Speaking to the Daily Business Review, Ed emphasized the importance of this decision: “Absent these restrictions, a public hearing can devolve into chaos as anyone could use limited public hearing time to engage in irrelevant topics or behave inappropriately, distracting from government business.”

This decision establishes a new precedent for the Eleventh Circuit, aligning it with U.S. Supreme Court jurisprudence on municipal elected body meetings as limited public forums subject to reasonable, content-neutral speech restrictions.

Ed is Board Certified in Appellate Practice by the Florida Bar and is chair of the firm’s Appellate Practice Group. He has litigated dozens of appeals before the Florida Supreme Court, Florida’s district courts of appeal, and the U.S. Courts of Appeals in a wide variety of matters, including medical malpractice, premises liability, probate, First Amendment and constitutional litigation, family law, state and federal administrative rule-making and regulation, home rule authority and preemption, election law, civil rights, land use and zoning, intellectual property, and labor and employment issues.

Read the full article in the Daily Business Review here: https://www.law.com/dailybusinessreview/2024/09/17/eleventh-circuit-upholds-limits-on-public-comments-during-city-council-meetings/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss

The post WSHC+B Partner Edward Guedes, Obtains an En Banc Victory in a Precedent-Setting First Amendment Case appeared first on Weiss Serota Helfman Cole + Bierman.

Of the 47 lawyers recognized, 12 of the firm’s attorneys were recognized for the very first time and 14 attorneys were recognized as Ones to Watch. 

Best Lawyers has employed the same transparent methodology for more than 35 years, based entirely on peer review. 

The following includes all Firm attorneys named and areas in which they are recognized:

Miami

• Mitchell A. Bierman (Administrative / Regulatory Law, Government Contracts, Government Relations Practice)
• Lillian Arango (Real Estate Law)
• Maria Victoria Currais (Real Estate Law)
• Jeffrey Decarlo (Commercial Litigation, Public Finance Law)
• Alan K. Fertel (Sports Law)
• Chad S. Friedman (Land Use and Zoning Law, Real Estate Law)
• Jessika Arce Graham (Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law)
• Edward G. Guedes (Appellate Practice)
• Stephen J. Helfman (Land Use and Zoning Law)
• Juan P. Loumiet (Litigation – Real Estate, Real Estate Law)
• Justin Luger (Commercial Litigation)
• Anthony L. Recio (Land Use and Zoning Law)
• Paul Ryder (Employment Law – Management)
• Clifford A. Schulman (Environmental Law, Land Use and Zoning Law)
• Joseph H. Serota (Commercial Litigation)
• Eduardo M. Soto (Real Estate Law)
• Richard Jay Weiss (Government Relations Practice)
• Laura K. Wendell (Appellate Practice)
• David M. Wolpin (Employment Law – Management, Government Relations Practice)
• Daniela Cimo (Ones to Watch: Land Use and Zoning Law)
• Kelsie Elmer (Ones to Watch: Real Estate Law)
• Roger C. Pou (Ones to Watch: Municipal Law)
• Samantha W. Soto (Ones to Watch: Labor and Employment Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment)
• Alejandro Uribe (Ones to Watch: Land Use and Zoning Law)

Fort Lauderdale

• Daniel L. Abbott (Litigation – Land Use and Zoning)
• Mitchell J. Burnstein (Commercial Litigation, Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law)
• Jamie A. Cole (Commercial Litigation)
• Alicia Gonzalez (Real Estate Law)
• Paul Gougelman (Land Use and Zoning Law)
• Michael J. Kurzman (Construction Law, Litigation – Construction)
• Matthew H. Mandel (Commercial Litigation)
• Eric L. Stettin (Commercial Litigation)
• Susan L. Trevarthen (Land Use and Zoning Law)
• Peter D. Waldman (Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law)
• Isabella Falcon (Ones to Watch: Commercial Litigation)
• Anne Reilly Flanigan (Ones to Watch: Appellate Practice, Civil Rights Law, Commercial Litigation)
• Narinah Jean-Baptiste (Ones to Watch: Municipal Law)
• Bryan C. Siddique (Ones to Watch: Commercial Litigation)
• Alison F. Smith (Ones to Watch: Labor and Employment Law – Management)
• Blayne Yudis (Ones to Watch: Commercial Litigation)

Boca Raton

• Howard D. Dubosar (Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Bankruptcy)
• Andrew S. Maurodis (Land Use and Zoning Law)
• Brett J. Schneider (Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Union, Litigation – Labor and Employment)
• David N. Tolces (Real Estate Law)
• Ethan Goldstein (Ones to Watch: Commercial Litigation)
• Ryan Hudak (Ones to Watch: Labor and Employment Law – Management)
• Jeremy S. Rosner (Ones to Watch: Commercial Litigation)

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Of the 41 lawyers recognized, 12 of the firm’s attorneys were recognized for the very first time and 12 attorneys were recognized as Ones to Watch. 

