Doing Business in Florida Blog

Client Alert: Medical Cannabis - Buyer Beware!

August 11, 2021
Colin M. Roopnarine  |  Medical Cannabis

With signs in the State of Florida all pointing to a possible resumption of medical cannabis licensing (the first of which was rulemaking involving the black farmers and the Pigford case), many businesses and entrepreneurs are once again seeking to capitalize on the financial potential of the Florida market. But…buyer beware!

Cyptocurrency, ATM’s, and You

August 9, 2021
Colin M. Roopnarine  |  Cryptocurrency, Government and Regulatory

Prior to 2018, the State of Florida Office of Financial Regulation, and partially in response to the rise in popularity of crypto currencies and curiously enough, ATM’s to transact business, often required the crypto currency business to obtain a Money Transmitter License. 

Benefits of Having an eDiscovery Department in a Law Firm

July 27, 2021
Anely M. Nunez and Jessie G. Torres  |  eDiscovery

About 20 years ago, an electronic revolution forced litigators to assess how to handle the growing data volumes leading to a new niche in the legal industry called eDiscovery. Particularly over the last five years, data has been growing exponentially as people create enormous amounts of electronic information. Although only a small percentage of data is stored into a subsequent year, the installed base of storage capacity, according to Statista, “is forecast to increase, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 19.2 percent over the forecast period from 2020 to 2025.” 

Berger Singerman’s 2021 Annual Hurricane Season Survey

June 25, 2021
Hurricane Preparedness Week , Atlantic Hurricane Season, Insurance, Hurricane Insurance Claims

Berger Singerman’s 2021 Annual Hurricane Season Survey polled more than 1,800 business owners and residents in South Florida. The results are alarming and prove that many are not ready to brace the season.
 

Hung Out to Dry: Property Insurance Cancellation

June 24, 2021
Gina Clausen Lozier  |  Hurricane Preparedness, Atlantic Hurricane Season, Policy Cancellation

Following the recent wave of policy cancellations and non-renewals, many of Florida’s property owners are left wondering whether cancellation of their policy is imminent and, if so, how long will they have to find new insurance. The cancellation of an insurance policy always a concerns but even more time-sensitive during hurricane season. Fortunately, the cancellation of certain property insurance policies during a hurricane event is governed by Florida Statute Section 627.4133(2)(d), which outlines the various requirements and time frames Florida’s insurers must follow.

Harsh Weather Defies Construction Industry in Florida

June 23, 2021
Adam E. Richards  |  Insurance, Construction Delays , Construction Litigation

Given the amount of unprecedented ‘disasters’ we have had this past year and the COVID-19 pandemic directly affecting the construction industry with supply shortages and delays, there is simply no better time to be ready for severe storms than yesterday. Hurricanes have caused damage to all kinds of construction and infrastructure in the US, most recently in Florida, Texas and Puerto Rico. With supplies so scarce, industry-wide delays and contractors already weary, what legal measures can businesses and homeowners alike take to assure they are not left out to dry?

Condominium Legislative Update - SB1966

June 22, 2021
Jeffrey R. Margolis  |  Real Estate, Residential Real Estate

In addition to SB 56 and SB 630 which were signed into law by Governor Ron DeSantis on June 16, 2021 as addressed in my blog post from June 17, 2021, Governor DeSantis signed Senate Bill 1966 into law on June 21, 2021.  The legislation, which is effective July 1, 2021, makes additional changes to provisions in the Florida Condominium Act regarding condominium association board eligibility and condominium association budgets.  Below are highlights of Senate Bill 1966 and the changes to the laws governing condominiums.

Hurricane Preparedness: Understanding Your Deductible

June 22, 2021
Justen S. Fischer  |  Hurricane Preparedness Week , Insurance Deductibles

Property policies typically contain deductible provisions, which set forth the amount of money an insured must pay toward a loss before the insurance company starts to pay. These provisions allow the insurer to reduce the amount it must pay for property damage by the deductible amount. In most cases, if the amount of the loss is less than or equal to the deductible amount, the insurer will not pay for that loss.

Storm Season Water Quality Outlook in South Florida

June 21, 2021
Sidney C. Bigham, III  |  Hurricane Preparedness Week , Hurricane Preparedness, Atlantic Hurricane Season, Lake Okeechobee

In May of 2021, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis expressed concerns about water levels at Lake Okeechobee, stating that: “with the lake at the level it is now, we're really concerned and bracing for the Corps to discharge. And that's not, we think, the way we want to go forward." With the onset of the wet season and what could be an active hurricane season this year, the Governor and some lawmakers are urging the Army Corps not to discharge Lake Okeechobee to canals and rivers to the east and west, but to send the water south to the Everglades. The reason is simple: toxic algae bloom in the waters of Lake Okeechobee, spurred on by the summer heat, threatens to impact residents and tourists who use south Florida waterways for business and recreation. 

Client Alert: Condominium Association and Homeowners Association Legislative Update

June 17, 2021
Jeffrey R. Margolis  |  Real Estate, Condominiums Association, Homeowners Association

Governor Ron DeSantis signed Senate Bill 56 and Senate Bill 630, into law on June 16, 2021.  The legislation, which is effective July 1, 2021, affects the operation of homeowners associations and condominium associations, including collection practices, notices of meetings, transfer fees, electronic vehicle charging stations, dispute resolution, emergency powers, official records, reserves, and leasing.  Below are highlights of SB 56 and SB 630 and the legislation changes to the laws governing homeowners associations and condominium associations.

Repurposing of Transit Facilities

June 15, 2021
Javier L. Vazquez  |  Transportation, Transit, Infrastructure Task Force

As passage of a federal infrastructure bill nears, long-awaited transit investment may finally be near as well.  In South Florida in particular, local governments have begun to focus on Transit Oriented Development (TOD) as a means of modernizing transportation options and maximizing efficiencies between transportation and other development.

No Change Order Jobs: Impossible Sell or Wave of the Future? 

June 11, 2021
Adam E. Richards  |  Construction

   The dreaded two words in the construction industry: change order(s) (“CO” or “COs”). Industry professionals, ranging from architects/engineers, owners, contractors, subcontractors, construction lawyers, carriers, lenders and sureties, each have experienced a project if not multiple projects turned sideways due to COs, or, better yet, disputed COs.  A CO is a modification to the parties’ construction contract, which can be additive or deductive, and can relate to scope of work and/or cost and/or time.  Those project participants also likely sought and relied upon some form of dispute resolution to resolve their disputed COs, and most forms of dispute resolution beyond the principals ironing things out between themselves are extremely expensive, and almost always reduce profits.