Akerman LLP > Tampa, United States > Firm Profile

Akerman LLP > The Legal 500 Rankings

M&A/corporate and commercial > M&A: middle-market (sub-$500m) Tier 1

A leader for middle-market M&A in Florida, Akerman LLP’s group also draws on corporate specialists from across its extensive national platform. Primarily active on behalf of private equity investors and their portfolio companies, the team also acts for a broad range of public and privately owned strategics and entrepreneurs in buy and sell-side M&A, spin-offs, leveraged recapitalizations and buyouts, and investment transactions. Miami-based Jonathan Awner co-chairs the overarching corporate department and is noted for his strong activity in the car dealership space. David Birke co-chairs the department from Fort Lauderdale and acted for a string of private equity clients on M&A deals during 2023/24, with a focus on the manufacturing and life sciences sectors. Rounding out the senior partners is Miami’s Carl Roston, who is a former corporate co-chair and has a significant private equity dimension to his practice. Additionally, West Palm Beach-based E. Paul Quinn, Fort Lauderdale’s Martin Burkett and Miami-based Kenneth Wiggins co-head the M&A and private equity area and are routinely involved in mid-market transactions. Miami partners Santiago Assalini and Sergey Kotelnikov are also key contacts for M&A work.

Real estate > Land use/zoning Tier 1

Praised for its ‘intricate’ knowledge of zoning and regulation law, Akerman LLP fields a multi-state land use and development practice which represents developers, owners, architects, and other real estate actors. Spencer Crowley and Joshua Rinesmith co-chair the department from their respective Miami and New York bases. Miami office co-head Neisen Kasdin helps his clients navigate the approval process during their large, multi-phase projects and is strong on ‘municipal issues’, while recent joiner Dennis Kerbel is knowledgeable regarding historic preservation and environmental matters. Chicago’s Meg George, Los Angeles’ Lisa Kolieb, and New York’s Jaclyn Scarinci are all key names for zoning, permitting, and licensing matters. In New York, Eleanore Martins handles many state-specific projects and regularly petitions city agencies for land use approvals. In the firm’s adjacent residential development practice, Orlando-based James McNeil can be leant on during ‘complicated deals and transactions’ and often secures entitlements on behalf of his clients.

Dispute resolution > E-discovery Tier 3

Akerman LLP is highly proficient at providing e-discovery solutions to a host of clients. Elan Hersh spearheads the group from Fort Lauderdale, with expertise across the full scope of discovery and experience representing clients in both state and federal courts. David Grasher is also a key individual, with notable experience representing clients in medical device, mass tort and product liability matters.

Insurance > Advice to insurers Tier 3

The practice at Akerman LLP spans a spectrum of salient contentious insurance matters, with the nationwide team handling class actions, coverage disputes, and bad faith suits for a wide range of insurer clients. The team’s first co-head Lawrence Rochefort  is based in West Palm Beach, other co-head Jason Oletsky handles matters from the Fort Lauderdale office, Amy Doehring leads the team from Chicago, and final co-lead Michael Weiss is based in LA. Key Miami-based litigator Gary Guzzi is central to the team, as is Dallas-based Matthew Schroeder, who specializes in high-stakes environmental litigation and compliance issues, including PFAS exposures and COVID-19 coverage disputes. Also in Dallas, Elliot Strader is tapped for personal injury and oil and gas-related insurance disputes. In Atlanta, Anthony Morris acts for global insurers in various litigations, and Robin Johnson is a key contact for bad faith matters. Antonio Morin sits in the Miami office, navigating bad faith, appellate, breach of contract, and declaratory judgment work. Jason Heep focuses on environmental torts.

Labor and employment > Immigration Tier 3

Akerman LLP is experienced at counselling US and international companies and their employees on all aspects of immigration and nationality law, as well as handling tax and visa planning for HNW foreign entrepreneurs and investors. The team also works on immigration compliance programs for companies and institutions. Denise Gavica Perez sits at the head of the practice is skilled at managing immigration cases for visas and immigration planning. Maria Casablanca is a key asset of the practice and has extensive experience handling EB-5 matters. Anthony El-Hashem is also a key member of the team. All lawyers mentioned are based in Miami.

Real estate > Construction (including construction litigation) Tier 3

Akerman LLP‘s attorneys are experienced in handling a range of projects, from tunnels and highways to data centers and government facilities. Washington DC’s Jeffrey Gilmore heads the practice and ‘sets a high bar’ with his P3 project expertise encompassing sectors such as renewable energy, transportation, and wastewater systems. Leslie Miller Tomczak leads the Fort Lauderdale office where she advises on various asset classes including hotels, hospitals and high-rises, and is adept at dealing with sustainability issues. Fort Lauderdale’s Stacy Bercun Bohm  – with the support of DC’s Daniel Miktus, is currently advising Westend Properties Limited on its multi-million-dollar renovation of the Fairmont Southampton Hotel. In DC, Stephen Hurlbut focuses on government contract litigation involving delays and scheduling issues, while Orlando’s George Tate handles a broader range of defects, delays, and payment disputes.

Real estate Tier 3

Akerman LLP‘s real estate practice group advises a wide range of clients throughout the US market, working with investors, developers, lenders, owners, and corporate end users in connection with various transactional matters. The team is involved in major real estate leasings, developments, financings, and the construction of some of the largest projects both in Florida and across the US. Eric Rapkin, chair of the real estate practice group, is based in Fort Lauderdale and focuses his practice on sophisticated commercial real estate transactions on behalf of developers, investors, and investment funds. The team is strengthened by co-deputy chairs Lawrence Eiben, based in Chicago, and Allison Nelson, based in Denver. Eiben regularly acts on behalf of REITs, real estate funds, and joint ventures, while Nelson has a developed practice representing healthcare systems in real estate transactions.

Tax > US taxes: contentious Tier 3

In Akerman LLP‘s tax practice, the SALT group is the largest component, and it handles complex tax controversy cases nationwide, be they administrative appeals or trials. It frequently handles cases for well-known corporates, among them Skechers and PetMeds, that address novel tax issues  and matters of first impression. Alongside state and local matters – where its network of offices across the US proves to be a key differentiator – the firm is increasingly involved in contentious tax matters at federal level, including recent cases in the aviation and healthcare sectors. Peter Larsen in Jacksonville and David Blum in Chicago are co-chairs of the tax practice. Stefi George in New York leads the SALT practice, which is active nationwide. Michael Bowen in Jacksonville and Lorie Fale in Miami are mainstays of the firm’s tax litigation practice in Florida. Bowen recently acted for Skechers in a case concerning $500m in deductions claimed by the company.

Labor and employment > Labor and employment disputes (including collective actions) Tier 4

Akerman LLP is active in a range of employment litigation matters, notably class and collective actions under federal, state and local employment laws and the FLSA. The group is especially knowledgeable of wage and hour issues and discrimination claims. West Palm Beach-based Eric Gordon co-heads the group and has experience in federal and state jury trials, class actions and claims before administrative agencies. Marissa Alguire also co-heads the group from Los Angeles and specializes in wage and hour class actions and PAGA claims. Emily Patajo supports Alguire in the Los Angeles office and is active in wrongful termination and discrimination matters.

Dispute resolution > International arbitration