Leila Billings

Michael K. Grife is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Medical Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs and Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs. Michael K., who practices law in Boca Raton, Florida, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Michael K. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

William B. Sherman is a partner in Holland & Knight's Fort Lauderdale office. Mr. Sherman serves as chair of the firm's Tax Team and concentrates his practice in the area of domestic and international taxation. He has provided sophisticated tax planning for mergers and acquisitions, restructurings, joint ventures and investments for clients in diverse industries, such as hospitality, petrochemicals, aluminum, tobacco, real estate, transportation, telecommunications, retailing, investment ...

Jeffrey A. Baskies is a graduate of Trinity College (B.A., with highest honors, 1988) and Harvard Law School (J.D., cum laude, 1991). He is admitted to practice in Florida and Massachusetts. A seasoned trusts and estates lawyer, Jeff routinely advises wealthy families, entrepreneurs, athletes, celebrities and other clients regarding wealth transfer planning and asset protection planning. As part of his diverse practice, Jeff counsels clients on charitable planning (including the creation of p...

Jim Polkinghorn is a partner in the Fort Lauderdale office and heads the litigation practice there. He is an experienced trial attorney, having tried more than thirty cases to juries in state and federal courts throughout the state of Florida and elsewhere in the United States. Jim has extensive experience litigating cases of all levels of complexity, from single-plaintiff discrimination claims to multi-party class and collective actions arising under state and federal labor and employment la...

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...

Eyal Berger focuses his practice on bankruptcy law, creditors’ rights, and insolvency problems. He protects the interests of financial institutions and lessors as secured and unsecured creditors in bankruptcy proceedings, assisting them in preserving and/or repossessing their collateral. Eyal has served as counsel in well-known bankruptcy proceedings, including the representation of the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors for the Estate of Rothstein, Rosenfeldt & Adler, P.A., ...

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...

Raymond Valori is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs. Raymond, 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 Raymond is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Brian Howard Koch is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation. Brian Howard, who practices law in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, has been recognized since 2021. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Brian Howard is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

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...