Miami is consistently one of the country’s fastest-growing cities, keeping construction companies busy year-round. But despite booming business, contractors in The Magic City carry a lot of legal risk. The building industry is complex, and disputes over payment, delays, or defects are increasingly common. Construction projects in Miami are frequently subject to claims and lawsuits. While not every construction dispute or payment problem requires an attorney, having professional legal guidance is crucial. The best construction lawyers in Miami are on top for a reason: They understand the industry and can help contractors navigate Florida’s unique local laws and regulations.
View all financial & legal resources for construction businesses in Florida
When do contractors need a construction lawyer?
For GC’s, subcontractors, and suppliers alike, construction lawyers offer both preemptive advice and reactionary guidance.
Attorneys help review construction contracts before anything gets signed, spotting points of potential contention and fixing any liability issues. Unfortunately, disputes are bound to still arise and a good construction lawyer will help ensure everyone gets paid. While anyone can file a mechanics lien, enforcing a lien and filing a lawsuit should be done with professional advice.
Top 8 construction attorneys in Miami
As is the case with other cities and states, Florida and the Miami metro area have particular construction laws and regulations of their own. These premier lawyers in the area are all members of the construction law section of the Florida State Bar Association, actively work construction cases in southern Florida, and create content to help answer contractor questions.
David Adelstein
David Adelstein is a construction attorney practicing throughout Florida who truly has involved himself with every aspect of the industry. Partner at Kirwin Norris P.A., David represents industry professionals and owners through a myriad of potential legal work issues. This includes:
- Construction and design defect claims
- Schedule-based claims
- Bid protests
- Payment and contract disputes
- Insurance coverage disputes
- Lien and payment bond claims
- Licensing issues
- Worker compensations
- Contract construction and negotiation
David is the author of Florida Construction Legal Updates, a law blog where he explains complex legal concepts and how to use the law to navigate construction disputes. He has also published three ebooks on construction law: Miller Act Payment Bond Fundamentals, Delay!, and Innovative Attorney’s Fee Arrangements.
Contact David:
Kirwin Norris
1 West Las Olas Blvd, Suite 500
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
(954) 295-6117
Jason Lambert
Jason Lambert, an attorney at Dinsmore & Shohl LLP, has focused his practice on representing and advising contractors, subcontractors and material suppliers. He has over a decade’s worth of experience and knowledge under his belt, gained from hands-on work in the construction industry. He has spent time as a project manager and operations director for the same types of companies that he now represents. Jason’s representation includes work with:
- Drafting contracts and other corporate documents
- Resolving payment and lien disputes
- Addressing construction defect claims
- Implementing new procedures to prevent recurring problems
Beyond the scope of his clients, Jason is committed to improving the construction industry as a whole. He is the current President of the Tampa Bay Area Chapter for the National Association of the Remodeling Industry and is also on the Board of Directors for Habitat for Humanity of Hillsborough County.
Jason also publishes an excellent construction law blog, Hammer and Gavel, on which he provides an insightful look into Florida laws and court decisions that construction businesses need to know.
Mr. Lambert graduated with a J.D. from Stetson University College of Law in 2012, and was recently named on the Florida Super Lawyers Rising Stars list for 2021. Jason is one of the most active, helpful lawyers in the Levelset Community, having answered more than 470 questions from contractors and suppliers in Florida.
Contact Jason:
Dinsmore & Shohl
201 N. Franklin Street, Suite 3050
Tampa, FL 33602
(813) 543-9848
Jennifer Felipe
Jennifer Felipe has been representing general contractors, subcontractors, and design professionals in Miami-Dade County and Broward County since 2015. Jennifer founded Felipe Law P.A. in 2019.
Bilingual in English and Spanish, Jennifer handles a variety of construction concerns, including:
- Insurance coverage for construction defect claims
- Arbitration, mediation and litigation of complex construction claims
- Drafting, interpreting, and enforcing construction contracts
- Misrepresentation and fraud claims
- Breach of warranty claims
- Construction liens
- Strict liability construction claims
For the University of Miami School of Law graduate (J.D.), professionalism is key.
Contact Jennifer:
Felipe Law
848 Brickell Avenue, PH5
Miami, Florida 33131
(305) 307-8525
Paul Washington
An associate at Taylor Espino Vega & Touron, Paul Washington has more than 12 years of experience as a construction attorney. Based out of Coral Gables, Paul has put a focus on helping contractors navigate the sometimes convoluted process of filing and enforcing a mechanics lien. He provides advice and ensures that his clients receive the money they have worked hard for.
