Real Estate

The Firm represents foreign and domestic institutions, lenders, developers, investors, brokers, and asset managers in virtually all types of real estate.The Firm has the experience and depth to handle the most complex real estate matters throughout the State of Florida.Our Real Estate services include:

Condominiums; Homeowners' Associations; Clubs

Our attorneys have experience in representation of homeowners' associations, condominium associations, and both equity and non-equity membership clubs.  We work with developers to draft condominium documents, homeowners' association documents, and club documents.  We have handled the turn-over of associations and counseled developers to minimize liability to the homeowners.  We have represented developers in connection with litigation arising from various association documents and turn-over issues.

Construction and Architectural Contracts

We handle the negotiation and preparation of contracts on behalf of and with public and private owners, with architects, contractors, construction managers, and subcontractors.We have extensive experience in providing counsel with respect to construction contracts.

Eminent Domain

The Firm advises property owners, through the condemnation process, with negotiations with governmental authorities, if practicable, prior to litigation and represents property owners in litigation in state courts. The Firm also represents clients in inverse condemnation actions arising from a variety of governmental actions, including regulatory takings.

Leasing

We regularly handle the leasing of space in office buildings, warehouses, and shopping centers for landlords and tenants.Our attorneys have handled the leasing of more than 2,000,000 square feet of commercial office space and retail space.Leases have ranged in size from small space users to headquarter leases for large banking institutions (involving 200,000 square feet or more of space).We are experienced in sale-leasebacks and long-term ground leases.We are able to structure such leases in a manner which protects the lessee's long-term investment and facilitates financing.

Loan Work-Outs

Our attorneys have assisted lenders and borrowers concerning real estate work-outs.We advise lenders on strategies to minimize the risk of a borrower bankruptcy.We handle loan restructuring and deeds-in-lieu of foreclosure.

Partnerships; Limited Liability Companies; Corporations

We handle the structuring and formation of general and limited partnerships, limited liability companies, corporations, and joint ventures.We regularly provide counsel concerning rights and obligations of partners and members.We are able to advise the client as to the proper vehicle to be used in connection with their real estate or corporate activities.The partnership and limited liability companies include agreements between managing partners (or members) and equity partners (or members) and address issues of management and allocation of relative rights and responsibilities among the partners or members.

Purchases and Sales

We represent buyers and sellers of residential and commercial projects, hotels, office buildings, industrial facilities, apartment buildings, shopping centers, theaters, and other types of real estate.We can assist with the structuring of the acquisition entity and the strategy for negotiating the acquisition or disposition on the most favorable terms.We are active with due diligence investigations to determine the suitability of the asset to meet the client's objectives.

Real Estate Brokers

We represent several real estate brokers with respect to commission agreements, commission disputes, and providing advice as to their rights and obligations.

Real Estate Development

Our attorneys handle major commercial, residential, and mixed-use projects from acquisition of the land through the planning of the project and obtaining final development approvals.We have represented some of the largest developers in the country with respect to their development requirements.Our attorneys regularly counsel developers with respect to land use entitlements, governmental permitting, and land development strategy.We have assisted with the establishment of special taxing districts and community development districts, enabling developers to obtain bond financing on favorable terms.We provide counsel on large scale developments, as well as single site and in-fill properties.Our experience with respect to entitlements, planning, implementation, financing, sale and ultimate turnover in large scale developments allows a practical perspective when dealing with development projects.We have negotiated several development agreements with governmental bodies to accomplish vesting of development entitlements and to allocate responsibility for development of supporting infrastructure.

Real Estate Financing

Our attorneys represent lenders and borrowers in all types of asset-based and commercial loans.The loans include construction and permanent financing for residential projects, office buildings, warehouses, hotels, marinas, shopping centers, condominiums, time-share condominiums, industrial facilities, revolving credit agreements, equity participation loans, and various other loans.

Real Estate Litigation

The Firm represents developers, lenders, investors, brokers, title insurers, and others in connection with foreclosures, title insurance issues, homeowner's disputes, construction litigation, partners' disputes, club membership litigation, contract litigation, commission disputes, civil and criminal forfeitures, and executive compensation and termination disputes.The Firm has considerable experience in the defense of lender liability suits in state and federal courts.

Title Insurance

The Firm is an agent for several title insurance companies and is authorized to issue title insurance policies in connection with all kinds of real estate transactions.We have on-line computer capacity to provide current information with respect to real estate ownership, tax information, corporate and partnership status, UCC-1 financing statement filings, and other public information.

Professionals:
Catalano, John M.
De La Fuente, Bob
Dorta, Matias R.
Rebak, Joseph L.
Tague, Brian