transactions.  In his bankruptcy practice,…

Anne Marie Garavaglia has nearly 30 years of experience in commercial real estate finance and capital markets as both an in-house attorney for Fortune 50 corporations and as a partner in Am Law 100 ranked law firms. She focuses her practice on real estate capital markets, securitizations, structured…

An experienced business litigator with a national practice and deep local roots, Christian George serves as managing partner of Akerman’s Jacksonville office and on the firm's national board of directors. He devotes his practice to protecting the rights of Fortune 500 companies and small businesses,…

A versatile tax lawyer, Stefi George advises clients in tax planning, compliance, controversy, and litigation. Versed in state and local, international and federal taxation, clients value her expansive knowledge of the intricacies of tax issues and her ability to navigate complex tax issues in all…

Brenda Goerks' broad real estate practice focuses on local and national transactions for foreign and domestic clients in the acquisition, sale, financing, development, management, operation, and leasing of real estate including automotive dealerships, agricultural, luxury homes, privately developed…

Sahar Hakakian represents investors, owners, lenders, and developers in diverse real estate matters, including joint ventures, development, acquisitions and dispositions, financing, operation, and leasing of various assets. The real estate asset types covered by Sahar’s practice range from office…

Maureen Hannon focuses her practice on commercial real estate transactions with particular emphasis on domestic and international acquisitions and sales, and real estate finance for clients in the healthcare, affordable housing and construction, and hospitality industries. She regularly represents…

Andrea Hartley is the co-chair of Akerman’s Bankruptcy and Reorganization Practice Group, a nationally recognized team serving as bankruptcy counsel or receivers in many of the largest bankruptcy filings in the United States. An experienced bankruptcy and creditors’ rights litigator, Andrea counsels…

Robin Heimann is a transactional real estate attorney with over 25 years of experience representing lenders, investors, borrowers, and developers in all aspects of commercial real estate transactions in a variety of sectors. She has represented financial institutions, banks, insurance companies, and…

With a wealth of experience in complex commercial real estate transactions, Marc Heller focuses his practice on acquisitions and dispositions of multifamily properties and development throughout the United States and related joint ventures and debt. Marc helps clients navigate complex ownership…

Dan Jacobson advises private equity funds and mid-size public and private entities, family offices and high net worth individuals with respect to their material or non-routine business transactions including mergers and acquisitions and debt and equity financings and investments. His practice is…

With an established record of creative and effective advocacy, Cindy Laquidara navigates complex litigation matters, from administrative hearings to federal and state trials and appeals. Cindy has 70 published opinions in state and federal trial and appellate courts. Her practice serves municipal…

A commercial real estate and transactional attorney with experience spanning a variety of areas, Robert Leapley represents investors, borrowers, developers, financial institutions, and landowners in loan workouts and restructurings, joint venture agreements, historic tax credit transactions, EB-5…

With a focus on land use, environmental law and litigation, Rick Leland has more than 45 years’ experience representing real estate developers, universities, non-profit organizations, and industrial companies on the environmental aspects of real estate transactions, development, and land use. Rick’s…

Mark Lichtenstein focuses his practice on a broad range of corporate and bankruptcy matters, including restructuring of private equity portfolio companies, bankruptcy litigation, and the acquisition of assets in bankruptcy cases, as well as workouts, creditors’ rights litigation,…

Jason S. Lichtstein serves as managing partner of Akerman’s Atlanta office. Jason focuses his practice on the cleanup and redevelopment of brownfields and other contaminated sites in the Southeast U.S. His practice includes a broad range of environmental transactional, environmental regulatory…

Christopher McCranie focuses his practice on all aspects of commercial real estate transactions. Christopher represents community, regional, and national institutional lenders in permanent and development loan transactions secured by real and personal property, as well as distressed asset loan…

Mark McElree focuses his practice on real estate transactions, finance, and oil and gas matters. His clients include real estate developers, owners and investors, national and multi-national corporations and money center banks, insurance companies, and other financial institutions. Mark also…

Jim McNeil serves as chair of Akerman's Residential Development Practice, a highly experienced team representing national builders and developers of master planned and mixed-use residential communities throughout the real estate development process.  Jim represents developers, homebuilders, and…

Andy Mendoza represents clients in the areas of joint ventures, private investment funds, mergers and acquisitions, securities, and corporate governance.  Andy focuses his practice on representing clients in real estate joint venture transactions, private placements and real estate private…

