Becker & Poliakoff

Practices

Credentials

    Education

      • Rutgers University School of Law, J.D.
      • Pennsylvania State University, B.S.

    Bar Admissions

      • Florida, 1981

    Court Admissions

      • United States District Court for the Northern District of Florida
      • United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida
      • United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida
      • U.S. Court of Appeals, 11th Circuit

Perspectives

Bio

Allen Levine is chair of the firm’s Business Litigation practice. In addition to his involvement in firm management and supervision of business litigation attorneys, he handles complex business litigation and real estate litigation for large corporate clients, closely held corporations, real estate developers and financial institutions. Allen also represents clients in probate and trust litigation, community association litigation, insurance coverage litigation and appeals.

Allen has extensive experience in state and federal courts and has handled numerous cases which have created new law. Allen is also AV® Preeminent™ 5.0 out of 5 rated (the highest level attainable) by Martindale-Hubbell.

Allen’s litigation experience includes:

  • Business & Contract Litigation
  • Class Action Litigation
  • Commercial Tenant Litigation
  • Condominium Hotel Disputes
  • Corporate Governance Disputes
  • Hotel Management & Acquisition Disputes
  • Personal Injury & Wrongful Death Litigation
  • Recreation Lease Disputes
  • Real Estate Acquisition, Title & Use Disputes
  • Trade Secret, Confidentiality, Business Interference & Non-Competition Disputes
  • Trust & Estate Litigation

EXPERIENCE

  • Obtained a ruling by the Fourth District Court of Appeal in Raiser-DC, LLC v. B&L Service, Inc. and Broward County, Florida, which held that Broward County was required to disclose information about Uber’s operations at the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, despite Uber’s claims that the records were trade secret information and exempt from Florida’s Public Records Act.
  • Obtained a ruling by Fourth District Court of Appeal in Lyons v. Lyons, which held for the first time that a married grantor of Homestead Property cannot challenge the deed she signed without joinder by her husband because she lacked standing to do so.
  • Obtained a judgment that was affirmed on appeal in Wyndham Vacation Resorts, Inc. v. Ocean Walk Resort Condominium, Inc., which held for the first time in Florida that a timeshare developer was also a condominium developer subject to the mandatory control transfer provisions of the condominium act, thus thwarting the developer’s ability to control the condominium association board.
  • Successfully appealed Van Hook v. The Residences at Coconut Point, LLC, where the Eleventh Circuit Courts of appeals reversed the lower court’s determination, and held that the contractual language relied upon by the lower court did not disqualify the developer from being exempt under ILSA, thus preventing buyers from backing out of their real estate purchase contracts.
  • Successfully obtained a decision published in Wigand v. West City Partners, Inc., where the Federal District Court for the Southern District of Florida prevented 42 of the 43 plaintiffs who sued the condominium developer from bringing their breach of contract and ILSA claims in one lawsuit.
  • Successfully obtained a decision in Kraft v. The Residences of Coconut Point, LLC, where the Federal District Court for the Middle District of Florida ruled the condominium developer maintained sufficient records to assert the investor exemption to ILSA requirements, thus preventing buyers from backing out of their real estate purchase contracts.
  • Combined 108 class actions on behalf of 108 condominium associations and their unit owners, in a lawsuit against the owner of a recreation lease, which resulted in the successful buyout of the recreation lease at a substantially reduced price.
  • Successfully defended real estate developers against lawsuits by numerous buyers asserting revocation of purchase contracts due to alleged violations of The Interstate Land Sales Full Disclosure Act (ILSA), the Condominium Act, and the Homeowner’s Association Act.
  • Successfully assisted buyers in navigating issues related to traditional Hotel and Condominium Hotel acquisition.

RECOGNITION

  • Allen is AV® Preeminent™ 5.0 out of 5 rated (the highest level attainable) by Martindale-Hubbell.
  • Best Lawyers in America®, Commercial Litigation and Litigation – Real Estate, 2021 – present

PROFESSIONAL / COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES

  • Mr. Levine serves on the Broward County Bond Review Committee, which coordinates implementation of Broward County ‘s Recovery Zone Bond Program.
  • Recovery Zone Bonds were created under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, an act established by the United States Congress under President Barack Obama’s Economic Stimulus Program initiative.
  • Allen has held several leadership positions at the Broward Alliance including serving as a member of the Board of Directors, Investors Council, and as chair of its Business Development Committee.
  • The Alliance is the public/private economic development arm of Broward County whose mission it is to build a stronger, more diversified economy in Broward County and the South Florida Region.
  • As a result of his involvement, Mr. Levine received the Florida Economic Development Council’s Richard L. McLaughlin Award which recognized his contributions to economic development in Florida.