Manuel L. Crespo is a partner in the Real Estate practice group at Greenspoon Marder. He was born in Miami and educated at Duquesne University, where he graduated with honors. He received his J.D. at Boston College Law School. He began to practice law with his late father, Honorable Manuel A. Crespo, at Crespo & Crespo, until the latter was elected to the bench. After that, Mr. Crespo built a sole-practice and later a firm practice in real estate and litigation.
Mr. Crespo feels passionately about the law and about obtaining justice for his clients in a manner that is ethical, thorough, and efficient. For many years, he has concentrated his practice in real estate and commercial transactions, including title insurance, condominium development and the conversion from existing rental unit buildings to condominium ownership. He has litigated real property disputes, contract and title disputes, construction, landlord-tenant, foreclosures, and other real estate matters. His institutional clients have included national banks and real estate developers.
Notable client work includes the representation of local real estate developers in all aspects of their ventures, counsel on ownership structure and the creation of related entities, land acquisition and assembly, supervision of rezoning and platting, the drafting and recording of declarations of condominiums and seller escrow services. Mr. Crespo has also represented builders and contractors, and private equity lenders. He has substantial experience in trial to verdict representing corporations and persons.
In addition to the practice of law, Mr. Crespo has made a significant and continuing contribution to the community. He is past president of the Cuban-American Bar Association (CABA), one of the largest minority voluntary bar association in Florida. He has served on the Board of Directors of the Dade County Bar Association, Legal Services of Greater Miami, and as Chairman of the Grievance Committee of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit for the Florida Bar. He was previously appointed by Florida Bar President, Ramon Abadín, to co-chair the Florida Bar Committee for Diversity and Inclusion. In addition, Mr. Crespo has been honored by CABA and Legal Services of Greater Miami for his indefatigable efforts providing legal services to the poor and needy. He was also previously appointed to the Chief Justice’s Advisory Committee for the Pro Bono Service Awards by Florida Supreme Court Chief Justice Jorge LaBarga. The Broward County Hispanic Bar Association recognized Mr. Crespo for outstanding leadership. He is also a “Top Producer” for The Fund (Old Republic National Title Insurance Company) for the Eleventh Judicial Circuit, a recognition reserved for the top 3% of title agents in a circuit for premiums generated.
He has given many talks on the practice of law and community service and is also a native speaker of Spanish.
Bar Admissions
- Florida
Education
- J.D., Boston College, 1991
- B.A., Duquesne University, cum laude, 1988
Other Languages
- Spanish
Professional and Community Involvement
- Agent, Attorney’s Title Insurance Fund, Inc., Member, 1993-Present
- Coral Gables Bar Association, Member, 2008- Present
- Cuban American Bar Association, Inc., Director, Board of Directors, 2007-Present
- Cuban American Bar Association, Inc., Former President
- 45th Anniversary GALA Committee, Member
- Cuban American Pro Bono Project, Inc., a Florida not for profit, President, 2010-2011
- CABA Pro Bono Project Committee, Chairman, 2008-2010
- Dade County Bar Association, Member, 2008-Present
- Director, Board of Directors , 2009-2011
- Florida Bar, Member 1991-Present
- Grievance Committee 11C, Chairman, 2017
- Board of Governors, VBA Delegate, 2015
- Committee on Diversity & Inclusion, Vice-Chair, 2015-Present
- Grievance Committee 11K, Chairman, 2010-2013
- Foundation, Fellow, 2010-Present
- Gay and Lesbian Lawyers’ Association, Member, 2015-Present
