Dick is an accomplished law and business advisor specializing in helping business owners navigate the complexities of business development and protection. Throughout his career, Dick has represented clients ranging from individuals to Fortune 500 companies in complex transactional matters and “bet-the-company” cases. Dick has also founded and invested in businesses across various industries providing him with invaluable context to understand his clients’ objectives and tailor legal solutions to suit their needs.
Dick honed his negotiation expertise in the Washington, D.C. office of a large international law firm counseling businesses in complex merger and acquisition transactions, finance transactions, real estate transactions, market entry strategies, and antitrust litigation. Dick moved back to Miami to develop his litigation practice at a boutique litigation firm where he focused on litigating complex commercial and catastrophic personal injury cases in state and federal trial and appellate courts, as well as in arbitration. Dick’s experience has enabled him to anticipate disputes, evaluate litigation risks, and develop strategies to navigate them proactively.
Dick concentrates his practice on business and construction transactions and complex commercial litigation. On the transactional side, he assists clients with business structuring, mergers and acquisitions, and financing transactions. His practice includes negotiating ownership arrangements, real estate transactions, and construction projects. On the litigation side, Dick represents businesses in high-stakes disputes such as shareholder conflicts, business torts, contract claims, and construction disputes.
During law school, Dick interned with the Securities and Exchange Commission, assisting counsel with the investigation and litigation of industry and issuer practices. He also interned with the FIU Office of the General Counsel, developing litigation strategies, and the FIU Investor Advocacy Clinic, assisting clients in FINRA Arbitration disputes to recover damages due to broker wrongdoing.
Dick earned his law degree, magna cum laude, from Florida International University College of Law and graduated as the Salutatorian of his class. Dick is honored to have received various awards and scholarships during law school and successfully represented FIU Law in national and international competitions. Dick is especially proud of having received the C.A.M.P. 4 Justice Human Rights Scholarship funded by the families of the Brothers to the Rescue (Hermanos al Rescate). Twenty years earlier, these brave individuals rescued Dick and his family in the Florida Strait when they fled Cuba.
Dick was born in Matanzas, Cuba and raised in Miami, Florida. He is fluent in Spanish.
EDUCATION
-
2014 J.D., magna cum laude, Salutatorian
Florida International University College of Law -
2011 B.S., Criminal Justice
Florida International University
BAR ADMISSIONS
- Florida
- District of Columbia
- New York
FEDERAL COURT ADMISSIONS
- United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
- United States District Courts:
- Southern, Middle, and Northern Districts of Florida
- Southern, Eastern, Western, and Northern Districts of New York
- Southern, Eastern, and Western Districts of Texas
- Central and Northern Districts of Illinois
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS
- American Bar Association
- Cuban American Bar Association
Representative Matters
Litigation & Settlements
- New York False Claims Act – In Total Asset Recovery Services LLC v. MetLife, Inc., obtained an appellate reversal of dismissal in a False Claims Act case against major life insurance companies for failing to escheat abandoned property proceeds.
- National Prescription Opiate Litigation – Successfully obtained an order from the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals declassifying a first-of-its-kind negotiation class.
- Opioid Litigation Settlement – Secured an $80,000,000 settlement for a municipality involved in the nationwide opioid litigation.
- Lease Dispute Trial Victory – Secured a trial verdict and attorneys’ fees for a property owner in a lease violation dispute.
- Tobacco Litigation Settlements – Secured settlements totaling over $750,000 in various tobacco litigation matters.
- Personal Injury Settlement – Achieved a $350,000 settlement in a reckless driving automobile accident case.
- FLSA Defense Victory – Obtained dismissal of a Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) claim against a CEO for lack of personal jurisdiction in federal court.
- Arbitration Award Vacated – Successfully vacated an arbitration award in Florida Circuit Court, with the decision upheld by the Third District Court of Appeal and Florida Supreme Court.
Transactional Matters
- Assist clients on all sides of acquisition and finance transactions across multiple industries, including construction, healthcare, real estate, aviation, and technology.
- Represent both borrowers and lenders in various secured and unsecured finance transactions, including acquisition financings, asset-based lending, and cash flow deals.
- Represented a lender in a UCC foreclosure and restructuring action arising from a multi-million dollar healthcare loan default. Pro Bono Matters
Pro Bono Matters
- Represented non-profit corporations in formation, corporate governance, and securing and maintaining 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status.
- Assisted a client through the application and approval process for a U-Visa, which provides immigration relief to victims of crimes who have suffered substantial harm and are assisting law enforcement in the investigation or prosecution of criminal activity.