Best Lawyers in Florida, United States for Real Estate Law
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Nicholas Barshel practices in the area of land use and development, representing clients in all aspects of the development approval process including due diligence review, planning and zoning applications, submerged lands issues, dock and marina permits, historic preservation, code compliance, and other aspects of complex land use and zoning matters with federal, state, and local agencies. He has assisted clients in development of major projects across South Florida and beyond, including the ...
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.
Janis Cheezem leases, buys, sells, and finances office buildings and mixed use, retail, residential, and industrial real estate for her clients, also providing counsel for property management issues and in workouts and restructurings of commercial real estate assets. A noted commercial real estate attorney, Janis represents landlords, tenants, lenders, sellers, and purchasers in both complex and bread and butter transactions. She has been primarily responsible for the leasing, sale, and purch...
Jim Porter is board certified by the Florida Bar as an expert in City, County, and Local Government Law. He concentrates his practice on land use and zoning, as well as government relations, and also has experience with the wireless communications industry, including cellular tower zoning issues. Jim is also the current School Board Attorney for the Hillsborough County School Board, the 8th largest school district in the nation. Jim formerly served as the Chief Assistant County Attorney for t...
Liz C. Messianu is a partner in Wicker Smith’s Miami office with over 21 years of experience practicing in the areas of probate-estate planning, guardianship administration and litigation, estate and trust administration, real estate transactions and wealth preservations for individuals. Mrs. Messianu handles all aspects of estate and trust matters, including probate and trust administration, representing beneficiaries in our courts, with a strong emphasis on litigation involving probat...
Matt Gorson currently serves as Co-Chairman of the firm. Prior to this appointment, Matt served the firm as its President. He joined Greenberg Traurig in 1973 as the firm's 14th lawyer, and became one of the most prolific and in-demand real estate attorneys in South Florida. Matt has worked with almost every major developer in the region. His work in the 1990s changed the face of the southern portion of Miami Beach and set the stage for the area's revitalization. During his career, he has als...
Burt Bruton has been an attorney with the firm since 1981 and has been a shareholder in its Real Estate Practice since 1988. Burt's practice includes the representation of lenders and borrowers in real estate financing and secured transactions, as well as buyers and sellers of real property.
Phillip Joseph co-chairs Ball Janik LLP’s construction litigation practice, which is growing in national reach and prominence. He is a commercial litigator whose primary focus is construction and real estate litigation, including design and construction disputes, construction defect, general counsel for community associations, purchase/sale disputes, real estate disputes, commercial landlord/tenant, and collections. Mr. Joseph has received the AV® Preeminent™ Rating from Marti...
Sara Bernard has handled a wide range of transactions as counsel for developers, builders, institutional lenders, and public and private entities. She has experience in negotiating, drafting, and closing complex commercial and residential purchase/sale transactions and has handled aspects of the development (including infrastructure development and the formation of community development districts), management and operation of all types of real estate including retail shopping centers, office ...
Mary A. Robison is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Litigation - Real Estate and Real Estate Law. Mary A., who practices law in Jacksonville, Florida, has been recognized since 2011. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Mary A. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Thomas J. Matkov is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Real Estate Law. Thomas J., who practices law in Coral Gables, Florida, has been recognized since 2018. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Thomas J. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Iris Escarrá is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Land Use and Zoning Law and Real Estate Law. Iris, who practices law in Miami, Florida, has been recognized since 2020. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Iris is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Sara Brubaker’s practice focuses on complex commercial, real estate, and construction litigation with an emphasis on contract and business disputes, including franchisor-franchisee disputes and intellectual property disputes. Prior to joining Akerman, Sara interned with the in-house counsel department of a Fortune 500 international conglomerate, gaining valuable experience that has informed her emphasis on litigating efficiently to minimize costs. Sara represents plaintiffs and defendan...
Joseph J. JeBailey focuses his practice on complex, multi-state real estate finance and secured lending transactions, representing domestic and foreign institutional lenders, private equity funds, investors, and borrowers. His practice includes both balance sheet and conduit financings involving permanent, revolving, mezzanine and construction loans, loan workouts, modifications and restructurings. In addition, Joe has wide-ranging experience in the finance, leasing, acquisition and dispositi...
Our Methodology
Recognition by Best Lawyers is based entirely on peer review. Our methodology is designed to capture, as accurately as possible, the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area.
The Process
Best Lawyers employs a sophisticated, conscientious, rational, and transparent survey process designed to elicit meaningful and substantive evaluations of the quality of legal services. Our belief has always been that the quality of a peer review survey is directly related to the quality of the voters.