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Howard Berlin brings more than 30 years of experience representing corporate debtors, secured lenders, creditors’ committees, and individual creditors in complex restructuring and insolvency proceedings. While Chair of the Business Law Section, Berlin advanced the development of the Complex Business Courts in the Florida Circuit Courts, and today there are three such divisions throughout the State, including in Miami Dade and Broward Counties.

Representative Experience

  • Represented a closely held multi-state real estate sales and development enterprise in a $500 million out of court debt restructuring.
  • Represented the Creditor's Committee in Piper Aircraft Corporation's Chapter 11 reorganization and worked closely with creditors and Piper management for four years. Howard assisted creditors recover 100% of their claims and helped create a new Piper enterprise that thrives today.
  • Represented a Federal Court Receiver in an action initiated by the Securities Exchange Commission in regards to a $250 million Ponzi scheme in the entertainment business
  • Represented a regional South Florida hospital in a $75 million Chapter 11 restructuring
  • Represented creditor's committees in a $50 million telecom restructuring and in an $80 million national floral chain restructuring
  • Represents a $75 million a year national food industry manufacturer
  • Represents a $250 million Florida-based commercial real estate developer

Professional & Community Involvement

  • Former Chair of the Bankruptcy/UCC Committee of the Business Law Section of The Florida Bar
  • Former Chair of the Business Law Section of The Florida Bar.
  • The City of Bal Harbour, Florida, Mayor 2001-2003, 2007-2009, Councilman 2003-2005 and Assistant Mayor 2005-2007.

Awards & Recognition

  • Recipient for Most Effective Lawyer Award in Bankruptcy, Daily Business Review, 2011
  • Chambers & Partners USA, America’s Leading Business Lawyers, Bankruptcy/Restructuring (2009-2011)
  • The Best Lawyers in America®, Bankruptcy and Creditor, Debtor Rights Law (Since 1995)
  • Florida’s Super Lawyers (2006-2011)
  • The South Florida Legal Guide,  “Top Lawyer” (Since 2006)
  • Florida Trend Magazine's "Legal Elite" (2004-2006, 2010)
  • Best of the Bar, South Florida Business Law Journal

Articles & Presentations

Articles

  • "The Fall of Frenville," Norton Bankruptcy Law Adviser, September 2010
  • "Assignments for the Benefit of Creditors," 1987 revisions to Ch. 727 of the Florida Statutes

Presentations

  • Speaker, Municipal Financial Restructuring, Florida Association of County Attorneys (June 2009)
  • Speaker, Strategies to Reduce Product Liability Insurance and Defend Against Frivolous Lawsuits, General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA), (December 2009)

Prior Affiliations

  • Kluger Peretz Kaplan & Berlin, Managing Director