Michael S. Popok

Member

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Michael is the Partner-in-Charge of our Miami-Dade Office, the Chair of our Strategic Development Committee and the former Chair of the Litigation Division. His business complex litigation and trial practice emphasizes commercial, municipal/governmental, construction, and real estate law before Federal and State courts in Florida, as well as in arbitrations and mediations.

His commercial litigation experience has involved the successful representation of: Cantor Fitzgerald in a multimillion dollar suit involving its purchase of a life settlements firm; Life Settlements International (a Cantor subsidiary) concerning a $10 million action concerning the attempt to broker the sale of life insurance policies in the secondary market, United Central Bank in $50 Million Dollars worth of commercial foreclosures of a Detroit and Boca Raton Florida hotel properties. CP Ships/Hapag Lloyd in a $5 million arbitration claim against a former shipping agent; Cornerstone Group in its efforts to develop a $50 million condominium project; Visible Changes Inc. in its million-dollar dispute with the parent company of the Atlantis Resort; Redland Estates in its multi-million-dollar dispute with the seller over the transfer of land for development; the City of Hollywood in its $10 million dollar dispute concerning the termination of a development agreement for a city-owned beach-front parcel; the City of Aventura in a dispute over the development of a high-rise residential tower developed by Turnberry Associates;  the City of Coral Gables in its dispute concerning the operation of its maintenance facility; Mancini Enterprises in its multi-million dollar dispute against American Express; and United Central Bank in a series of multi-million dollar foreclosure cases involving hotels around the country.

His construction litigation experience is primarily owner-side and he has recently represented: the City of Boca Raton in a construction dispute over its new library resulting in an almost $5 million dollar settlement in its favor; the Village of Islamorada in its multi-million dollar dispute concerning its amphitheatre; the Town of Golden Beach in its $2 million dollar dispute concerning its storm water system contractor; the City of Homestead in its million dollar dispute over the construction of electric substations; Gables Condominium in its multi-million dollar dispute with its developer; Kiewit Southern Corporation in its multi-million dollar dispute with a subcontractor concerning the jet fuel farm at the Miami International Airport’s Southern Terminal; and the Town of Surfside in its $1.7 Million dollar construction dispute concerning the new Town Hall.

Michael's recent governmental/municipal experience includes representing: the Village of Bal Harbour in an election law dispute involving one of its councilpersons resulting in a judgment in favor of the Village affirmed on appeal; the Village of Key Biscayne in  successfully opposing a competitive bid challenge concerning its stormwater system; seven cities in an appeal challenging each city’s occupancy license fee charged to attorneys; the Town of Surfside concerning constitutional freedom of religion claims; the Housing Authority of the City of Miami Beach in an auditor malpractice case; the Housing Authority of the City of Lauderhill Lakes in its dispute with Federal Department of Housing and Urban Development; and the City of Hallandale Beach in its multi-million dollar dispute against Waste Management arising out of a recycling and composting contract which resulted in a favorable arbitration award.

Michael is also part of our local government practice and is the assistant city attorney for the City of North Bay Village.

A skilled appellate advocate, Michael’s successful advocacy on behalf of his clients for 20 years has also resulted in a number of reported appellate decisions in both Federal and State courts.

Awards and Recognitions

  • AV Rated
  • "Best Lawyers, Municipal Litigation," BestLawyers, 2012, 2013
  • "Florida Super Lawyer," Florida SuperLawyers, 2010 - Present
  • "Leading Lawyer, Business Litigation," South Florida Business Journal, 2009-present

Reported Cases

  • Findling v. Bisaria, 2012 WL 3835079 (S.D. Fla. Sep. 4, 2012)
  • City of Aventura v. Masone, 89 So. 3d 233 (Fla. 3rd DCA 2011)
  • City of Hollywood v. Witt, 863 So. 2d 1214 (Fla. 4th DCA 2003)
  • Pernas v. TMM Lines, 980 So. 2d 506 (Fla. 3d DCA 2008)
  • Perez-Gurri v. Village of Key Biscayne, 41 So. 2d 228 (Fla. 3d DCA 2010)
  • Addison v. City of Tampa, 33 So. 2d 742 (Fla. 2d DCA 2010)
  • Bloch-Mullen v. Bal Harbour Village, 23 So. 2d 725 (Fla. 2d DCA 2009)
  • Mancini Enterp. v. American Express, 236 FRD 695 (S.D. Fla. 2006)
  • Redland Estates v. Lynn, 920 So. 2d 1218 (Fla. 3d DCA 2006)
  • City of Hollywood v. Diamond, 955 So. 2d 87 (Fla. 4th DCA 2004)
  • Reuter Recycling v. City of Pompano, 859 So. 2d 1271 (Fla. 4th DCA 2003)
  • Sherman v. Bell Atlantic, 43 U.S. P.Q. 2d 1024 (S.D.N.Y. 1996);
  • Dean Witter v. Selectronics, 594 N.Y.S.2d 174 (NY 1st Dept. 1993).

Publications

  • "Managed Care 101," The Florida Bar Journal, May 1997 (Winner, Barbara Sanders Memorial Writing Award)
  • "Kermit May Be Right: It's Not Easy Being Green, Today's Green Building Might Be Tomorrow's Lawsuit," Florida Real Estate Journal, January 2008

Press Mentions

Professional Associations and Memberships

  • Dade County Bar Association, Diversity Advisory Committee, 2009-2011 Chair
  • Dade County Bar Association, Board of Directors, 2008-2011
  • Dade County Bar Association, Executive Committee, 2009-2011
  • Duke University Alumni Association of South Florida, Treasurer, 2006-2010
  • Association of the Bar of New York City
  • American Bar Association, White Collar Defense Section
  • American Bar Association, Labor and Employment Section