MIAMI – Nov. 30, 2016 – International law firm Greenberg Traurig announced that four of its Miami-based attorneys have been recognized “Most Effective Lawyers” by the Daily Business Review. The newspaper’s editors selected the attorneys from a pool of South Florida nominees who secured the biggest jury verdicts and settlements or achieved significant decisions affecting public policy or business in 2016. The honorees’ work will be recognized in a special report to be published Dec. 5.
David A. Coulson, Shareholder and Co-Chair of Miami Litigation Practice, and Shareholder Adam M. Foslid are honored in the Class Action Category. Coulson and Foslid secured a significant court victory for client Rheem Manufacturing Company against a consumer class action lawsuit - Justice v. Rheem Manufacturing, Co.
Plaintiffs claimed that Rheem’s copper evaporator coils were defectively manufactured. They asserted various breach of warranty claims and that Rheem violated the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practice Act (FDUTPA). Coulson and Foslid succeeded in persuading the Federal District Court to dismiss all of the warranty-related counts and ultimately convinced the Court that the class should not be certified. The ruling effectively caused Plaintiffs to voluntarily dismiss their claims and end the case before the scheduled trial.
Iris Escarra, Shareholder and Co-Chair of Miami Land Development and Zoning Practice, and Shareholder Carlos R. Lago are winners in the Government Relations and Regulation Category. Escarra and Lago helped client and developer Moishe Mana to successfully gain unanimous approval from the Miami City Commission for the Mana Wynwood Special Area Plan, the largest-ever zoning code overhaul in Miami history.
Escarra and Lago worked diligently for two years with the city and the various affected communities to obtain the necessary approvals for the Special Area Plan, which included 9.72 million square feet of residential, commercial, hotel, educational, office, civic, art and cultural uses located on 23.5 acres in the Wynwood and Overtown neighborhoods. They faced several hurdles in achieving a favorable outcome for Mana Wynwood, which will transform the former warehouse district into a global center for retail, trade and art. The two year process accommodated recommendations and modifications from the City Planning Staff and various community stakeholders which resulted in accomplishing the client’s cultural vision within an appropriate agreed to scale of the project. Escarra and Lago helped negotiate a settlement that will ultimately benefit both the Wynwood and Overtown communities.
About Greenberg Traurig, LLP
Greenberg Traurig, LLP (GTLaw) has more than 2,000 attorneys in 38 offices in the United States, Latin America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East and is celebrating its 50th anniversary. One firm worldwide, GTLaw has been recognized for its philanthropic giving, was named the largest firm in the U.S. by Law360 in 2017, and among the Top 20 on the 2016 Am Law Global 100. Web: www.gtlaw.com Twitter: @GT_Law.