Lydecker Diaz Promotes Nine Attorneys to Partner

Lydecker Promotes Nine Attorneys to Partner

2018 has started on a decidedly positive note for Miami-based law firm Lydecker.

As the firm achieves new growth, so too does its team of attorneys: Lydecker recently promoted nine of its legal professionals from Associate to Partner. The newly-promoted attorneys work in the firm’s Miami, Orlando and New York offices.

Following are details on each of Lydecker’s new partners and their practice areas.

Jason Bloom, Miami Office

Mr. Bloom focuses his practice on coverage analysis and bad faith litigation. He has prior experience in criminal defense, as well as consumer and commercial litigation. Prior to joining Lydecker, he also engaged in consumer and commercial litigation where he obtained mediated results and expedited adjudications.

Mr. Bloom earned his Juris Doctor degree at the University of Miami School of Law. He earned his undergraduate degree at Northeastern University, where he was valedictorian of his class.

Emanuel K. Caros, Miami Office

Mr. Caros concentrates his practice on first-party property defense litigation, with an emphasis on bad faith litigation, fraud investigation, and coverage issues. He also has significant civil litigation experience in first-party property insurance litigation, including pre-suit coverage decisions.

Mr. Caros earned a Bachelor’s of Science from Florida State University and earned his Juris Doctor from the Florida International University College of Law, where his academic achievement repeatedly earned him the Dean’s List honor. While in law school, Mr. Caros successfully first-chaired multiple criminal trials as a Certified Legal Intern for the Miami-Dade Office of the State Attorney.

Miguel J. Chamorro, Miami Office

Mr. Chamorro’s diverse practice focuses on litigation and transactional work with an emphasis on business law and real estate law. He has extensive experience with appeals, arbitration, bankruptcy, construction law, consumer law and corporate matters, among other practice areas. He regularly represents companies, governmental entities and individuals in the property management, hospitality and financial industries.

Mr. Chamorro is active in The Florida Bar, presently serving as Vice Chair of its Civil Procedure Rules Committee, whose responsibility is to assess, recommend and draft amendments to the Florida Rules of Civil Procedure and its official forms.  He also functions as representative of the Civil Procedure Rules Committee before the Florida Bar’s Rules of Judicial Administration Committee.

Mr. Chamorro earned his Juris Doctor from the Florida State University College of Law and completed his undergraduate studies at Villanova University.

Kevin Clinton, NY/NJ Office

Mr. Clinton has extensive knowledge of employment law and its interplay with insurance coverage. He defends employers in all manner of cases, including those alleging discrimination, harassment, retaliation, discharge and demotion. He also defends administrative proceedings at the federal, state and municipal levels and represents employers in wage and hour audits. Additionally, Mr. Clinton litigates commercial cases and insurance coverage disputes.

Mr. Clinton earned his Juris Doctor from New York Law School and completed his undergraduate degree at Siena College.

Meaghan Franks, Miami Office

Ms. Franks assists in the defense and trial of wrongful death actions, complex commercial litigation, government liability claims, construction defect matters, and employment related claims.

Ms. Franks has also taught as an adjunct professor at the University of Miami in the Department of Political Science for five years. Her classes included Intro to American National Government, the Legislative Process, and Congressional Representation.

She earned a Bachelor of Science in Communication from the University of Miami in 2004, went on to complete a Master’s degree in Communication at the University of Miami in 2005 and subsequently earned her Juris Doctor at the University of Miami School of Law.

Erik J. Gruber, Miami Office

Mr. Gruber concentrates his practice in first-party property defense litigation, with an emphasis in bad faith litigation, fraud investigation, water damage claims, and windstorm coverage issues. He has significant litigation experience in the areas of insurance defense and commercial litigation.

Mr. Gruber earned his Bachelor of Science in Business Management from Florida State University and his Juris Doctor from the University of Florida. While in law school, Mr. Gruber was an executive member of the University of Florida Trial Team and chaired multiple criminal trials as a Certified Legal Intern for the Office of the Public Defender for the 8th Judicial Circuit.

Peter Harutunian, Miami Office

Mr. Harutunian has litigated numerous bankruptcy, commercial, and employment cases in federal and state courts in Florida and New York. Previously, he negotiated and litigated matters in large scale bankruptcy cases, including complex claims. Mr. Harutunian has also litigated a variety of commercial disputes involving shareholder liability, insurance law, sales agreements, and other matters.

Mr. Harutunian has counseled clients, given lectures, and authored articles on a variety of legal subjects in his practice areas. His publications include Trademark License Agreements: The Rights of a Debtor/Licensee to Assume, or Assume and Assign, are Uncertain, Vol. 237, No. 42, P. 10, New York Law Journal (March 5, 2007), focusing on whether a bankruptcy trustee or debtor in possession as licensee may assume, or assume and assign, trademark rights.

Mr. Harutunian earned his Juris Doctor from Tulane Law School and his undergraduate degree from Harvard University.

Lee Patten, NY/NJ Offices

Mr. Patten focuses his practice on complex commercial litigation and general civil litigation. Prior to joining Lydecker, he gained extensive trial experience prosecuting criminal traffic, misdemeanor, and felony level charges. He also litigated dependency issues and prosecuted in termination of parental rights cases.

Mr. Patten received his Juris Doctor from St. Thomas University School of Law, where he graduated Magna Cum Laude in the top 3% of his class. He obtained his Bachelor of Arts in History, Cum Laude, from St. John’s University in Minnesota.

While in law school, Mr. Patten served as Editor-in-Chief for the St. Thomas Law Review, as well as Student Bar Association President. Mr. Patten was an active participant and team competitor on the Moot Court Team, advocating and prevailing in the 2008 Orseck Competition before the Florida Supreme Court as well as the 2007 Gibbons competition in New Jersey.

Kirsten Wegel Freiheit, Miami Office

Ms. Wegel Freiheit practices general civil litigation with an emphasis on commercial litigation. She has previous experience handling complex transactions and aviation matters.

Ms. Wegel Freiheit graduated from American University in Washington, D.C. where she was a member of the Women’s Tennis Team and earned a B.A. Degree of Science in Business Administration in 2007. She earned her Juris Doctorate from the Florida International University College of Law in 2010.

During her academic career, she was a member of the Appellate Advocacy Moot Court Team, competing in the Susan J. Ferrell International Human Rights Moot Court Competition and earning accolades for outstanding brief writing and oral advocacy skills. She served as the secretary of the Moot Court Team and authored the bench brief for use in the College of Law’s Intramural Moot Court Competition. She also served as Vice President of Academics for Phi Alpha Delta.

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Please note that submitting a message to us using this website does not create an attorney-client relationship. Therefore, please do not submit to us any confidential or otherwise sensitive information without first speaking to one of our attorneys and receiving confirmation that a conflicts check has been performed, conflicts cleared, and the firm has agreed it will accept the engagement. Any information submitted prior to establishing an attorney-client relationship may not be protected. Thank you.

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