Christopher Alas

Ben has been active for more than 30 years helping to transform properties throughout Miami-Dade County and the City of Miami by representing landowners, institutional clients and developers on land use and zoning matters. His practice covers local and state real estate permitting and licensing, zoning, site plan and other land use approvals, amendments of zoning code, local comprehensive plans, and master plans, due diligence reviews, concurrency, public-private partnerships, and environment...

Benjamin M. Esco is a partner in the firm’s Miami/Key West office. He has practiced as an Insurance Defense Trial Lawyer for thirty-six years. His emphasis is in Trucking Accident Defense, Negligent Security, Premises Liability Defense, for Commercial, Residential, and Hospitality Industry clients, including hotels, restaurants, and liquor establishments. He also practices in the defense of Nursing Homes, Auto Negligence, Condominiums and Homeowners’ Associations, Construction Def...

Deborah Chames is a seasoned family law attorney who represents clients in all aspects of family law, including divorce, post judgment proceedings, enforcement proceedings, paternity actions, preparation of prenuptial and postnuptial agreements, and mediation. Prior to joining Kluger Kaplan, she was a partner at Heller & Chames, P.A. since its founding in 1989. She has been appointed by a number of Dade County Circuit Judges as Guardian-Ad-Litem in matrimonial matters involving children&r...

Juan C. Martinez is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation, Construction Law and Real Estate Law. Juan C., who practices law in Miami, Florida, has been recognized since 2023. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Juan C. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Practice description Stewart Kasner is a Private Wealth Services attorney in Holland & Knight's Miami office, where he focuses primarily in the areas of international taxation, trusts and estates. Mr. Kasner routinely advises foreign and domestic clients on U.S. federal income, gift and estate tax matters associated with their cross-border investments, including U.S. real estate investments and business activities, as well as pre-immigration tax planning. His practice also includes formin...

Arianne R. Plasencia focuses her practice on US & international tax matters. She provides international and domestic income, gift, and estate tax planning for entities and high-net-worth individuals with a focus on multijurisdictional families and inbound investment planning. She also represents clients in tax audits, offshore voluntary disclosures, and streamlined disclosures as well as advises them on criminal tax examinations and other criminal tax matters. Arianne provides estate and ...

Wifredo A. Ferrer is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Corporate Compliance Law and Criminal Defense: White-Collar. Wifredo A., who practices law in Miami, Florida, has been recognized since 2019. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Wifredo A. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Christina Russo is a Partner, and serves as the co-chair of Akerman’s Capital Markets Practice. With extensive experience representing public and private companies, Christina routinely works with shell companies, special purpose acquisition companies (SPACs), and foreign private issuers, in M&A and securities transactions. Public companies value Christina’s knowledge of public offerings, secondary offerings, PIPE financing, ’34 Act reporting requirements, and regulatory ...

Steven C. Marks is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Aviation Law and Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs. Steven C., who practices law in Coral Gables, Florida, has been recognized since 2007. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Steven C. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

When it comes to federal appeals, Dorothy is a nationally recognized author who literally wrote the book: Successful Federal Appeals in All Circuit Courts: A Practical Guide for Busy Lawyers. Dorothy appreciates the value of hard work, perseverance and tenacity. She grew up on a farm, learned to drive a tractor, and worked on a forestry logging crew for room and board as an undergraduate in the mountains of North Carolina. Dorothy has a Master of Science, summa cum laude, in forest genetics f...