Virginia Gardens Lawyers

I was born and raised in Miami, and am a proud graduate of Christopher Columbus High School. I completed my Bachelor of Science in Sport Management at Florida State University in 2019 and went on to earn my Juris Doctor from Florida International University College of Law in 2024. During my time at law school, I had the honor of serving as President of the FIU Law’s Cuban American Bar Association (CABA) chapter. In this role, I was responsible for organizing various events and was recognized with the Student Member of the Year Award. Additionally, I was actively involved in the...

Founder of boutique law firm practicing in the areas of commercial litigation, shareholders and partnership disputes, trade secrets, non-competes, temporary restraining orders and injunctions, deceptive practices, real estate disputes, criminal defense, family law (including, divorces, domestic violence injunctions, child support, alimony, and paternity), professional malpractice, international litigation and arbitration, administrative and regulatory proceedings, and appeals.

Counselor to corporate clients and individuals in a wide range of transactional, administrative and regulatory matters, including governmental audits, purchase and sale of businesses, real estate closings, corporate governance, personnel and labor issues, employment matters, international trade and business transactions, statutory and regulatory compliance, contract drafting...

Ana Maria Perez was born in Colombia. She attended St. Thomas School of Law and made dean's list three semesters. She is a dedicated attorney that will take your case seriously.



La abogada Ana Maria Perez, nació en Colombia. Obtuvo su diploma de derecho en Universidad de St. Thomas con honores en tres semestres. La abogada es un persona dedicada que tratara su caso con la seriedad que merece.

Personal Injury and Insurance Claims Attorney: I think my best qualities are empathy and passion. My empathetic nature allows me to identify with my client's needs and pain; and my passion allows me to fight relentlessly for their legal rights and for Justice. That may be an understatement, as many of my clients have gone as far as calling my litigation style as ferocious when it comes to protecting their rights and getting what’s rightfully theirs. I have been unyielding in defending my community for the past 18 years. And it all started when I was a young curious girl...

Lorenzo Arca is an associate with Fleitas & Arca, PLLC. Mr. Arca is a licensed attorney admitted to practice in Florida, and works in the Firm’s Immigration and Business Practice Areas. Mr. Arca represents clients in planning and executing both Family-based and Employment-based immigration strategies. Mr. Arca’s immigration practice focuses primarily on business immigration services representing clients and investors transitioning into the U.S. market. Additionally, Mr. Arca assists and advises clients on a wide-variety of business and corporate matters, ranging from entity formation to particularized contract drafting. Prior to joining Fleitas & Arca, PLLC, Mr. Arca attended Florida International University College...

I am a Chicago and Miami lawyer practicing family- and employment-based immigration law, and removal and deportation defense and appeals. I also work with criminal and family law issues as they arise in the context of immigration cases.

Marc A. Smiley concentrates his practice in the areas of community association representation, community association litigation and construction defect litigation. He provides a full range of legal services to the firm’s community association clients including, but not limited to, providing advice and guidance on general matters relating to associations, assisting with the transition of developer to unit owner control, amendment drafting and administering association elections as well as counseling associations’ boards of directors on contracts, corporate governance, covenant enforcement, resolution of disputes and issues with unit owners, developers, contractors, service providers, and other vendors. Mr. Smiley enjoys advising clients on...

Jeffrey S. Respler has been practicing in the area of commercial litigation since 1998 and has been with the firm since 2004. He is a member of the firm’s Construction Litigation Practice Group and Construction Defect Trial Practice Group. Mr. Respler practices in the areas of complex construction defect litigation and commercial litigation, and primarily includes the representation of condominium and homeowners associations and developers in the negotiation, mediation, and litigation of construction and design defect claims and related matters. His practice also includes appellate work. As lead counsel for construction defect cases, Mr. Respler has prosecuted and defended numerous...

