Editorial: Commercial Arbitration in Florida

01 November 2007

Kenny Nachwalter PA earns two nominees in this chapter. Named partner Michael Nachwalter is “very highly regarded” in the local market, and is said to be an “excellent neutral”. He has acted as arbitrator and mediator in many large commercial cases, and is among the most highly nominated individuals in the research overall. Fellow founding partner James Kenny joins him in this chapter and “stands comparison with anyone in the state”. Our sources commented on Kenny’s “fine pedigree”; he is an arbitrator for the American Arbitration Association (AAA), where he served on the panel for arbitration of disputes arising from the Salt Lake City 2002 Winter Olympic Games, and currently serves on the AAA large and complex case panel. He is also experienced in National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD) dispute resolution and the CPR Institute for Dispute Resolution.

Akerman Senterfitt is the second firm to earn two featured partners. Edward Davis is based in the Miami office and is well known locally as former Chief Judge of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida. Described as “very distinguished and highly respected”, he is a member of the panel of arbitrators for the International Centre for Dispute Resolution (ICDR). Burton Landy is a “fantastically able practitioner with first class international knowledge”. He has served as arbitrator and as counsel in a number of international panels and tribunals under International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), AAA, ICDR, UNCITRAL and ICSID rules on a range of commercial and investment disputes. Landy has experience of disputes regarding parties and laws from a range of countries both domestically and overseas, including in Latin America, Canada and Japan.

José Astigarraga of Astigarraga Davis received more nominations than any one else in the research overall. Described as a “star”, he is “at the top of the list” and his Latin American practice is said to be “unrivalled”. One of the 10 Americans initially appointed by the US government to advise the NAFTA Commission on international arbitration and dispute resolution, he is experienced as sole arbitrator, co-arbitrator and chair of tribunals, and his international reputation is further underlined by his role as vice president on the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA).

Christi Underwood’s reputation for construction-related arbitration work is “second to none”. She has represented construction contractors and sureties in arbitration proceedings, and was involved in the dispute review team at Orlando International Airport. Underwood is a member of the AAA's national construction dispute resolution committee, as well as the international and complex case panels, and her AAA training work was also strongly recommended to researchers.

Joseph Matthews of Colson Hicks Eidson is regarded as an “outstanding choice for inclusion” by his peers. A veteran of more than 50 arbitration proceedings as counsel, he has also served as arbitrator in more than 100 cases administered by the LCIA, ICC, AAA and others. Matthews is a member of the AAA large and complex case panel and class arbitration panel, as well as being a member of the board of directors, and he is “among the foremost experts in the state” according to our sources.

Daniel González is a co-director of Hogan & Hartson LLP’s international litigation and arbitration work. He is known for the quality of his Latin American practice. Described as a “tremendous arbitral counsel”, he is also recognised for his work as arbitrator and mediator in a range of disputes, and he is a member of the LCIA, ICC and AAA.

Nicolas Swerdloff of Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP has built a “top-notch reputation as counsel” across a range of areas. Past chair of the international litigation and arbitration committee of the International Law Section of the Florida Bar, he is also a member of the AAA panel of arbitrators and a “recognised leader in this field”. Gerald Wald of Murai Wald Biondo Moreno & Brochin PA was described to us as an “excellent advocate and neutral”, and he is experienced in various matters in front of the AAA, LCIA and NASD.

The “very learned” Stanley Beiley is of counsel to Sacher Zelman Hartman Paul Beiley & Rolnick PA. Recognised as a “first-class” AAA arbitrator, he has participated in over 50 commercial and international disputes. An “outstanding choice” in the view of our sources, the high levels of commendation he received place him in the highest tier of experts in the state.

Shook Hardy & Bacon LLP is home to the “best known environmental arbitrator in Florida” in the shape of John Barkett, and he also appears in the environment chapter of this book. He has acted as a neutral in approximately 50 matters involving more than $400 million in total, including five large multi-party environmental cases, and he has experience of conducting proceedings under CPR and AAA rules, as well as ad hoc arbitrations.

The “very eminent” John Rooney of Shutts & Bowen LLP “certainly knows his stuff”, and particularly impressed our sources with the international dimension of his practice. Recognised for his AAA work, he has been involved in several high-profile cases overseen by the World Bank and other global organisations and was recently appointed as arbitrator in an ICSID dispute. In addition, Rooney was also designated representative of the Inter-American Bar Association to the UNCITRAL Arbitration Working Group, and his teaching in this area also impressed his peers.

Ryan Reetz joined Squire Sanders & Dempsey LLP from Greenberg Traurig LLP in September 2007, and is rated as “extremely capable” by his clients and peers. A “very smart and effective counsel”, in recent years he has defended a Peruvian development company in ICC arbitration proceedings brought in Lima, and also represented a joint venture in an AAA international arbitration dispute over greenfield manufacturing plants in Argentina and Colombia.

Marvin Barkin is a founding partner of Trenam Kemker Scharf Barkin Frye O’Neill & Mullis PA, and performed particularly strongly in the research for this chapter. An “outstanding individual”, he is a member of the AAA neutral panel and takes a place among the leading experts in the state.

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