Litigation and Trial Practice

We work closely with clients to design business procedures and to structure transactions in order to reduce risks and to avoid disputes. Although we generally describe the focus of our practice to be "complex" commercial litigation, the litigation matters entrusted to our firm are diverse and varied. Our lawyers regularly counsel and represent clients in connection with real estate and property disputes, employers' rights and labor disputes, family law, estate administration and probate contests, first party insurance defense, third party insurance defense of commercial and construction liability claims, lender liability and troubled-debt restructuring, franchisee rights and obligations, the dissolution and reorganization of corporations, partnerships and joint ventures, the analysis of antitrust issues, copyright and trademark infringements, and most types of disputes and problems that arise in the daily course of life and commerce.

We regularly appear before all state and federal courts, including the United States Bankruptcy Court and the United States Tax Court, and before governmental agencies and administrative boards. We also have extensive experience in all types of arbitration and mediation proceedings.

Criminal Defense Practice

We represent clients accused of the most mundane misdemeanor offenses to all serious felonies, including murder. We assist clients in California, Florida and New York in both state and federal courts. Our practice extends to white-collar crime and RICO prosecutions. We also practice in the area of sophisticated foreign intelligence surveillance law. As experienced trial attorneys, we welcome the level playing field of jury trials as our client's best chance at justice.

A substantial portion of our practice is dedicated to serving lenders and developers in real estate transactions. We provide assistance and guidance to our clients in all aspects of real estate acquisition, development, construction, financing and disposition.

Our professional staff has represented both creditors and debtors in all phases of Chapter 7, 11, and 13 bankruptcy cases. We counsel clients regarding the best and most appropriate strategy by which to preserve and to recover as much as possible from a bankruptcy estate. Outside of the bankruptcy arena, we have developed an efficient and effective system for the collection of accounts receivable, commercial and residential mortgages, consumer loans and other contract obligations.

We regularly represent institutional lenders, mortgage companies, private investors and property vendors in the foreclosure of mortgages granted to secure loans made to a variety of borrowers throughout the state of Florida. We are attuned to the varying and rigorous needs of clients seeking to recover defaulted loans and restructure troubled-debt relationships.

We work together with our clients to select and implement the most appropriate business structure. We offer clients the opportunity to evaluate the benefits of various business formats and ensure that all statutory and regulatory requirements are fulfilled.

We assist friends and clients with the recognition of important personal issues that affect their families and their businesses. Through the use of wills, revocable and irrevocable trusts, life insurance trusts, generation-skipping transfers, family limited partnerships, gift transfers and other planning opportunities, we seek to avoid the vagaries of probate proceedings and to optimize favorable tax treatment.

Our firm strives to achieve timely and maximum results in the aggressive defense of claims made against medical and legal practitioners through effective case preparation techniques. All malpractice defense matters are directed with equal energy, relentless attention to detail, and impassioned focus upon client needs.

Members of our professional team work closely with our clients who are undergoing family disruptions. When appropriate, firm professionals with experience in income taxation, real estate, corporations, and estate planning lend assistance to ensure full consideration of all issues and consequences that may require attention in the dissolution process.