Ethan W. Johnson

Melissa Tapanes Llahues is a nationally recognized land use and zoning attorney, strategic advisor, and civic leader shaping the built environment across South Florida. As a shareholder and Chief Executive Officer of Bercow Radell Fernandez Larkin & Tapanes, PLLC, she operates at the intersection of law, policy, and urban strategy—guiding complex development projects from vision to entitlement to realization. Melissa represents institutional investors, landowners, and developers in ...

Ricky K. Patel is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Leisure and Hospitality Law. Ricky K., who practices law in Miami, Florida, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Ricky K. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Deborah Corbishley has been litigating complex commercial cases of all types in state and federal courts for more than 35 years, in bet-the-company litigation. She also has extensive experience representing lawyers and law firms in professional liability cases. Debbie’s cases have involved common law and statutory business torts, contract disputes, fraud and conspiracy claims, state and federal securities law violations, fraudulent conveyances, class actions, and corporate and partnersh...

Barry Wayne is Chair of the firm’s Marital and Family Law department. His experience spans over 39 years representing clients in virtually all facets of marital and family law matters, including complex divorces, prenuptial and post-nuptial agreements, cohabitation agreements, paternity claims, and disputes that cross state and international borders. Barry’s background enables him to guide his clients through the family law process of income and net worth analysis, business and ot...

Ben Hedrick practices in the area of land use and development, representing clients in all aspects of the development approval process in municipalities and unincorporated areas in both Miami-Dade County and Broward County, including in the cities of Miami and Fort Lauderdale. Additionally, Ben has experience assisting clients in public-private partnerships and the development and use of public infrastructure such as airports, parking garages, and rail infrastructure.

Manuel R. Valcarcel IV, a registered patent attorney, focuses his practice on intellectual property and technology transactional, licensing, and prosecution matters. He is experienced in technology development, licensing, strategic alliance and acquisition transactions and general corporate representation of intellectual property-driven businesses. Mr. Valcarcel reviews inventions for patentability and infringement, reviews trademarks for registrability and usage, and prosecutes patent and tr...

Alberto M. Hernandez is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Banking and Finance Law, Corporate Law, International Mergers and Acquisitions, Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law and Mergers and Acquisitions Law. Alberto M., who practices law in Miami, Florida, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Alberto M. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and le...

Andrea Hartley is the chair of Akerman’s Bankruptcy & Reorganization Practice Group, a nationally recognized team serving as bankruptcy counsel or receivers in many of the largest bankruptcy filings in the United States. An experienced bankruptcy and creditors’ rights litigator, Andrea counsels clients in the financial services, real estate, hospitality, restaurant, and retail sectors on business reorganizations and liquidations, assumption and rejection of leases, workouts, d...

Luis Llamas is a partner in the Maritime Practice Group. He concentrates his practice on complex commercial litigation, admiralty disputes, trade secret and non-compete disputes, and international law. Luis co-leads the firm's Latin America working group and is the head of the firm’s Miami office. Luis is a highly respected litigator. Luis has handled cases across the United States involving marine casualties, trade secret and non-compete agreements, breach of contract, unfair trade pra...

Jerry Sokol is a Partner at the international law firm of McDermott Will & Emery, where he is based in the firm’s Miami Office. Jerry is a corporate lawyer who specializes in healthcare transactions and all facets of healthcare regulations. He is a Board Certified expert in healthcare law. He is also the Managing Partner of the firm’s Miami office. In addition to general healthcare clients, Jerry has developed a niche representing Ambulatory Surgery Centers (ASC) and Ambulator...