MIAMI, FL – Nov. 2023 – The arrival of three new associates at South Florida litigation firm Kluger, Kaplan, Silverman, Katzen & Levine signals a significant expansion as the firm anticipates increased demand for commercial and probate litigation.

Kluger Kaplan has hired Gabrielle Craft, Danella C. Williams and Elsa Van Gorp Rene, who focus on complex commercial disputes, corporate matters and probate, trust and guardianship litigation.

The hires are a strategic move that founding shareholder Alan Kluger says is a testament to the firm’s commitment to meeting the evolving needs of its clients. Florida welcomed 319,000 new residents in 2022, making it the top destination for domestic migration. Likewise, Floridians filed 632,105 applications for new businesses, a 27% year-over-year increase. “Gabrielle, Danella and Elsa bring diverse skills and a commitment to excellence, which is crucial as more companies and individuals relocate to Florida – bringing their families and legal needs with them,” Kluger said. “We warmly welcome our new associates and look forward to their contributions to our firm as we continue to take on some of the most high-stakes and complex matters in the state.”

Craft handles complex commercial, business, real estate, probate, trust and guardianship disputes. She also co-chairs the membership committee for the Miami-Dade Chapter of the Florida Association for Women Lawyers (MDFAWL). A former associate at a Coral Gables trial firm, Craft provided support and advised clients on complex corporate and commercial litigation matters. She previously served as a judicial intern for Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Martin Zilber, assisting with complex probate and corporate ownership issues, and was a law clerk at a boutique law firm focused on real estate, development, banking, litigation and transactions.

Craft holds a bachelor’s degree from Florida State University and earned her law degree magna cum laude from the University of Miami School of Law, where she was managing editor for International and Comparative Law Review. She was also a student attorney for the Investor Rights Clinic at the University of Miami, served as the Student Bar Association’s senator and received the Marco A. Vazquez Memorial Scholarship for Litigation Skills and Dean’s Merit Scholarship.

Williams handles complex commercial disputes, and her experience spans legal research and business strategy, including managing intellectual property applications and drafting legal documents such as nondisclosure agreements (NDAs), business formation and partnership agreements. Williams previously served as senior litigation associate at a national litigation firm, where she was the primary handling attorney representing clients in all phases of litigation for general liability matters and commercial disputes.

Williams obtained her law degree magna cum laude from Florida State University College of Law, where she participated in the E. Earl Zehmer National Moot Court Competition and received first place for Best Written Brief. Danella is vice chair of the Central City Redevelopment Advisory Board, and she holds a bachelor’s degree from Florida International University.

Van Gorp Rene focuses on probate, trust and guardianship disputes, representing heirs, beneficiaries, fiduciaries, creditors and other interested parties in litigated probate, contested guardianship and elder abuse cases. Van Gorp Rene is a former associate in the trusts and estates practice group of a national, full-service law firm and acquired extensive trial and advocacy experience as a Miami-Dade assistant public defender.

Van Gorp Rene is a member of the Florida Bar’s Elder Law and Real Property, Probate and Trust Law sections, a volunteer member of the Elder Law Section’s Abuse, Neglect & Exploitation Committee, and a member of the Dade County Bar Association. She is also a member and director of the MDFAWL board, chairs its Mentorship and Public Relations committees, and volunteers with its youth mentoring program. She holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Minnesota and obtained her law degree from the Mitchell Hamline School of Law.

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About Kluger, Kaplan, Silverman, Katzen & Levine, P.L.
Kluger, Kaplan, Silverman, Katzen & Levine focuses on complex, high-stakes disputes across a broad range of disciplines and industries, including all aspects of business and corporate litigation; real estate and construction litigation; intellectual property litigation; employment litigation; securities and financial fraud; corporate governance; bankruptcy-related litigation and debtor and creditors’ rights; appeals in state and federal courts; professional liability; intellectual property disputes; class actions; and complex matrimonial, probate and trust litigation. The firm has offices in Miami and Boca Raton, and its veteran litigators have served as lead class counsel in federal multidistrict litigation and trials in federal and state courts throughout the country. Visit klugerkaplan.com for more information.