Gerardo Ortega

Kimberly Lopez Narbona is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation. Kimberly Lopez, who practices law in Orlando, Florida, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Kimberly Lopez is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Chris Roper is a land use lawyer focused on real estate development, entitlements, and concurrency. He has experience throughout central Florida representing clients in due diligence, re-zonings, comprehensive plan amendments, vested rights, Developments of Regional Impact (DRIs), binding letters, and special taxing districts, including community development districts (CDD). Chris also has experience in real estate tax appeals.

Alan C. Sheppard, Jr. has wide-ranging experience in commercial real estate finance and development, with a particular emphasis on mortgage and construction financing, lease financing, mezzanine lending as well as asset-based finance and working capital loan transactions. His structured finance experience includes sale/leasebacks, synthetic leases, conduit lending, syndicated loans, Rule 144(a) exempt offerings and securitizations. Alan's practice has included both lender and borrower represe...

Chris Hayes represents developers, homebuilders, and investors in the acquisition, development, and sale of real property in Florida and California. He has overseen numerous complex acquisitions and dispositions. As part of his transactional practice, Chris also represents clients in retail and office space leasing. Additionally, Chris works with investors and owners in acquiring and selling small and mid-market sized businesses, having worked on over 65 auto and motorcycle dealership transac...

Jason L. Odom is an attorney with Gould Cooksey Fennell PA in Vero Beach, Florida. His practice includes Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs and Litigation – Trusts and Estates. He serves individuals and families throughout the Vero Beach area and surrounding communities, handling a wide range of litigation-related matters. Jason has been recognized by Best Lawyers since 2024 for his work in Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs and Litigation – Trusts and Estate...

David Carter was born in Vero Beach, Florida, and has been a partner at Gould Cooksey Fennell since 1996. Mr. Carter founded and chairs the firm’s Personal Injury & Medical Negligence Group and serves on the firm’s Executive Committee. Mr. Carter graduated with honors from the University of Florida College of Law where he was a member of the Order of the Coif and Senior Symposium Editor for Law Review. Upon graduation, Mr. Carter accepted a position with the Tampa law firm of ...

Travis Halstead is a partner in the firm’s Orlando office. He concentrates his practice in the areas of general and complex civil litigation with a focus in construction and financial services litigation. Travis typically represents architects, engineers, developers, contractors, and subcontractors in construction defect and contract claims. Travis also defends banking institutions in consumer debt litigation. Travis graduated the University of Florida and earned his Juris Doctor degree...

Benton Wood is a partner in the firm's Orlando office. He represents private and public sector employers in all aspects of employment and labor law. Benton specializes in employment law litigation and has litigated a multitude of employment-related claims on behalf of management, including: sex discrimination, race discrimination, age discrimination, national origin discrimination, disability discrimination, unlawful retaliation, Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) violations, Fair Labor Stan...

Michael J. Sullivan is Co-Chair of the firm’s Hospitality Group. Mike has wide-ranging experience in the acquisition, development, finance and disposition of hotels, resorts, branded residences and condo-hotels, and health care-related properties; management, franchise and operating agreements for hotels; publicly financed hotel management agreements; seniors housing management and third-party lease agreements; construction and permanent financings (balance sheet and CMBS); and the purc...

Tom McAleavey practices in the area of corporate and securities law. His practice includes mergers and acquisitions, public and private offerings of securities, corporate governance matters and securities regulation compliance. His experience includes the representation of public companies in connection with public and private offerings of debt and equity securities; SEC periodic reporting and proxy statements; and corporate acquisitions, dispositions, and reorganizations.