- Legal Services of Greater Miami, Inc., Director, 2008-2012
- Supreme Court Committee Pro Bono Awards, Committee Member, 2015
- The Fund President’s Circle, Member, 2016
Speaking Engagements
- Moderator, “Miami Real Estate,” Invest Miami: June 19, 2018
Recognitions
- Martindale-Hubbell, Rated AV® Preeminent ™
- South Florida Legal Guide, “Top Lawyer,” 2020
- U.S. News & World Report, “Best Lawyers in America,” Litigation, Real Estate, 2018-2020
- Super Lawyers magazine, “Florida Super Lawyer,” Real Estate, 2016-2019
In the News
- Quoted, “Cryptocurrency Option for Buying Into Miami’s WeWork Building,” Daily Business Review, March 11, 2019
- Quoted, “Downtown Miami WeWork Building Expected To Sell As Part of Massive Cryptocurrency Auction,” The Real Deal South Florida, March 8, 2019
- Quoted, “Move Over, Downtown. Suburbs Are the New South Florida Office Magnet,” Daily Business Review, February 25, 2019
- Featured, “Most Coral Gables Ofizzina Office Condos Sell for $50 Million,” Daily Business Review, January 22, 2019
- Quoted, “Greenspoon Marder Represents Client in Closing of Multi-Million Class-A 16-Story Office Condominium, Ofizzina,” Citybizlist, January 15, 2019
News
- Jan 25, 2020 Greenspoon Marder Supports The Cuban American Bar Association’s 2020 Gala
- Oct 25, 2019 Greenspoon Marder Supports The JDRF Golf Tournament
- Aug 29, 2019 7 Attorneys From Greenspoon Marder Featured In The Best Lawyers In America© 2020 “Litigation Issue”
- Aug 15, 2019 33 Attorneys From Greenspoon Marder Listed in the Best Lawyers in America© 2020
- Feb 26, 2019 Greenspoon Marder Advises Inveniam On Florida Component of a First-Of-Its Kind Transaction To Tokenize $260 Million of Infrastructure and Real Estate Deals
- Jan 30, 2019 Greenspoon Marder Represents Client In Purchase of Multi-Million Industrial Warehouse Facility in Miami
- Jan 16, 2019 Greenspoon Marder Represents Client In Closing Of Multi-Million Class-A 16-Story Office Condominium, Ofizzina
- Nov 8, 2018 Greenspoon Marder Attorneys Selected as 2018 Legal Leaders
- Aug 15, 2018 35 Attorneys From Greenspoon Marder Listed In The Best Lawyers in America© 2019
- Jun 19, 2018 Greenspoon Marder Supports Invest: Miami 2018
- Jun 18, 2018 Super Lawyers Recognizes 22 Attorneys at Greenspoon Marder as “Super Lawyers” in Florida
- Nov 14, 2017 Greenspoon Marder Attorneys Receive 2018 AV Preeminent Rating By Martindale-Hubbell
- Nov 3, 2017 Greenspoon Marder Attorneys Receive 2017 AV Preeminent Rating By Martindale-Hubbell
- Sep 1, 2017 Greenspoon Marder Represents TSG Group in $32 Million Acquisition of Brickell Development Site
- Aug 14, 2017 34 Attorneys from Greenspoon Marder Listed in The Best Lawyers in America© 2018
- Jun 21, 2017 Greenspoon Marder Shareholder Manuel L. Crespo Appointed as Chair of The Florida Bar’s Grievance Committee 11 “C”
- Jun 7, 2017 Super Lawyers Recognizes 21 Attorneys at Greenspoon Marder in Florida
- Apr 20, 2017 Greenspoon Marder Supports Miami Today’s 18th Annual Gold Medal Awards
- Feb 22, 2017 Greenspoon Marder Supports The Cuban American Bar Association’s Inaugural Legends Award Night And Sponsor Appreciation
- Dec 26, 2016 Greenspoon Marder Supports the Cuban American Bar Association 2017 Installation Gala as a “Platino” Sponsor
- Nov 26, 2016 Greenspoon Marder Attorneys Selected as 2016 Legal Leaders
- Sep 28, 2016 Greenspoon Marder Hosts Emerging Communities: Focus on Brickell Program with Executive South Florida
- Jun 23, 2016 Super Lawyers Recognizes 38 Attorneys at Greenspoon Marder
- Jun 15, 2016 Greenspoon Marder Shareholder Manuel Crespo named to Fund President’s Circle 2015 by Attorney’s Title Fund Services, LLC
- Apr 1, 2016 Greenspoon Marder Attorney Manny Crespo Appointed to Florida Bar Grievance Committee
- Feb 12, 2016 Greenspoon Marder Law’s Manny Crespo Participates in National Community Policing Tour of Miami-Dade County Florida
- Dec 15, 2015 Greenspoon Marder Law Adds Prominent Real Estate Attorney Manuel L. Crespo to its Growing Miami Office
