Most Effective Lawyers: Real Estate Finalists
A $3.4 million judgment fit for a ‘queen’
December 07, 2009
According to the editors of the Daily Business Review, lawyers recognized in this special project handled the largest SEC receivership in Florida history, fought for the rights of mentally ill prison inmates, got restitution for the victims of the bombing of the USS Cole, secured the reversal of 15 death row convictions, got public financing to move forward for the Florida Marlins’ new home, took on the cause of gay adoption, successfully defended a giant fruit producer from a massive class action and uncovered prosecutorial misconduct.
The attorneys were measured on one critical benchmark: results for the client.
Most Effective Lawyers has quickly become the recognition that distinguishes the top attorneys in South Florida.
Prominent Miami real estate broker Edie Laquer has been called “the queen of real estate in Miami.”
That would make Alan Kluger and Todd Levine of Kluger Kaplan Silverman Katzen & Levine in Miami her knights in shining armor.
In July, Kluger and Levine won a $3.4 million judgment for Laquer who claimed she had been cheated out of her commission in a downtown Miami land deal.
Laquer Corporate Realty Group sued Leviev Boymelgreen Developers and Africa Israel Properties in April 2008 for breach of contract, claiming the defendants acted in bad faith to avoid paying her commission.
The sellers denied that Laquer had earned her fee, but Levine prevailed on a motion for summary judgment. Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Ronald Dresnick ruled for Laquer in July, awarding her $3 million plus interest.
Kluger and Levine declined to comment at Laquer’s request. Levine, a commercial litigator specializing in real estate cases, previously told the Daily Business Review the judge had considered that the corporate defendants accepted and spent a $6 million deposit.
Attorney Normal Segall, a partner at Ruden McClosky in Miami, represents the defendants in the lawsuit. An appeal is pending before the 3rd District Court of Appeal.
The lawsuit stems from a 2006 sales contract between Leviev Boymelgreen and Africa-Israel and 150 NE 7th LLC, a company controlled by Boca Raton developer Arthur Falcone and Palm Beach Gardens developer Marc Roberts.
The defendants hired Laquer, a top dealmaker in Miami-Dade County, to find a buyer for several land parcels near the American Airlines Arena.
Laquer arranged a sale of the properties for $88.7 million to Falcone and Roberts, who were assembling land for their ambitious Miami Worldcenter project, a nine-block mixed-use development. Under the terms of her contract, Laquer was entitled to collect 3.5 percent of the purchase price.
The deal foundered in late 2006, and Laquer claimed she was wrongly excluded from a second contract signed in March 2007 for the same purchase price.
In the event the buyer backed out and forfeited deposits, the contract stated Laquer would receive her commission or one-half the deposit, according to the suit.
Kluger and Levine argued the original deposit had been forfeited, which the defendants denied.
Segall said the case should wait for resolution of a separate lawsuit filed by 150 NE 7th LLC against his clients. That case settled with a sale moving forward at a reduced price of $39 million.
Laquer played no role in the ultimate deal, Segall said.
“Our position then and still is that her claim for commission was premature at best,” Segall said. “We expect this issue will be back before the trial court.”
A $3.4 million judgment fit for a ‘queen’
December 07, 2009
According to the editors of the Daily Business Review, lawyers recognized in this special project handled the largest SEC receivership in Florida history, fought for the rights of mentally ill prison inmates, got restitution for the victims of the bombing of the USS Cole, secured the reversal of 15 death row convictions, got public financing to move forward for the Florida Marlins’ new home, took on the cause of gay adoption, successfully defended a giant fruit producer from a massive class action and uncovered prosecutorial misconduct.
The attorneys were measured on one critical benchmark: results for the client.
Most Effective Lawyers has quickly become the recognition that distinguishes the top attorneys in South Florida.
MOST EFFECTIVE LAWYERS: Alan Kluger and Todd Levine, Kluger Kaplan Silverman Katzen & Levine
Prominent Miami real estate broker Edie Laquer has been called “the queen of real estate in Miami.”
That would make Alan Kluger and Todd Levine of Kluger Kaplan Silverman Katzen & Levine in Miami her knights in shining armor.
In July, Kluger and Levine won a $3.4 million judgment for Laquer who claimed she had been cheated out of her commission in a downtown Miami land deal.
Laquer Corporate Realty Group sued Leviev Boymelgreen Developers and Africa Israel Properties in April 2008 for breach of contract, claiming the defendants acted in bad faith to avoid paying her commission.
The sellers denied that Laquer had earned her fee, but Levine prevailed on a motion for summary judgment. Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Ronald Dresnick ruled for Laquer in July, awarding her $3 million plus interest.
Kluger and Levine declined to comment at Laquer’s request. Levine, a commercial litigator specializing in real estate cases, previously told the Daily Business Review the judge had considered that the corporate defendants accepted and spent a $6 million deposit.
Attorney Normal Segall, a partner at Ruden McClosky in Miami, represents the defendants in the lawsuit. An appeal is pending before the 3rd District Court of Appeal.
The lawsuit stems from a 2006 sales contract between Leviev Boymelgreen and Africa-Israel and 150 NE 7th LLC, a company controlled by Boca Raton developer Arthur Falcone and Palm Beach Gardens developer Marc Roberts.
The defendants hired Laquer, a top dealmaker in Miami-Dade County, to find a buyer for several land parcels near the American Airlines Arena.
Laquer arranged a sale of the properties for $88.7 million to Falcone and Roberts, who were assembling land for their ambitious Miami Worldcenter project, a nine-block mixed-use development. Under the terms of her contract, Laquer was entitled to collect 3.5 percent of the purchase price.
The deal foundered in late 2006, and Laquer claimed she was wrongly excluded from a second contract signed in March 2007 for the same purchase price.
In the event the buyer backed out and forfeited deposits, the contract stated Laquer would receive her commission or one-half the deposit, according to the suit.
Kluger and Levine argued the original deposit had been forfeited, which the defendants denied.
Segall said the case should wait for resolution of a separate lawsuit filed by 150 NE 7th LLC against his clients. That case settled with a sale moving forward at a reduced price of $39 million.
Laquer played no role in the ultimate deal, Segall said.
“Our position then and still is that her claim for commission was premature at best,” Segall said. “We expect this issue will be back before the trial court.”