FT. LAUDERDALE, FL, August 3, 2010 – Becker & Poliakoff, a diversified commercial law firm with more than 125 attorneys in 13 Florida offices, New York City, New Jersey, Nassau (Bahamas) and Prague, today announced that attorneys Michele Ammendola and William H. Strop — who practice in the firm’s headquarters here — have earned certification from the Florida Bar in the area of construction law.
Board certification is the Florida Bar’s highest level of recognition of an attorney’s competence and experience in one or more of the 24 areas of law approved for certification by the Supreme Court of Florida. Only attorneys who have earned the Florida Bar’s “board-certification” distinction are allowed to describe themselves as legal specialists or experts in a specific field of practice.
With the new certifications, Becker & Poliakoff’s Construction Law practice now boasts 13 board-certified attorneys, making Becker & Poliakoff the firm with the most board-certified construction attorneys recognized by the Florida Bar statewide. The construction law practice is chaired by Steven B. Lesser and vice-chaired by Lee Weintraub. Both attorneys work from the firm’s Fort Lauderdale office and were board-certified in construction law by the Florida Bar in 2005. Mr. Lesser presently serves on the Florida Bar Construction Law Certification Committee that is responsible for writing the Construction Certification Examination.
“The construction law certification recognizes the attorney’s dedication, depth of experience, knowledge, commitment to continuing education and competence in this area of specialization,” said Steven Lesser. “Bill Strop and Michele Ammendola have met the rigorous requirements established by the Florida Bar for certification and we’re extremely proud of their achievement.”
Ms. Ammendola, who was admitted to the Florida Bar in 2004, represents clients in construction and design defects litigation claims, construction lien disputes, bond claims, and warranty disputes. She has also been involved in the negotiation and preparation of construction contracts for public projects for governmental entities and private residential and commercial projects. She is also a contributing author to national construction publications.
Mr. Strop is an experienced litigation attorney who has handled a broad range of legal disputes at both the trial and appellate level in state and federal court. Mr. Strop’s clients have included multinational General Contractors, Multinational Sureties, large-scale real estate developers, subcontractors, suppliers, manufacturers, professionals, consultants, insurers and property owners. He was admitted to the Florida Bar in 1995.
The firm’s other board-certified construction lawyers include: Bill Cea (West Palm Beach), Kenn W. Goff and Neil Levinson (Ft. Lauderdale), Herb Brock, Tom Code, Sanjay Kurian and Aaron Pruss (all of Ft. Myers), and Perry M. Adair and Belinda Bacon (Miami).
The Becker & Poliakoff Construction Law Group represents owners, developers, contractors, sureties, individuals and others in transactions and disputes ranging from single and multi-family dwellings to commercial buildings, planned unit developments, retail, industrial and governmental projects.
More information on Florida Bar standards and attorney certifications can be found online at The Florida Bar Association Web site at www.floridabar.org/certification or by contacting The Florida Bar’s Legal Specialization & Education Department at (850) 561-5842.
About Becker & Poliakoff
Becker & Poliakoff is a diverse commercial law firm with more than 125 attorneys in 13 Florida offices, New York City, New Jersey, Nassau (Bahamas), Prague and affiliated international offices. Celebrating its thirty-seventh (37th) year of serving clients, the firm has seven primary areas of practice: Real Estate, Construction, Community Association, Customs & International Trade, Commercial Litigation, Corporate & Securities, and Government Law & Lobbying.