Michael S. Popok

Member

Broward Office (954) 763-4242Dade Office (305) 854-0800mpopok@wsh-law.com

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Mr. Popok is a Member of the Firm and is Chair of the Litigation Division.  He is also a member of the Construction Litigation Group. 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.  Mr. Popok also represents individuals and companies in a wide-range of white collar and civil enforcement matters involving public corruption, economic crimes, and RICO.  Mr. Popok was also associated with the New York offices of the international law firms of Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom and Sidley & Austin prior to relocating to Florida in 1996.

Mr. Popok’s commercial litigation experience has involved the successful representation of: 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; Van Wagner communications in its dispute against the FDOT concerning billboards and murals; Visible Changes Inc. in its million-dollar dispute with the parent company of the Atlantis Resort; Lincoln Properties concerning premises liability issues; Redland Estates in its multi-million-dollar dispute with the seller over the transfer of land for development; the City of Hollywood in its 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;  a doctor group concerning the dissolution of its practice;  the Farm Bureau of Broward County in an ADA dispute; the City of Coral Gables in its dispute concerning the operation of its maintenance facility; and Mancini Enterprises in its $3 million dispute against American Express.

Mr. Popok’s construction litigation experience is primarily owner-side and he has recently represented: the City of Boca Raton in a $15 million dollar construction dispute over its new library; 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 dollar construction dispute concerning the new Town Hall.

Mr. Popok’s recent governmental/municipal experience includes: representing the City of Deerfield Beach in its negotiations with its former city manager; the Village of Bal Harbour in an election law dispute involving one of its councilpersons; the Village of Bal Harbour in enforcing its municipal animal control ordinances; 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; the Poinciana Condominium Association in its dispute with Florida’s Division of Environmental Resource Management concerning the operation of its marina; and the City of Hallandale Beach in its $30 million dollar dispute against Waste Management arising out of a recycling and composting contract.

Mr. Popok’s successful advocacy on behalf of its clients for almost 20 years has also resulted in a number of reported decisions in both federal and state court including: 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); and Dean Witter v. Selectronics, 594 N.Y.S.2d 174 (NY 1st Dept. 1993).