Bilzin Sumberg Bolsters Corporate and Securities & Finance Practices Amidst Spike in Florida Inbound Investment, M&A Activity

Miami, FL – As businesses migrate to Florida in record numbers and capital is deployed throughout the state, law firm Bilzin Sumberg is expanding its Corporate and Securities & Finance Practices. The firm, which is home to one of Florida’s largest and most active teams specialized in all aspects of corporate, securities, mergers and acquisitions, joint venture formations, and corporate financings, has added three attorneys: David Seifer joins as a Partner, while Charles E. Perez and Adrian Diaz de Villegas arrive as Associates. These additions expand the firm’s ability to counsel companies of all sizes – from startups to public companies – in matters ranging from capital raises and cross-border transactions, to private equity/debt placements and acquisitions and divestments.

For over two decades, Bilzin Sumberg has thrived by anticipating economic cycles and seizing opportunity within the sectors that drive Florida, with the firm’s Corporate and Securities & Finance attorneys positioned to counsel public and private companies, real estate owners and developers, and investors allocating capital in the state. The expansion of the firm’s Corporate and Securities & Finance Practices comes as nearly 1,000 residents migrate to Florida daily and major global and domestic companies announce plans to relocate and expand to the state, including a wave of finance and technology firms. At the same time, M&A activity in the U.S. during Q1 of 2021 totaled approximately $671 billion – up 161 percent year-over-year.

“The world’s largest corporations and investors have set their sights on Florida, and Bilzin Sumberg is at the center of the most important transactions unfolding in the state,” says Bilzin Sumberg Managing Partner Albert E. Dotson, Jr. “The expansion of Bilzin Sumberg’s Corporate and Securities & Finance Practices enhances our firm’s ability to serve clients both within Florida and outside our state which are looking to launch new companies, access capital, pursue M&A strategies, and comply with regulations at all levels of government.”

David Seifer, who was previously a partner at Stearns Weaver Miller, brings more than two decades of experience handling corporate matters including securities offerings, corporate governance, securities reporting and compliance, mergers and acquisitions, blockchain and distributed ledger-related legal issues, equity and debt fundraising and financing, and acquisitions and exit strategies. He specializes in advising domestic and international clients in the technology, life sciences, health care, real estate, banking, and finance sectors. David has represented companies in capital raising transactions valued up to $250 million, and in mergers, acquisitions and dispositions with transaction values up to $440 million.

Charles E. Perez arrives at Bilzin Sumberg from the New York office of Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP. He advises private companies and financial institutions on issues ranging from fund formations and investments, to alternative investment vehicles and regulatory compliance. Charles also structures joint venture agreements for funds that focus on the real estate sector, as well as the acquisition of fund assets from unaffiliated entities. He has also represented private fund clients on complex secondary transactions, including individual, small and large bulk portfolio transactions.

Adrian Diaz de Villegas, formerly of Dechert LLP’s Charlotte, North Carolina office, focuses his practice on finance and real estate matters, with an emphasis on commercial real estate finance, acquisitions and mortgage-backed securitizations. He has represented commercial banks, investment banks, non-bank alternative lenders, private equity and debt funds, and other financial institutions.

About Bilzin Sumberg

Bilzin Sumberg counsels clients whose business and legal opportunities and challenges span the United States and cross borders to Europe, Latin America, Canada, the Middle East, and Asia. The firm's growth has paralleled that of its Miami home base, a region known for its rich cultural, social, and professional diversity. Bilzin Sumberg lawyers concentrate on services at the heart of both regional and international commerce, including real estate, land development and government relations, environmental, corporate law, joint ventures, domestic and international tax and estate planning, business litigation, finance, and public-private partnerships. For more information, please visit bilzin.com.