Austin D. Murray joined the firm in 2017 and concentrates his practice in the areas of commercial litigation, community association law and construction law. In the construction sector, Mr. Murray represents construction professionals such as owners, developers and design professionals on all facets of a construction project. He assists clients with the drafting and negotiation of construction contracts, and litigates construction defect disputes and other related issues. Mr. Murray also represents condominium and homeowners associations in the general representation of their communities, counseling boards of directors and property managers on the day-to-day operation of their association.

Prior to joining the firm...

Lindsey is a skilled and knowledgeable Real Estate, Construction and Business Law Attorney. Her practice areas include construction litigation, community association disputes and general commercial litigation matters. Lindsey represents clients such as general contractors, architects, community associations, subcontractors, real estate developers, investors, landlords and lenders in both business and real estate litigation. She is passionate about law and dedicated to diligent advocacy for her clients, both in and out of court. Lindsey earned her B.A. from the University of Michigan and her J.D. from the University of Miami School of Law. She is admitted to practice in Florida, Illinois, the U.S....

Mr. Ketelhohn is a shareholder of the firm who concentrates his practice in construction litigation. His experience includes representation of condominium associations, homeowner associations, developers, general contractors, subcontractors and design professionals on matters involving construction defects, construction liens, delay claims and other litigation and dispute resolution. He has successfully resolved numerous complex construction cases, obtaining multi-million dollar settlements in many of these cases on behalf of his clients.

Alton C. Hale, Jr. has focused his practice on helping victims and organizations with legal disputes of the upmost consequences involving insurance claims, business litigation, construction defects, catastrophic injuries and wrongful death.

Mr. Hale served as an assistant state attorney in Martin, St. Lucie, Indian River and Okeechobee counties in Florida’s Treasure Coast. He honed his trial skills as the lead attorney in more than 60 jury trials while serving as a prosecutor in the state’s Nineteenth Judicial Circuit.

Mr. Hale served as an Assistant State Attorney in Martin, St. Lucie, Indian River and Okeechobee counties in Florida’s Treasure Coast. He honed...

Roberto C. Blanch has been a member of Siegfried Rivera since 2001 and concentrates his practice in community association law. He represents condominium and homeowners associations throughout Florida, handling a broad range of legal issues pertaining to the operation and management of community associations. Mr. Blanch handles all aspects of community association law including, but not limited to, covenant enforcement, interpretation of governing documents, vendor contract negotiation and drafting, amending governing documents, preparing for and attending board and membership meetings, elections and recalls, collections, fair housing issues, and insurance claims. He also assists associations who are undertaking the turnover process,...

Maria Victoria Arias has been with the firm since 1997. Focusing in the area of community association law, she represents condominium and homeowners associations throughout the state. Ms. Arias assists clients with a broad range of community association matters including, but not limited to, drafting and negotiating vendor contracts, drafting amendments to the governing documents, covenant enforcement, preparing for and attending Board and owner meetings, advising on budget assessments, insurance and special assessments, and providing legal opinions and guidance on the day-to-day operations of the community association. Her vast experience in this realm allows her to make sure her clients’...

Randy C. Botwinick has litigated and tried personal injury cases for 31 years in both New York and Florida. He strives to provide the utmost in personal attention and service to his clients as he realizes that his communication and rapport with clients is an important component in representing injured accident victims. It is through careful listening that lawyers become counselors and trusted advisors. With more than three decades of experience solely in the field of representing accident victims, Mr. Botwinick has honed a variety of systems that allows him to focus both on the variety of legal issues...

Eduardo J. Valdes has been practicing in the area of general litigation, including insurance defense and commercial litigation since 2003. His practice includes general association representation, as well as construction defect litigation and insurance defense. In his association representation, he has personally handled a wide range of litigation matters, including developer transition claims, contract disputes, enforcement of declaration/bylaws/rules by injunction actions, financial mismanagement claims, directors and officers liability defense, commercial lease disputes, employment grievances, constitutional issues, assessment collection, easement disputes, and mixed use development disputes. In addition, Mr. Valdes has prepared condominium documents for associations, negotiated and documented condominium loans...