Robyn Neely focuses her practice on environmental site contamination issues related to real estate and corporate sales and acquisitions, and leases, including pre-acquisition, pre-leasing and pre-foreclosure due diligence analysis. Her practice also includes managing the investigation and…

Kinan Obeidin focuses his practice on real estate finance, real estate capital markets, structured finance, and financial services. He represents banks, life insurance companies, REITs, debt funds, and other traditional and non-traditional lenders in the origination of commercial mortgage loans and…

David Otero’s national practice focuses on bankruptcy and tax litigation and counseling. A partner in both the Tax and Bankruptcy & Reorganization Practice Groups, his clients include Citigroup, Capital One, Nissan, Santander Bank, Sears, Synchrony Financial, U.S. Bank, Venus Fashion, and…

With over 30 years of experience in commercial real estate and financing transactions, Tracy Plott has significant experience in asset-based financing, restructuring of debt obligations, bond financing, joint ventures, syndications of loans, and limited partnerships. Her lending practice encompasses…

Steve Polivy serves as chair of Akerman's Economic Development and Incentives Practice. He represents developers, international investors, Fortune 500 companies, family-owned businesses, and other real estate end-users in securing crucial government incentives and tax benefits for major urban…

Having successfully represented prominent developers and home builders, Robert Poppell maintains a vibrant real estate development and transactional practice. He represents developers of large scale, mixed-use planned developments, as well as residential home builders, in connection with…

Eric Rapkin serves as Chair of Akerman’s Real Estate Practice Group, one of the nation’s top-ranked real estate legal teams representing developers, investors, and other real estate end users in complex transactions, development and redevelopment projects, public-private initiatives, loan…

Jerry Reichelscheimer chairs Akerman’s Retail Leasing and Development Practice and primarily represents clients in commercial, warehouse, retail, office, and ground leasing and well as in the completion of sales and acquisitions of real property and the acquisition of public and private sector…

Joshua Rinesmith focuses on real estate development, with a concentration in land use and zoning law and related transactional matters. He advises property owners, developers, architects and engineers on New York City zoning compliance and the development potential of property throughout the city.…

Susan Robin works with clients in all facets of commercial real estate transactions, with a strong concentration in advising developers, owners, and operators of condominiums, hotels, resorts, and mixed-use real estate developments throughout the United States and the Caribbean. She is board…

Larry Rochefort is the chair of Akerman’s Litigation Practice Group, a leading team of trial lawyers advising companies in complex litigation and arbitration across the United States and Latin America. Larry is recognized for Bet-the-Company Litigation by The Best Lawyers in America and as a…

Paul Russo focuses his practice on commercial real estate matters. He has experience in multi-jurisdictional transactions involving the acquisition, sale, financing, leasing, and development of retail, office, and industrial properties. Paul represents REITS, real estate funds, real estate joint…

Grasford Smith, President of the Palm Beach County Bar Association, focuses his practice on complex commercial litigation matters and is certified by the Supreme Court of Florida as a Circuit Civil Mediator. He has experience representing a diverse range of clients, including Fortune 500 companies,…

With more than 15 years of experience, Adam Swick focuses his practice on bankruptcy and complex commercial litigation matters. He has a robust international practice and has filed a multitude of Chapter 15 bankruptcy cases, many of which have resulted in critical opinions that helped shape the…

John Thompson focuses his practice on complex Chapter 11 cases and debtor and creditor rights. He handles business reorganizations and cross-border insolvency matters, and has extensive experience representing debtors, creditors, acquirers, landlords, and equity holders both in and out of court…

Leslie Tomczak serves as managing partner of Akerman’s Fort Lauderdale office. She 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,…

Andrew Wamsley concentrates his practice on all aspects of retail and industrial leasing and development transactions. He works with developers, retailers, and owners of office buildings, shopping centers, hotels, and industrial properties. 

Gary Whitlock represents major financial institutions in a broad range of transactions. He routinely represents lenders making commercial and real estate loans, and has assisted his clients with loan restructurings and workouts. Gary also has significant experience working on loans to companies in…

John Busey Wood advises public and private companies on real estate acquisitions, facilities management, construction and development, commercial, hospitality, retail, and ground leasing, commercial property management, and brokerage. For more than 45 years, John has represented owners in the design…

With more than three decades of national experience in a broad range of real estate transactions, Samuel Zylberberg is a leading authority in the representation of financial institutions, private equity funds and real estate investors in real estate financing transactions (including balance…