Greenspoon Marder Law is pleased to announce that distinguished attorney Manuel L. “Manny” Crespo will join the firm as a shareholder in the firm’s Real Estate Practice in January 2016. Crespo is the latest in a series of significant hires in Greenspoon Marder’s rapidly expanding Miami office.
Crespo concentrates his practice in real estate and commercial transactions, including title insurance and condominium development matters and transactions involving the conversion of rental buildings to condominium ownership. He has substantial trial-to-verdict experience and has litigated real property and contract and title disputes, as well as a variety of construction, landlord-tenant, foreclosure and other real estate matters. His institutional clients have included national banks and real estate developers.
“As one of the firm’s marquee practice areas, it was an important part of our strategic plan for the growth of our Miami office to add a sophisticated real estate capability – we are thrilled to be welcoming such a prominent figure from Miami’s legal and real estate community” commented Gerald Greenspoon, Co-Managing Director of Greenspoon Marder.
Crespo’s notable client work includes the representation of local real estate developers in all aspects of their ventures, including ownership structure and the creation of related entities and land acquisition and assembly. He is also involved in the supervision of rezoning and platting, the drafting and recording of declarations of condominiums and provides seller escrow services. Crespo has represented builders and contractors, and private equity lenders.
“At this stage in my career and as I approach my 25th year of practice, I am very excited to be part of the team forging a strong presence for Greenspoon Marder in the Miami market,” said Crespo. “I welcome the opportunity to join Greenspoon Marder because of its excellent reputation in the community and its culture of nurturing its attorneys’ entrepreneurship,” Crespo added.
The addition of Crespo and his real estate practice marks another milestone in the rapid growth of Greenspoon Marder’s Miami office, which opened in January 2015 with the addition of its Alcohol Beverage Group headed by Lewis. Since then, the office has expanded to include 10 attorneys and over 20 other legal professionals and staff.
“Manny‘s arrival marks an important next step in the progression of our Miami office and a significant enhancement of our overall client offering in this market,” commented Robert F. Lewis, Managing Shareholder of Greenspoon Marder’s Miami office. “Manny’s not just an excellent attorney, he also shares Greenspoon Marder’s deep commitment to supporting the communities we serve,” he continued. Crespo started practicing law with his late father, Honorable Manuel A. Crespo, at Crespo & Crespo. After his father was elected to the bench, Crespo built first a solo, and later a firm practice focused on real estate and litigation.
In addition to the practice of law, Crespo has made a significant and continuing contribution to the community. He is currently concluding his term as president of the Cuban-American Bar Association (CABA). He has served on the Board of Directors of the Dade County Bar Association and Legal Services of Greater Miami (LSGMI), and as Chairman of the Grievance Committee of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit for the Florida Bar. He was recently appointed by Florida Bar President, Ramon Abadín, to co-chair the Florida Bar Committee for Diversity and Inclusion and appointed by Florida Supreme Court Chief Justice, Jorge LaBarga, to the Chief Justice’s Advisory Committee for the Pro Bono Service Awards. Crespo is also a member of the Dade County and Coral Gables Bar Associations as well as the Miami Dade Gay and Lesbian Lawyers Association. Among his many honors, Crespo was recognized by CABA and LSGMI for his work providing legal services to the poor and needy. The Broward County Hispanic Bar Association acknowledged Crespo for outstanding leadership.
Crespo earned a Juris Doctor from the Boston College Law School and Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and Spanish Literature with a minor in Political Science, cum laude, from Duquesne University.
About Greenspoon Marder Greenspoon Marder LLP is a full-service law firm with over 240 attorneys and more than 20 office locations across the United States. With operations from Miami to New York and from Denver to Los Angeles, our firm attracts some of the nation’s top talent in key markets and innovation hubs. Our core practice areas include Real Estate, Litigation, and Transactional Services, complemented by the capabilities of a full-service firm. Greenspoon Marder has upheld a spot on The American Lawyer’s Am Law 200 as one of the top law firms in the U.S. since 2015, and our goal is to provide exceptional client service by developing a thorough understanding of each client’s business needs and objectives in order to provide strategic, cost-effective solutions.
MEDIA CONTACT
Natalie Villanueva, Director of Marketingnatalie.villanueva@gmlaw.com
This Greenspoon Marder LLP Client Alert is issued for informational purposes only and is not intended to be construed or used as general legal advice nor a solicitation of any type. Please contact the author(s) or your Greenspoon Marder LLP contact if you have any questions regarding the currency of this information. The hiring of a lawyer is an important decision. Before you decide, ask for written information about the lawyer’s legal qualifications and experience.
