Hugo V. Alvarez

Hugo V. Alvarez has successfully worked on a large volume of cases with significant financial exposure. Fortune 500 companies, prominent real estate developers, municipalities, insurance companies, hotels, financial institutions, condominium/homeowner’s associations, CD brokers, freight forwarders, and general contractors have all sought his legal advice and deep local community ties to help get issues resolved. Hugo has been published in the Daily Business Review, Law360, appeared on CNN, Spanish TV, and is often quoted in leading business periodicals such as the South Florida Business Journal on important legal topics.

Mr. Alvarez works closely with his clients to understand their legal needs and business. He does this by focusing on his clients’ objectives. By being involved in every aspect of their business he can help navigate directives and attempt to prevent brewing disputes while also preparing for litigation.

Having founded, and run, his own business prior to joining CSK, Mr. Alvarez has a unique perspective into the challenges and opportunities businesses encounter daily. Given that experience, Mr. Alvarez is uniquely positioned to assist his clients in addressing their needs.

Mr. Alvarez began his legal career in Palm Beach County working for, among other Circuit Court Judges in the 15^th Judicial Circuit, current Florida Supreme Court Chief Justice Jorge Labarga.

In 2017, the Dade County Bar Association awarded Mr. Alvarez with its Legal Luminary Award, the top honor given to attorneys in Miami who handle insurance related litigation. In 2021, Mr. Alvarez was part of a team of attorneys that were awarded the South Florida Business Journal’s Structure Awards for Best Speculative Project.

Mr. Alvarez has lectured at the annual statewide Windstorm Conference on first party insurance related issues to an audience of claims professionals. He has also lectured at the CLM Management & Professional Liability Conference on employment related issues.

Mr. Alvarez is a former Vice-Chair of the Florida Bar 11th Circuit Grievance Committee 11 “C” and is presently a Florida Supreme Court Certified Mediator.

Committed to his community, Mr. Alvarez currently serves on the Miami-Dade County Community Council, which addresses issues impacting the community including zoning and land use related issues. Mr. Alvarez has also coached numerous little league teams with varying degrees of success over the years.

Mr. Alvarez is fluent in Spanish and has extensive experience representing domestic and foreign companies involved in civil, commercial, real estate, and insurance disputes throughout Florida.

Mr. Alvarez received his law degree from the Tulane University School of Law. While attending law school he was a member of the Tulane Journal of International and Comparative Law and served as the Student Body Vice President. He was also a member of Tulane’s National Hispanic Bar Association Appellate Moot Court Team and was named to "Who's Who: American Law Students." Mr. Alvarez was the recipient of the CALI Excellence for the Future Award for academic achievement in Financial Institutions, and a prize recipient from the Louisiana State Bar Association for an essay he wrote. Mr. Alvarez was also a law clerk of the Hon. William H. Byrnes of the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals of Louisiana.

Mr. Alvarez received his B.A., with distinction, with a double major in Political Science and Public Management from the University of Maine. Mr. Alvarez attended the University of Maine on an athletic scholarship, was a two-time recipient of the Scholar Athlete Award, recipient of the Frederick C. Mosher Award, elected to serve as a Student Senator by the student body, and a member of the University’s football team. He was also a member of the Pi Alpha Alpha National Honor Society.

EXPERIENCE 

• Secured a $1.8 million judgment for a movie maker.
• Secured $1.6 million for an ocean front condominium.
• Secured over $1 million for CD brokers who had hundreds of CD’s wrongfully terminated across the country.
• Secured $815,000 for an ocean front condominium.
• Secured a $500,000 judgment for violation of a non-compete agreement.
• Secured a favorable financial resolution for a prominent national franchise involved in an eminent domain dispute.
• Secured a defense verdict in favor of a construction company following a four-day jury trial.
• Secured a defense verdict in favor of an airplane parts manufacturing company following a four-day jury trial.
• Secured a complete liability finding against a publicly traded company for wrongfully evicting a nightclub from the premises after a four-day jury trial.
• Worked on hundreds of Hurricane Wilma and Hurricane Irma insurance coverage disputes.
• Secured dismissal of prominent real estate developer in a dispute involving millions of dollars.
• Represented the court appointed receiver overseeing a major real estate project on Miami Beach involving 98 units and over ten million dollars in dispute.
• Represented both cities and counties in connection with their legal disputes and legal needs.
• Participated in the collections and foreclosures for hard money lenders, condo associations, banks, and individual investors.
• Acted as outside general corporate counsel to various businesses.
• Worked on behalf of freight forwarders to address legal issues including disputes and logistical challenges.
• Participated in over a hundred residential and commercial real estate transactions.
• Participated in the successful closing of a $24.45 million construction loan for a prominent real estate development.
• Participated in the successful closing of a $51 million construction loan.

RECOGNITION 

• South Florida Business Journal, Structures Award for Best Speculative Project, 2021
• The Best Lawyers in America© (Litigation – Real Estate) 2018 – present
• Dade County Bar Association Legal Luminary Award Winner, 2017
• Avvo ranking of 10 out of 10
• LBA Rookie Director of the Year Nominee, 2017
• Florida Super Lawyers, 2011-present
• Florida Trend Legal Elite, 2010-2013, 2015, 2018
• Florida Trend Legal Elite “Up and Comer”, 2005-2009
• South Florida Business Journal Key Partner Award Finalist, 2006 – 2007
• South Florida Business Journal Up and Comer, 2007
• Business Leader Media Movers and Shakers Award, 2009
• Columbus Athletic Hall of Fame, 2017

PROFESSIONAL / COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES 

• Councilman and current Chairman for the Miami-Dade County Community Council
• Past President, Coral Gables Bar Association
• Past Director, Latin Builders Association
• Member, Columbus Alumni Association
• Former Director, Builders Association of South Florida
• Board of Governors, Churchill Society of South Florida
• YMCA and Palmer Park Youth football and baseball coach

• Current Chairman for the Miami-Dade County Community Council
• Past President, Coral Gables Bar Association
• Past Director, Latin Builders Association
• Member, Columbus Alumni Association
• Former Director, Builders Association of South Florida
• Board of Governors, Churchill Society of South Florida
• YMCA and Palmer Park Youth football and baseball coach