Mark A. Touby is the managing partner of Touby, Chait & Sicking, PL in Coral Gables, Florida. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from the University of Florida in 1992 and received a Juris Doctor from the University of Miami in 1995. Mr. Touby is Board Certified in Workers’ Compensation and has been representing claimants since 1995. He is rated AV Preeminent 5.0/5.0 by Martindale-Hubbell, AVVO rated 10.0/10.0 and was recognized as a Rising Star in Florida Super Lawyers Magazine in 2009. Mr. Touby has served on the Board of Directors of Florida...

Javier A. Enriquez, a partner at Jeffrey & Enriquez, LLC, and a Florida Supreme Court Certified Family Mediator, concentrates his practice on, domestic and international, marital and family law, family law mediation, as well as civil and family appeals. Mr. Enriquez also has experience in election law, commercial litigation, and employment litigation.

A native of Miami, Mr. Enriquez graduated cum laude from the University of Miami School of Law, where he was also the Litigation Skills Program Marco A. Vasquez Scholarship recipient. Throughout his time at the University of Miami School of Law, he was the President of the Federalist...

Lupe Lafont, is a founding member of the firm, practices in the areas of Family Immigration, Fiance Visas, Consular processing, Green cards, Adjustment of Status through marriage, Temporary protected Status (TPS), Naturalization, and Citizenship, Asylum petitions, and DACA. Lupe was born and raised in Venezuela. Lupe attended Universidad Santa Maria, School of Law, graduating with a Juris Doctor Degree in 1999. While in Law school, Lupe served a required judicial clerkship at a Criminal Circuit Court in Caracas, Venezuela. Lupe is a licensed and Bar admitted Attorney in Good Standing in the State of Louisiana. She is an active member of...

Gregory E. Gudin is the Principal and Managing Partner of The Buckeye Law Group. He is responsible for the firm’s personal injury practice throughout Ohio. Greg has extensive litigation experience and has been involved in personal injury litigation since 2005. He has obtained numerous jury verdicts in favor of his clients, performed hundreds of depositions, litigated thousands of injury lawsuits, and has collected millions of dollars on behalf of his clients. Greg has dedicated his practice to the representation of those injured by the neglect of others, including wrongful death, medical malpractice, product liability, workers compensation, motor vehicle accidents, slip...

Nadja A. Prias is a founding partner of Casais & Prias, PLLC. She is a Miami native and is fluent in both English and Spanish. Ms. Prias is the head of the firm’s Divorce, Family and Probate Law Department and brings extensive legal experience to her practice. Ms. Prias is a Florida Supreme Court Certified Family Law Mediator, a certified Guardian Ad Litem, has taken complex and highly contested cases to trial, and has prosecuted and defended domestic violence injunction cases. Clients can be assured, that they are working with someone who has their best interest in mind from the beginning...

Zachary T. Smith concentrates his practice in the areas of construction law and commercial litigation. He represents owners, design professionals, developers and other construction professionals on matters involving project development, construction defects, contract drafting and negotiation, as well as dispute avoidance and resolution.

Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Smith worked as a law clerk at a South Florida commercial litigation firm assisting partners with tasks such as drafting and composing motions, demand letters, notice letters and complaints. He also has extensive experience in conducting legal research and providing case law analysis.

During law school, Mr. Smith was a member of the...

Juan Lucas focuses his legal practice to representing individuals that have been injured during the course of their employment. The South Florida native graduated in 1993 from the University of Miami with a B.A. degree in International Finance and Marketing. He received his law degree in 1996 from Syracuse University College of Law. While attending law school, he was acknowledged in the Dean's List Honors, he represented Syracuse Law in National Moot Court Trial competitions, and an active member of the Latin American Law Students Association. After graduating law school, he worked for a litigation firm primarily representing the interests...

