Mitchell A. Bierman

Member

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

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Mitchell Bierman handles government affairs and administrative law matters for major international companies in the transportation, environmental and solid waste, and engineering and construction industries. His work includes winning and negotiating large public contracts, public private partnerships, public infrastructure improvements and affordable housing developments as well as advocating for industry clients on public policy issues affecting their industries.

Mitch also chairs the Firm’s Airport Services Group which is a special practice in airport law, representing airports and airport related business including airlines, cargo carriers, car rental companies, airport concessionaires, consultants and construction and engineering firms. Prior to joining the Firm, Mitch was counsel to Miami International Airport and he has nearly 20 years of experience in airport finance, airline negotiations, airport concessions, and land leasing and development.

Mitch has helped numerous concessionaires win major airport concessions around the United States and has negotiated airline-airport use agreements, rental car facility agreements, fuel system lease agreements, management agreements, rental car lease and concession agreements, and other ground transportation agreements. He has also assisted airports in their non-aviation development deals, expansions, construction projects, labor agreements and first amendment issues.

Mitch recently represented a number of clients in a $700 million environmental remediation cost recovery case at a major international airport and also helped resolve a multi-party dispute over space allocations at a new consolidated car rental facility. Mitch is a frequent contributor to important trade publications such as Airport Revenue News and has also provided input in federal agency rulemaking processes on matters affecting the air commerce industry.

Mitch has also been the force behind the creation of the Firm’s sustainability planning group which brings together the diverse legal and non-legal disciplines required to provide communities and businesses with comprehensive resources sustainability planning services.  Services include legal, engineering and legislative consulting as well as city planning, energy management, water and solid waste master planning and management, creation of carbon action plans and assistance in accessing state, federal and private grants and appropriations to implement cost and resource saving plans.

Mitch’s skills and relationships were developed during his government career in which he served as Assistant Dade County Attorney from 1990 to 1996. He continues to serve government as the current Town Attorney for the Town of Cutler Bay in Miami Dade County, and he provides key expertise to many of the Firm’s other government clients on particular matters. Mitch’s broad government experience also includes representing the Miami-Dade County Transit Agency, Seaport Authority and Information Technologies Department, among others. Prior to the County Attorney’s office, Mitch served as a law clerk to United States District Judge Eugene P. Spellman from 1989-1990 and as an administrative aide to Congressman Claude D. Pepper in the 1980s.

Mitch is a third-generation Miami native and has very strong ties to the community. He is a Trustee of the Miami Art Museum and chairs its Government Relations Committee. He is also active in the Historical Society of South Florida and Greater Miami Jewish Federation. He is a founding member of the Eugene P. Spellman Chapter of the American Inns of Court. Mitch has been recognized frequently as one of Miami’s top lawyers in Florida Trend, South Florida Business Journal’s “Best of the Bar” issue and in the South Florida Legal Guide and has an AV rating (highest attainable) from Martindale Hubbell. Mitch was recently featured in the South Florida Business Journal’s annual “Most Effective Lawyers 2008″ issue.  He lectures frequently on government contracts law and government relations.

Significant Matters:

• Successfully represented Skanska Construction in court challenge by disappointed bidder to award of $90 million public hospital construction contract
• Defended award of $60 million airport construction contract to Skanska Construction against bid protest challenge by disappointed bidder
• Representation of one of the world’s largest rail car manufacturers, in negotiation of $400 million railcar refurbishment project
• Representation of Cubic Transportation Systems in connection with regional transportation authority request for proposals to provide smart cart program for region and constituent local transit authorities
• Successfully represented Faber Coe & Greg in obtaining news and gift and specialty retail concession with projected sales in excess of $80 million at major international airport and defended award in challenge by disappointed bidder
• Represented Areas Comidas, a major international airport food and beverage concessionaire in award of numerous airport concession worth in excess of $500 million.
• Represented Allied Waste Systems in obtaining and negotiating $25 million contract for disposal of USDA regulated international airport waste and successfully defended bid protest challenge by disappointed bidder.
• Represented world’s largest car rental company in negotiation of its lease and concession agreement for consolidated car rental facility at two large international airport
• Provided legal and government affairs support in acquisition of duty free concession at one of country’s fasted growing airports for Nuance Global Traders, the world’s largest airport duty free concessionaire
• Represented international cargo shipping company in attempts to gain access for its cargo handling subsidiary at large U.S. port
• Assisted national environmental engineer in renewal of bond engineering consulting agreement for large government solid waste department
• Assisted vendor of tax deferred employee benefits provider in obtaining contract to provide benefits to facility, staff and administrators of country’s fourth largest public school system
• Represented one of the nation’s larges debris removal and environmental remediation firms on major FEMA funded canal dredging program
• Favorably settled environmental cost recovery claim against Fortune 100 company as part of a multi-defendant, $700 million cost recovery lawsuit brought by owner of major public airport against all historical airport users and tenants