Graduating from Florida State University in 2008 with a J.D., Paul has remained in the state to provide premier legal service in construction and commercial litigation matters. He has received upstanding feedback from his clients as he continues to build his resume with cases in the state courts.
Contact Paul:
Taylor Espino Vega & Touron
201 Alhambra Circle, Suite 801
Coral Gables, FL 33134
(305) 443-2043
Cristopher Rapp
Senior Associate Cristopher Rapp operates out of Rosenbaum PLLC in West Palm Beach, and has 17 years of experience settling construction discourse. He has focused his practice on the resolution of business disputes, construction litigation, and landlord/tenant matters. This includes experience with:
- Construction lien and defect matters
- Contract disputes of all kind
- Non-competition provision enforcement
- Real estate litigation (state and federal)
Cristopher attended Princeton University and went on to graduate from University of Virginia School of Law in 2004 with a J.D.
Former editor-in-chief of The Journal of Law and Politics, he now handles legal matters throughout the whole of Florida, predominantly in Palm Beach, Broward, Miami-Dade, Martin, and St. Lucie counties.
Contact Christopher:
Rosenbaum Attorneys at Law
250 South Australian Avenue, 5th Floor
West Palm Beach, FL 33401
(561) 653-2900
Andy Wyman
Andy Wyman is an attorney at and founder of Wyman Legal Solutions. The business has been operating out of Miami for 20 years, and he has a quarter of a century’s worth of legal construction experience to his name. Andy’s practice thrives where construction, business, insurance, and real estate intersect.
While the firm’s practice areas primarily include litigation/arbitration and common interest developments, Andy has a wide area of expertise, including:
- Business partnership disputes
- Breach of fiduciary duty
- Deceptive and unfair trade practices
- Employee dishonesty
- Contract disputes
With so much experience settling disputes, Andy is remarkably proficient at analyzing business structure and practices, predicting precisely where a business is most likely to suffer a liability.
Since graduating from Fordham University School of law in 1996, Andy has grown as an expert in understanding and caring about the concerns or goals of a company, providing proficient legal advice.
Contact Andy:
Wyman Legal Solutions
2263 NW Boca Raton Blvd, Suite 204
Boca Raton, FL 33431
(561) 361-8700
Nicholas Fernandez
A Miami native and bilingual in English and Spanish, Nicholas Fernandez has spent the last several years building an impressive resume in construction law. After several clerkships, Nicholas earned a spot as an associate attorney with The Barthet Firm, a Miami-based legal team entirely dedicated to the practice of construction law.
Nicholas has already resolved a number of higher-profile construction disputes via mediation, trial, and arbitration. He has managed to build a strong clientele, representing both owners and contractors in a variety of contract, lien, and bond claims.
An Articles and Comments Editor for the University of Miami Business Law Review, Nick was selected to participate in the Willem C. Vis Moot Court in International Commercial Arbitration in Vienna, Austria.
Outside of his regular caseload, Nicholas takes time to help contractors and suppliers — he has answered 57 legal questions and counting in the Levelset Community.
Contact Nicholas:
The Barthet Firm
200 S. Biscayne Blvd, Suite 1650
Miami, Florida 33131
(305) 347-5295
Oscar Soto
Furnished to tackle the challenges and expectations of contractors, subs, developers, and sureties alike, stand Oscar Soto and his problem-solving firm. The Soto Law Group is an experienced team of attorneys focusing on construction law/litigation, employment law, and insurance defense.
Mr. Soto himself is the managing partner of the firm, serving as legal counsel to a number of owners, developers, design professionals, contractors, insurance companies, sureties, and suppliers.
Oscar’s service is based on how the client’s business operates within the industry, and uses his wealth of experience to their benefit:
- Affiliated with one of Broward County’s oldest and most respected firms — Fleming, O’Bryan, & Fleming — as an associate and later as a partner/shareholder
- Member of the Florida Bar’s Client Security Fund Committee
- Member of the Broward County Bar Association’s Construction Industry Law Committee
- Served as a Code Enforcement and Blasting Hearing Officer for Broward County
- Extensive practice with trials, arbitration and mediation
The managing partner attended The American University and went on to obtain his J.D. from Boston University School of Law in 1988. An active member of the Levelset Community, Oscar has answered 11 legal questions from contractors and suppliers in Florida.
Contact Oscar:
The Soto Law Group
Coastal Tower
2400 East Commercial Boulevard, Suite 400
Fort Lauderdale Florida 33308
(954) 567-1776
Legal questions? Get expert answers
There will always be more attorneys out there ready to help, and Levelset is here to help find them. Find a construction lawyer or get answers to any construction legal questions in the Levelset Payment Center & Community. Talk with industry professionals and learn more about any other pressing legal issues.