In the wake of inbound investment and development across the state, law firm Bilzin Sumberg has added Jospeh Hernandez as a partner in the firm’s real estate practice. Hernandez will represent developers, owners, investors, condominium associations, financial institutions, private equity firms, high net worth individuals and public entities in all aspects of commercial and residential transactions – in Florida, nationally, and throughout Latin America and the Caribbean.
Hernandez brings 30 years of experience in law, real estate development and finance and banking. Today, his legal practice centers on real estate acquisitions, dispositions, development, financing, leasing, joint ventures and capital raises. He most recently served as a partner and real estate practice group chair at Weiss Serota Helfman Cole + Bierman, where he represented clients in a range of sectors, including affordable housing, hospitality and residential and commercial development. He also guides condominium associations and cooperative corporations in matters involving bulk purchases, redevelopments, terminations of existing associations, dispute resolution and construction defects.
“Bilzin Sumberg clients look to our real estate practice as a resource for navigating sophisticated developments and transactions in all asset classes,” said Bilzin Sumberg Managing Partner Albert E. Dotson Jr. “Joe has been working across a range of sectors with clients in all corners of the real estate landscape for three decades. The diversity of his experience will add value to our existing client relationships and bolster our team’s ability to counsel clients through economic cycles.”
Hernandez’s recent and past transactions include representation of a majority of unit owners in the $150 million bulk sale that took place at Biscayne 21 condominium, negotiation of a settlement between a residential developer and homeowners at odds over the development of a 110-acre golf course, representation of the City of Miami in the negotiation of a development agreement and lease for city-owned land on the Miami River and representation of Florida East Coast Industries in the real estate aspects of the company’s $270 million acquisition of Codina Group.
Hernandez previously served as general counsel for an asset manager owned by Cerberus Capital, as a partner at Hogan Lovells and as shareholder at Greenberg Traurig. He has also held roles at Bank of America and currently serves as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Miami School of Law. He is a Fellow of the American College of Real Estate Lawyers (ACREL), for which he serves as Chair of the Common Interest Ownership Committee.
