DBR Recognizes Bilzin Sumberg for Multiple Honors in 2023 Florida Legal Awards
Miami, FL – Bilzin Sumberg is proud to announce that its industry-leading real estate practice, along with Real Estate Chair Suzanne M. Amaducci and Litigation Partner Raquel M. Fernandez, have each been recognized as honorees in Daily Business Review’s (DBR) 2023 Florida Legal Awards. The firm was included as an honoree for Real Estate Transactions, highlighting major real estate deals in 2022. Suzanne was awarded Distinguished Leader, an award recognizing lawyers who achieved impressive results in 2022 and, in doing so, demonstrated clear leadership skills. Raquel was named as Best Mentor, which honors Florida attorneys who take it upon themselves to prepare the next generation of legal talent.
Bilzin Sumberg’s real estate practice is among the largest in the state of Florida, encompassing a wide array of specialties, from real estate acquisition and finance, to leasing and development. In honoring Bilzin Sumberg, DBR recognized a variety of matters reflective of the firm’s sophistication and cross-disciplinary focus. These include hundreds of millions of dollars in financing for the acquisition and development of market rate and affordable multi-family housing across the state, in addition to the acquisition and financing of prominent hospitality, commercial, and office properties in Florida’s largest metropolitan areas.
As the Chair of Bilzin Sumberg’s Real Estate practice, Suzanne oversees one of the most active real estate practices in the state comprised of 40 attorneys and is responsible for advising on billions of dollars’ worth of acquisitions, dispositions, and development deals. Beyond her deal work, Suzanne is actively involved in community and industry organizations, including as chair of the Business Development Committee for the Miami Downtown Development Authority, a board member of the Orange Bowl Committee, a Fellow of the American College of Real Estate Lawyers, member of the Executive Board of Directors of the Greater Miami & The Beaches Hotel Association, and an advisory board member of the University of Miami (UM) School of Architecture Master in Real Estate Development + Urbanism.
Raquel has more than two decades of experience handling complex commercial litigation and is well-versed in all phases of pretrial, trial, and appeals. Her experience includes business torts, partnership disputes, deceptive and unfair trade practice claims, breach of contract, products liability, antitrust, and class action defense work.
In addition to her litigation practice, Raquel serves as head of the Firm’s ‘Matters of the Heart’ pro-bono program. Raquel’s leadership and understanding of the importance of mentoring has had a direct and positive impact on Bilzin Sumberg’s associates and junior partners. As part of both her regular practice and pro bono work, Raquel works closely with the junior partners and associates on her team to ensure that they develop both the written and oral advocacy skills necessary to be successful.
All honorees will be recognized at the Daily Business Review’s annual Florida Legal Awards ceremony to be held on May 17 at the JW Marriott Marquis in Miami.
About Bilzin Sumberg
Bilzin Sumberg counsels clients whose business and legal opportunities and challenges span the United States, Canada, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, and Asia. The firm’s growth has paralleled that of its Miami home base, a region known for its rich cultural, social, and professional diversity. Bilzin Sumberg stands at the center of virtually every major transaction shaping Florida and is at the forefront of the state’s most pressing economic issues – from infrastructure, transit and mobility, to affordability and the diversification of the state’s economy. Bilzin Sumberg lawyers concentrate on services at the heart of both regional and international commerce, including real estate, land development and government relations, environmental, construction, corporate and securities, finance, joint ventures, domestic and international tax and private wealth planning, antitrust, business litigation, and public-private partnerships. For more information, please visit bilzin.com.
