Brian L. Lerner

Cathy Stutin is a partner in the firm's Fort Lauderdale office. She represents employers throughout the United States in state and federal courts, as well as before the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL), the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), and other state and federal agencies. In her 25 years of practice in management-side labor and employment law, Cathy has tried cases involving claims for sexual harassment, race, religious and disability discrimination, retaliation, and Emplo...

David Birke serves as co-chair of Akerman’s M&A and Private Equity Practice Group. David’s practice focuses on representing private equity funds, family offices and their portfolio companies in complex acquisitions, divestitures, recapitalizations, restructurings, growth capital investments, and debt and equity financings. David’s wide ranging practice also encompasses representing other private and public companies with corporate governance, joint ventures, executive co...

With over 20 years of litigation and trial experience, Phillip Howell provides clients with early, accurate case assessments, always focused on trial outcomes and mediation strategy. He practices in commercial and insurance litigation with an emphasis on first-party insurance, maritime, construction defect, and professional negligence defense. A licensed Florida CPA, Phillip uses his accounting background to quickly analyze expert findings and financial issues. He also handles complex transac...

Harsh Arora is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation. Harsh, who practices law in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, has been recognized since 2022. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Harsh is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

D. Brett Marks represents troubled companies, secured and unsecured creditors, asset purchasers, private equity groups, trustees, and creditors’ committees in Chapter 7 and Chapter 11 cases, out-of-court workouts, and litigation matters. Brett also has significance experience representing and counseling officers and directors of insolvent companies, including defense of alleged breach of fiduciary duty claims and other claims of malfeasance. Brett’s experience extends across a num...

Rose M. La Femina is a Florida Bar Board Certified Wills, Trusts and Estates Attorney who focuses her practice in the areas of estate planning, trust and estate administration, probate and trust litigation, and tax. Rose represents business owners, corporate executives, wealthy individuals and professionals and their families with a wide-range of estate planning issues. Rose also represents individuals and corporate fiduciaries in probate and trust administration and litigation matters, inclu...

Denise L. Schneider , Principal/Shareholder, is Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Marital and Family Law and a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. Ms. Schneider earned her J.D. (magna cum laude) as well as her Bachelor of Science from Nova Southeastern University. Prior to joining the firm in 2007, Ms. Schneider worked in several Fort Lauderdale area boutique marital and family law practices. Following her admittance to The Florida Bar in 2002, Ms. Schneider has strictl...

Gary M. Cohen has been practicing law in the State of Florida for 40 years and during that time has helped hundreds of victims of medical malpractice receive full compensation for the disastrous injuries that have occurred to them or their loved ones. Mr. Cohen has concentrated his practice almost exclusively in the area of medical malpractice for his entire career and is nationally recognized for his expertise in that area. ProfileAssociationsNews & MediaBioGary M. Cohen has been practic...

Mr. Rosenthal was born in Miami, Florida. He received his B.A. from the University of Virginia in 1986 and his Juris Doctorate (with honors), from the University of Florida College of Law in 1989, where he served on served on the law school’s Journal of Law and Public Policy. He served as an intern for United States Magistrate Judge William C. Turnoff. After many years in private practice, in August 1997, Mr. Rosenthal formed Reimer Rosenthal where he practiced until July 1, 2012, when ...

Dan McCawley focuses his practice on real estate matters. Dan represents several distressed asset funds acquiring distressed loan portfolios, bulk condo purchases, REO and other distressed real estate. He has broad experience in the sale, purchase and leasing of commercial and residential properties including shopping centers, office buildings, industrial warehouses, apartment complexes, restaurants, golf courses, hotel projects and undeveloped land. His practice also includes acting as lendi...