With Miami’s 125th birthday being celebrated this week, it seems only fitting that we look to the new and exciting opportunities in the Miami legal market that make it stand out from other markets in the country. Clearly Miami has always had a strong real estate market, for both residential and commercial purposes and recently,

Last Friday, the summer associates and I participated in a drafting seminar led by Real Estate Practice Group partners, Tim DeKeyser and Marty Schwartz. This seminar focused on the importance of clear and concise prose that is free of legalese, ambiguities, and inconsistencies. Typically, in oral conversation, real estate lawyers are able to express

(L to R Joseph Beguiristain, David Jessup, Jr., Hannah Lidicker, Danielle Hall and Martin Schwartz)
(L to R Joseph Beguiristain, David Jessup, Jr., Hannah Lidicker, Danielle Hall and Martin Schwartz)

Concisely: life looks different for all of us in 2021. As past blog posts by my peers have illustrated, Bilzin Sumberg has adapted. Saron Musa noted in her recent post that the firm’s Women’s Book Club found its way to Zoom, and summer social events, from mojito making to terrarium building, have followed. At a time when employers are announcing “back-to-office” plans and headlines are reporting these decisions with gusto, I found myself engaged in something akin to yesteryear’s watercooler conversation.

On the heels of the mock real estate transaction*, I knew I wanted to learn more about Bilzin Sumberg’s Real Estate Practice Area. After a lunch meeting with Partner Martin (Marty) Schwartz and Mid-Level Associate Hannah Lidicker, I was invited to join a client call. Side note: if you’re a Miami Law student, word on the street is that Marty will add “Professor” to his nameplate this fall. If you’re interested in real estate law, you don’t want to miss this chance to learn from a leader in the field. Back to that client call, Marty and Hannah also extended invitations to Joe Beguiristain and Danielle Hall. The three of us dialed in, listened, and took notes. While I cannot speak for Joe or Danielle, I can tell you that I ended the call with more questions than answers.
Continue Reading Watercooler Conversations in 2021

When Jessica first sent out the summer event calendar, one event in particular had me excited—bourbon tasting with the Real Estate group!

As the event approached, I could hardly keep myself from opening the three bottles of bourbons that arrived at my door step a few days prior to the tasting. I really have to hand it the Real Estate Practice Group Leader, Adam Lustig, for inspiring such a terrific event!

The tasting was run by Kentucky Spirits Ltd., a virtual bourbon tasting company that launched in the middle of Covid as an offshoot of Hartfield and Co. Distillery. The founder of both companies, Andrew, led us on a bourbon tasting journey from three different distillers, sampling bottles that he hand selected.

As luck would have it, Bilzin Sumberg has a bourbon savant of our own on staff in Real Estate Partner, Timothy P. DeKeyser. Tim ostensibly served as our moderator for the evening and skillfully led our guide Andrew with insider questions.Continue Reading Bourbon by Any Other Name: Would It Taste As Sweet?

With a little more than half of the summer under our belts, the Summer Associates have attended everything from Department-specific social events, attorney spotlights, client spotlights, and weekly Wellness Workshops. So many events have left us with a deeper appreciation for Bilzin Sumberg outside of just the great work we get to

Last night, the rainy South Florida weather had the summer associates and I dreaming of brighter (and dryer) pastures. Like an episode from The Magic School Bus, the summer associates and the Corporate Practice Group took a quick field trip to the beautiful shores of Ireland. In mere seconds, thanks to Zoom, we arrived

Trivia Night with the Litigation Practice Group

Wednesday night the Summer Associates had our first social event with a Practice Group. Trivia Night, hosted by Carl Boccuti, had us split into groups of 4-5 with the Litigation Practice Group to compete for the ultimate prize, bragging rights for the rest of the summer. The questions included everything from Rihanna’s birthplace to

(L to R Jessica Buchsbaum, Betsi Cobas, Lucas Pizzutti, Saron Musa, David Jessup, John Trach, Nathifa Parker, Joseph Beguiristain, Joy Spillis Lundeen and Danielle Hall)

Last Friday, the summer associates and I had the honor of meeting Bilzin Sumberg Partner and Construction Group Leader, Joy Spillis Lundeen. Joy, a recent addition to Bilzin Sumberg, is regarded as the reputed go-to person for all things construction and has an impressive roster of clients.

Born and raised in Miami, Joy reflected on the dramatic changes to Miami’s skyline since her childhood and recalled the excitement she felt, and continues to feel, when admiring the City’s continued development. Interestingly, her passion for construction was largely inspired by her upbringing. Growing up, Joy’s family owned a leading, Miami-based architectural firm that contributed to the development of many well-known structures throughout South Florida. This familial backdrop inspired Joy to study architecture in college and when contemplating an area of law in which to specialize, construction seemed to perfectly align with her interests. Since then, Joy hasn’t looked back as she continues to trail blaze through an often male-dominated construction field.Continue Reading Constructing Our Future-One Attorney Spotlight at a Time