The Legal 500

Within Immigration, Akerman Senterfitt is a third tier firm,

Akerman Senterfitt’s Michael Benchetrit and Thomas Raleigh co-chair the immigration planning and compliance practice. ‘The overall service levels are outstanding. Quick response times, knowledgeable staff with good people skills are the hallmarks of the firm’. The firm deals with all immigration issues, but specializes in representing multinational corporations and foreign clients in US inbound investment, including the relocation of operations or investment in US businesses. Raleigh is ‘a thoughtful and skilled legal professional with a genuine interest in his clients’. ‘He has provided peace of mind for an international company with little experience in the USA’. Of note, the firm has particular expertise in the healthcare and hospitality industries, providing clients with specialized expertise in immigration-specific matters, and advising seasonal resorts on hiring temporary workers in the H-2B category. The firm also has a specialized multi-practice EB-5 team, representing high-net-worth foreign national entrepreneurs and investors in the planning, managing, and filing of specialized petitions in the EB-5 immigrant investor category. Highlight work included the representation of a major European airline with respect to non- immigrant petitions (H-1B) and labor certification/immigrant visa petitions for senior executive based in the United States. The firm was also involved with the planning for the transfer of senior management into the US as part of a corporate affiliation with two other major international airlines. The firm also represented the Institute of Internal Auditors Inc with respect to non-immigrant (H-1B) petitions and labor certification/immigrant visa petitions for professional positions and general immigration counsel provided to its human resources personnel. Barry Gleen left the firm to join Abrams, Fensterman, Fensterman, Eisman, Greenberg, Formato & Einiger, LLP.

Within M&A: middle-market ($500m-999m), Akerman Senterfitt is a third tier firm,

Particularly known for its Florida M&A practice, Akerman Senterfitt’s national corporate practice has particular expertise in middle-market transactions across a wide range of industries, including healthcare, automotive, sports and waste management. ‘While often mentioned as the largest law firm in Florida, in my book, it is one of the top law firms in the US in terms of quality of work’. Other clients say that ‘it is outstanding, provides very prompt response times and offers good value’. The firm serves clients across the US and in Latin America from offices in Florida, New York, and Washington DC. Recent growth involved Carlos Mendez-Penate in New York joining from Thompson & Knight LLP, bringing extensive experience in investing and financing assignments in Latin America and the Caribbean, including M&A and real estate acquisitions on behalf of Latin American-based financial institutions and US and European entities. His clients include multinational banks, private equity firms, insurance companies, investment banks and Latin American corporations. Mendez-Penate also has vast experience in the telecommunications, agribusiness, and energy sectors. Ian Pesses in Boca Raton arrived from Butzel Long, bringing more than 30 years of experience in M&A, with a special focus on representing closely-held businesses including start-ups, and growth and hi-tech ventures. Tysons Corner/Washington DC-based Ernest Stern joined from Seyfarth Shaw and represents public and private emerging technology companies. The firm advised inVentiv Health, a leading provider of end-to-end clinical development, launch, and commercialization services to the global pharmaceutical and healthcare industries, through its $1.2bn acquisition by private equity firm, Thomas H Lee Partners. It also acted for The GEO Group, an industry leader in providing private correctional, detention, and residential treatment services to federal, state, and local government agencies, in the acquisition of Cornell Companies, a leading operator of 68 correctional and treatment facilities. Enterprise Acquisition, a SPAC, was assisted in its merger, valued at approximately $250m, with ARMOUR Residential REIT. The practice also acted for Sunair Services Corporation in its sale to Massey Services for approximately $55m, the combined company being one of the largest companies in the pest management industry. Woodbridge Holdings Corporation, a publicly traded owner of interests in timeshare communities, was represented in its sale to publicly-traded holding company, BFC Financial Corporation, and Steiner Leisure was advised in its $100m acquisition of Bliss World Holdings, a spa and skincare company with global operations, from Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide. Trivest Partners, a private equity firm, was assisted in its acquisition and recapitalization of Endeavor Telecom, a leading provider of turnkey installation services to telecommunications businesses throughout North America. Miami-based national corporate chair Jonathan Awner was lead counsel for Republic Services in its industry-transforming $12.9bn merger with Allied Waste Industries. Awner ‘has great judgment, business acumen and technical legal skills’. Co-M&A and private equity chair Teddy Klinghoffer is ‘great for M&A and for relationship management’. In Miami, Scott Wasserman also ‘does a good job for clients. He is results-oriented and a big-picture thinker’. Carl Roston is also recommended.

Within Construction (including construction litigation), Akerman Senterfitt is a third tier firm,

Akerman Senterfitt’s construction practice works closely with the firm’s real estate group in handling both contentious and non-contentious aspects of construction projects. The team has a national reach and handles a wide range of instructions involving healthcare services, sports facilities, mixed-use developments, military housing, transportation, infrastructure projects and power generation facilities. The ‘willing and ready’ team includes seven core partners who practice construction law full time. Led by practice chair Jeffrey Gilmore, the team has a strong reputation in eastern states and ‘first-class business acumen and knowledge’. The team’s expertise extends beyond day-to-day construction issues to government contracts and environmental dredging projects, where the group is currently involved in one of the largest sediment remediation projects in the US. The firm also has a niche practice in the defense of defect cases involving Chinese drywall, with Stacy Bercun Bohm, who has ‘incomparable construction knowledge’, a key driver; she is currently representing Florida developers and a general contractor as lead counsel in multimillion-dollar class-action litigation filed by homeowners and condominium owners involving over 200 properties. Transactional highlights included acting for Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority on a $75m bus maintenance facility; the firm is assisting in the drafting and negotiation of a master development agreement and a design-build and construction co-ordination agreement for the project. Other noteworthy clients include Target Corporation, Jefferson Apartment Group and New World Symphony.

Within Land use/zoning , Akerman Senterfitt is a second tier firm,

Akerman Senterfitt handles land use mandates from its New York City, Miami, Tallahassee and Orlando offices. The team, led by Neisen Kasdin, is active across both Florida and New York, bringing to bear significant experience in urban infill, mixed-use projects and developments of regional impact (DRI). The group recently represented a major retailer in New York on the re-zoning and expansion of its flagship store. Other headline work included assisting Consultatio Key Biscayne, an Argentina-based developer entity, in obtaining development permits and defending its site plan approval for a $150m ten-acre luxury oceanfront condominium project in Miami.

Within Real estate, tier 4

Akerman Senterfitt has a strong presence in Florida and offices throughout Colorado, Texas, Wisconsin, Virginia, Nevada, New York and California. Richard Bezold, the real estate department chair, and Janice Russell represented The GEO Group, one of the largest providers of private correctional and detention management services, on its $750m corporate credit facility secured by multiple privately owned and operated correctional facilities located in nine states. Carol Faber advised Steiner Leisure, a publicly traded company, on its corporate acquisition of $100m worth of spa and office leases throughout the US and the UK. Robert Poppell recently acted for Kolter Land Partners on its acquisition of Victoria Park, a tract of land comprising part-built and built homes from The St Joe Company. Michael Bailkin represented International Gemstone Project on the tentative financing of a 600,000 sq ft gemstone center in New York City’s Diamond District. The team has also been active with workout and restructuring matters for developers and borrowers, and counts Wachovia, Parc Management and Albee Retail Development as clients. George Powell, who recently joined the firm from Duane Morris LLP, is an eminent domain specialist; and William Sklar, who recently joined from Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge LLP, is an expert on the Interstate Land Sales Full Disclosure Act (ILSA).