Best Lawyers has employed the same transparent methodology for more than 35 years, based entirely on peer review. 

The following includes all Firm attorneys named and areas in which they are recognized:

Miami

• Mitchell A. Bierman (Administrative / Regulatory Law; Government Contracts; Government Relations Practice)
• Lewis R. Cohen (Banking and Finance Law; Real Estate Law)
• Jeffrey Decarlo (Commercial Litigation)
• Ignacio G. Del Valle (Real Estate Law)
• Alan K. Fertel (Sports Law)
• Chad S. Friedman (Land Use and Zoning Law)
• Edward G. Guedes (Appellate Practice) 
• Stephen J. Helfman (Land Use and Zoning Law)
• Juan P. Loumiet (Litigation – Real Estate; Real Estate Law)
• Justin Luger (Commercial Litigation)
• Paul Ryder (Employment Law Management)
• Clifford A. Schulman (Environmental Law, Land Use and Zoning Law)
• Joseph H. Serota (Commercial Litigation)
• Eduardo M. Soto (Real Estate Law)
• Richard Jay Weiss (Government Relations Practice) 
• Laura Wendell (Appellate Practice)
• David M. Wolpin (Employment Law – Management; Government Relations Practice)
• Jake Bland (Ones to Watch: Commercial Litigation; Litigation – Construction)
• Daniela Cimo (Ones to Watch: Land Use and Zoning Law)
• Roger C. Pou (Pnes to Watch: Municipal Law)
• Caroline G. Saiz (Ones to Watch: Litigation – Labor and Employment)
• Samantha W. Soto (Ones to Watch: Labor and Employment Law – Management; Litigation – Labor and Employment)
• Alejandro Uribe (Ones to Watch: Land Use and Zoning Law)

Fort Lauderdale

• Mitchell J. Burnstein (Commercial Litigation; Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law)
• Jamie A. Cole (Commercial Litigation)
• Paul R. Gougelman (Land Use and Zoning Law)
• Michael J. Kurzman (Construction Law; Litigation – Construction)
• Matthew H. Mandel (Commercial Litigation)
• Eric L. Stettin (Commercial Litigation)
• Susan L. Trevarthen (Land Use and Zoning Law)
• Peter D. Waldman (Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law)
• Anne R. Flanigan (Ones to Watch: Appellate Practice; Civil Right Law; Commercial Litigation)
• Narinah Jean-Baptiste (Ones to Watch: Municipal Law)
• Scott Mullin (Ones to Watch: Commercial Litigation)
• Alison F. Smith (Ones to Watch: Labor and Employment Law – Management)

Boca Raton

• Howard D. DuBosar (Commercial Litigation)
• Andrew S. Maurodis (Land Use and Zoning Law)
• Brett J. Schneider (Litigation – Labor and Employment, Employment Law – Management)
• Harrison R. DuBosar (Ones to Watch: Appellate Practice; Commercial Litigation) 
• Ryan Hudak (Ones to Watch: Labor and Employment Law – Management)

Tampa, FL

• Sarah L. Johnston (Government Relations Practice)

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Included among them are the following Firm attorneys:

• Mitchell Burnstein – Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law
• Jamie Cole – Commercial Litigation
• Paul Gougelman – Municipal Law
• Matthew Mandel – Government Relations Practice

To view the full October 2020 issue of Fort Lauderdale Illustrated, please click here.

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Super Lawyers recognizes distinguished attorneys who have undergone a rigorous screening process and who are ultimately selected for inclusion in their annual list of exceptional legal professionals. Published by Thomson Reuters, Super Lawyers is a rating service of attorneys from more than 70 practice areas and determines its rankings through independent research, peer nominations and peer evaluations. Only the top 5 percent of outstanding lawyers in Florida are rated by Super Lawyers, while no more than 2.5 percent of lawyers under 40 years old or who have practiced for fewer than 10 years are selected as Rising Stars.

Elizabeth Coppolecchia and Alicia Gonzalez were recognized as Florida Rising Stars for the first time this year.

The Firm’s recognized attorneys are listed below.