Leysi Jimenez practices in the areas of Immigration, Family Law, Foreclosure, and Criminal Justice. Ms. Jimenez obtained a Bachelor of Science Magna Cum Laude in Criminal Justice at the Florida International University, and also a Juris Doctor Cum Laude at the Nova Southeastern University, Shepard Broad Law Center. She has been representing clients at mediation, temporary hearings, and trials. Ms. Jimenez has also managed and prepared cases, attended court hearings, and drafted motions to reopen cases. She speaks fluent Spanish.

Over a span of fifteen years, Jennifer Newton has served as a trusted advisor to clients and businesses of all types, ranging from burgeoning startups to established multinational corporations. Her expertise in navigating the complex regulatory landscapes of various industries has made her an invaluable asset to those seeking to enhance their legal, compliance, governance, and risk management strategies. Jennifer's ability to tailor her advice to the unique needs of each business, coupled with her deep understanding of both domestic and international regulatory environments, underscores her role as a pivotal figure in the field of regulatory compliance and risk management. But...

Attorney Ivette Gonzalez Petkovich is a seasoned Miami criminal defense attorney, serving clients throughout the state of Florida who are indicted or charged in federal and state criminal offenses or under investigation by law enforcement or other government agencies. Born and raised in Miami, Attorney Petkovich attended the University of Miami where she earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. She received her Juris Doctorate degree from the St. Thomas University School of Law, also in Miami. She is now a married mother of two with a private law practice in Miami-Dade. Having spent her life in South Florida, she...

Montesino Law is a law firm dedicated exclusively to helping businesses. It was founded by an attorney who, prior to attending law school, worked in finance and accounting roles for large publicly traded companies.

I am an attorney licensed in the State of Florida. I have been an attorney for two decades and graduated with honors from St. Thomas University School of Law where I was a member of the International Moot Court Team and a Judge in the Honor Council. I was an Associate Editor of the St. Thomas Law Review and an active member of the Hispanic American Law Society (HALS). I received the Book Award for best student in a subject in Constitutional Law, International Law, Comparative Law and Torts.

Upon being admitted to the Florida Bar in 2021, Mrs. Nery joined the law firm of Friedman, Rodman, Frank & Estrada, P.A. as an Associate representing clients in the areas of Personal Injury, Medical Malpractice, and Wrongful Death. Mrs. Nery has been admitted to practice in the State of Florida, the District of Columbia, the U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida, as well as the U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida.

Carrying on a family tradition, Carolyn Friedman Frank has followed in her father's footsteps. Carolyn is partner in Friedman, Rodman & Frank that has roots in the Miami Beach firm of Harvey D. Friedman, P. A., the firm started by her father in 1976.

Her work in personal injury includes, workers' compensation, medical malpractice, products liability and nursing home negligence.

Carolyn Friedman Frank was admitted to the Florida State Bar in 1996, after earning her Juris Doctorate at the University of Miami. She did her undergraduate work at the University of Pennsylvania, where she obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree.

Carolyn is married...

Maria Isabel Amaro was born in Colombia, South America in 1970. Ms. Amaro relocated to Miami, FL in 1985 and has lived in Miami for the last 24 years.

Ms. Amaro graduated from Nova Southeastern University with her Bachelors in Business Administration and a minor in Professional Management in 2005. Ms. Amaro attended Saint Thomas University School of Law receiving her Juris Doctor in 2008.

She was also a certified legal intern for Legal Aid of Greater Miami in the Family Law department for two semesters.

Upon being admitted to the Florida Bar in 2008, Ms. Amaro joined the law firm of Friedman,...

Since 1995, I've been an attorney at Kurzban Kurzban Tetzeli & Pratt, P.A., where I became an equity partner in 2013. As the managing partner of our esteemed 40+ year law firm, I lead with a commitment to excellence in representing our clients. With a focus on trial law, my dedication to securing maximum compensation and justice for our clients is reflected in the verdicts and settlements I've obtained. I graduated from the University of Alabama in 1992 with honors, earning a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Miami School of Law in 1995. Admitted to the bar in Florida,...