Prominent Real Estate Team Led by Vivian de las Cuevas-Diaz and Barbara Ferrer Joins Holland & Knight

MIAMI, Dec. 19, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Holland & Knight is pleased to announce Vivian de las Cuevas-Diaz and Barbara Ferrer have joined the firm as partners in the Real Estate Practice Group. Ms. de las Cuevas-Diaz and Ms. Ferrer will be based in Miami, working closely with the firm's established team of real estate professionals. They are part of a five-lawyer team from Broad and Cassel that is making the transition to Holland & Knight.

Ms. de las Cuevas-Diaz represents institutional lenders and developers in the financing of complex real estate transactions and has extensive experience in all legal and financial aspects of real estate. She is currently president of the Cuban American Bar Association and active with many other groups in South Florida, including the Latin Builders Association and Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW) of Miami. Ms. de las Cuevas-Diaz was recently named by Chief Justice Polston to the Florida Supreme Court Standing Committee on Fairness and Diversity and appointed by U.S. Senators Bill Nelson and Marco Rubio to the Florida Judicial Nomination Commission.

Ms. Ferrer has a substantial background working with national, regional and community banks on large and sophisticated financing projects involving construction, real estate and asset-based loans. She also has experience in public private financing. She is recognized as a top lawyer in real estate by Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business. Ms. Ferrer is a past board member of both the Builders Association of South Florida and CREW of Miami, and is involved in various community groups, including the United Way of Miami.

"Vivian, Barbara and their team have created a very sophisticated and successful real estate practice and we are extremely pleased to have them join our firm," said John Halula, Holland & Knight's Miami Real Estate Practice Group Leader. "Additionally, each has an impressive background of leadership and community involvement that fits perfectly with the culture of Holland & Knight."

Other key members of the Broad and Cassel group led by Ms. de las Cuevas-Diaz and Ms. Ferrer will also join Holland & Knight – including Anna Marie Hernandez as senior counsel (and the sole litigator of the team); Isabel Diaz as senior counsel; and Rebecca Mendez as an associate. Two paralegals, two secretaries and a law clerk will also move to Holland & Knight.

"We have aggressively pursued top talent for our firm's Real Estate Section and Vivian, Barbara and their team have enabled us to continue to realize on that goal," said Joe Guay, Holland & Knight's firmwide Real Estate Section Leader.  "We are thrilled to have them join our firm."

"I have great relationships with and respect for many Holland & Knight attorneys and look forward to working more closely with them," said Ms. de las Cuevas-Diaz. "Holland & Knight offers a broad platform for our team to grow and we expect that our clients will benefit from the firm's national capabilities and experience in areas beyond transactional real estate."

Holland & Knight has more than 35 real estate professionals in its South Florida offices who regularly assist lenders, developers, buyers, sellers, investors, owners, managers and others with all types of commercial real estate matters. In 2012, U.S. News – Best Lawyers named Holland & Knight the "Law Firm of the Year" in Real Estate Law. The firm also earned first-tier rankings in the Boston, Chicago, Jacksonville, Miami, New York City, Orlando, Tallahassee, Tampa and Washington, D.C. markets.

About Holland & Knight LLP:  Holland & Knight is a global law firm with 1,000 lawyers in 17 U.S. offices as well as Abu Dhabi, Beijing, Bogota, and Mexico City. The firm is among the nation's largest law firms, providing representation in litigation, business, real estate and governmental law. Interdisciplinary practice groups and industry-based teams provide clients with access to attorneys throughout the firm, regardless of location. www.hklaw.com

SOURCE Holland & Knight LLP