Education:
University of Miami School of Law, Coral Gables, Florida, 1978 J.D.
Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, 1975 A.B.
Bar Admissions:
Florida, 1978
U.S. District Court Southern District of Florida, 1978
U.S. Court of Appeals 1lth Circuit, 1980
U.S. Court of Appeals 5th Circuit, 1980
U.S. Supreme Court, 1978
Languages:
Spanish
Professional/Civic Activities:
Metropolitan Dade County Independent Review Panel, 1986 -1989; Vice-Chairperson
Metropolitan Dade County Independent Review Panel, 1986 -1989; Chairperson
Board of Governors, The Florida Bar, 1988 -1993; Member
Citizens’ Task Force, appointed by the Dade County Commission to recommend changes to the Independent Review Panel, 1989; Member
Princeton Club of South Florida, 1988 – 1990; President
Coordinated Miami-Dade County’s response and preparation for the verdict in the case of State of Florida v. William Lozano, 1991 -1993
Mayor’s Transition Team, City of Miami, 1994 -1995; Member
Metropolitan Dade County Community Relations Board, 1995 -1996; Chairperson
Dade County Bar Association, 1996 -1997; President
Dade County Courthouse Lobby Restoration Project, 1996 -1998; Chairman
Special Commission on Judicial Elections, 1997 -1998; Chairman
Task Force to Establish Blue Ribbon Committee on Ethics, 1999 -2001; Miami-Dade County School Board Appointee
Judicial Nominations Commission, Third District Court of Appeal, 1999 -2002; Chair
Alliance for Ethical Government, 2000 -2001; Member
City of Miami Civilian Investigative Panel Nominating Committee, 2002 -2003; Chairperson
Dade County Bar Association Commission on Public Funding of Judicial Elections, 2002 – 2003; Chairperson
Dade County Courtroom 6-1 Restoration Project, 2003 -2008; Co-Chairman
Dade Community Foundation, 2004 - Present; Member, Board of Directors
Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce, 2006 – 2008; Chair of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
Miami-Dade County, Florida, Centennial Celebration of the 11th Judicial Circuit, 2009 – Present; Chair
Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce, New World Center Committee (Downtown Development Committee), 2009 – Present; Chair
Recognition/Honors:
Florida Trend Legal Elite (Top 1% Florida Lawyers), 2004 – Present
Florida Super Lawyers, 2004 – Present
Top Lawyer – South Florida Legal Guide, 2004 – Present
Joseph H. Serota
Member
Broward Office (954) 763-4242
Dade Office (305) 854-0800 jserota@wsh-law.com
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Mr. Serota, a Founding Member of the firm, is the senior litigator at the Firm. He has extensive experience representing private and public entities throughout South Florida. Mr. Serota is also an accomplished appellate lawyer with numerous reported opinions to his credit.
Mr. Serota is active in professional organizations and civic affairs. He has served as chair of the Judicial Nominations Commission, Third District Court of Appeal, president of the Dade County Bar Association and as member of the Board of Governors of The Florida Bar. He is also past chair of the Metropolitan Dade County Community Relations Board and of the Miami-Dade County Independent Review Panel. He currently serves as chair of the New World Center Committee (Downtown Development) of the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce.
Significant Trials and Appeals
- Successfully defended bank president and bank on claims for fiduciary duty through jury verdict and appeal
- Successfully defended City sued for breach of contract to sell City liens through jury verdict and appeal
- Successfully defended police officers accused of civil rights violation through jury verdict
- Successfully defended City in class action based upon alleged unconstitutionality of ordinance through trial court judgment and appeal
- Successfully defended and prosecuted construction defects claims for developers, Associations, and contractors
- Argued cases in The Florida Supreme Court defending a City ordinance and state statute
- Successfully defended a city in a class action claim for violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act through trial court judgment and appeal
- Successfully defended a city sued by a labor union for due process claims through judgment and appeal
- Successfully defended a city accused of racial discrimination through jury verdict
- Successfully defended bank accused by another bank in loan participation for breach of contract through trial judgment
- Successfully defended lawyers accused of significant disciplinary violations by The Florida Bar
- Successfully defended developer accused of violating land use regulations through trial
- Successfully prosecuted claims on behalf of a city against a county based upon violation of the County’s Development Master Plan through trial court judgment and appeal