Miami

Recognized as Super Lawyers

• Mitchell Bierman
• Alan Fertel
• Edward Guedes
• Joseph Serota
• Peter Waldman

Recognized as Rising Star

• Elizabeth Coppolecchia
• Justin Luger

Fort Lauderdale

Recognized as Super Lawyers

• Mitchell Burnstein
• Jamie A. Cole
• Matthew Mandel

Recognized as Rising Star

• Alicia Gonzalez
• Anne Reilly Flanigan
• Michael Kantor

Boca Raton

Recognized as Super Lawyers

• Brett Schneider

Recognized as Rising Star

• Alen Hsu
• Anthony Soroka

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-Joseph Serota

-Jamie Cole

-Mitch Bierman

-Mitch Burnstein

-Brett Schneider

-Ed Guedes

-Susan Trevarthen

-Matthew Mandel

-Michael Kurzman

-Alison Smith

-Alan Fertel

-Anthony Soroka

-Roger Kobert

-Peter Waldman

-Justin Luger

-Alen Hsu

-Michael Kantor

-Anne Reilly

The post 18 Attorneys from Weiss Serota Helfman Cole & Bierman Make 2019 List of Florida Super Lawyers and Rising Stars appeared first on Weiss Serota Helfman Cole + Bierman.

Anne Flanigan, Matthew Mandel and Adam Hapner were all sworn in on Wednesday to the board of directors for the Federal Bar Association’s Broward Chapter.  Anne Flanigan, for the second straight year, will hold an officer position, serving as the chapter’s National Delegate.  Matthew Mandel, the chapter’s past president, and Adam Hapner will both serve as board members. This Broward Chapter was recently named chapter of the year by the Federal Bar Association.

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Matthew is Chair of the Firm’s Ligation Department, and Edward is Chair of the Firm’s Appellate Practice.

The post Matthew Mandel & Edward Guedes Obtain Written Ruling from Eleventh Circuit Affirming Dismissal appeared first on Weiss Serota Helfman Cole + Bierman.

The litigation team of Matt Mandel, John Quick and Ed Guedes scored a significant victory on behalf of Bal Harbour Village in a lawsuit and appeal raising significant election law issues.  A group of Village residents who sought to amend the Village Charter by referendum submitted two proposals to the Village Clerk with what purported to be the requisite number of signatures of registered voters.  One referendum sought to impose a super-majority requirement on public votes to approve the sale of any Village-owned lands, while the other sought to impose the requirement of a public vote on certain commercial development approvals, thus taking the approval process largely out of the hands of the Village Council.  Both petitions arose from a proposed expansion of the Bal Harbour Shops.  The Village Clerk declined to forward the petitions to the County Supervisor of Elections, contending that the Village’s requirements for a proper petition had not been met; and the residents filed suit under section 166.031, Florida Statutes, seeking mandamus, declaratory and injunctive relief.

In the trial court, Matt and John argued that the second of the two petitions sought to accomplish something that existing state statutes specifically prohibited, namely, a referendum on development approvals. They further argued that the other petition, while facially qualifying for submission to the Supervisor of Elections, was tied together in the complaint to the second petition, and since the second petition was illegal, the first one also necessarily failed.

At the summary judgment hearing (where permanent injunctive relief was sought), the trial court ruled in favor of the Village, agreeing that the petition to impose a referendum on development approvals was illegal, and further concluding that the plaintiff residents had not come forward with evidence to support their entitlement to injunctive relief under section 166.031.  The residents appealed the denial of injunctive relief to the Third District Court of Appeal.

On the appeal, which was handled by Ed and John, we renewed our arguments that the Village could not be compelled to submit for referendum a proposal that state law made illegal.  The residents continued to argue (1) that the illegality of one of the petitions was a determination to be made after the signatures submitted to the Village Clerk had been verified by the Supervisor of Elections, and (2) that it was incumbent upon the Village to institute a separate declaratory judgment action to halt the referendum from going forward once the signatures had been verified.  In a case of first impression in the state, the Third District issued a 19-page opinion and agreed with the Village that it could not be compelled to submit the petition and signatures to the Supervisor of Elections when the end result of doing so would be an illegal referendum.  As for the other petition, even though the Third District disagreed with the trial court’s conclusion of lack of evidence to support a claim under 166.031, it concluded that the residents had failed to disentangled the two petitions in the complaint and that it was not an abuse of discretion by the trial court to decline to do something that was not requested by the residents.

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It is with great pride that we announce that the Weiss Serota Helfman Cole & Bierman Softball Team, for the third year in a row won the annual Dade County Bar Association Softball Tournament. This is now our fourth title in the past 7 years (we also first won the tournament in 2011).

Our team consisted of the following Firm employees:
Sam Zeskind
Matt Mandel
David Williams (our MVP)
Alicia Gonzalez
Adam Hapner
Chris Saunders
Sara Zavala’s husband, Larry, and brother-in-law, Roque
Iliana Munoz’s son-in-law, Frank
Susan Trevarthen’s husband, Camilo
Gigi Soliman

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