Business Law
Our Business Law practice area is dedicated to protecting and defending the interests of businesses across a wide range of industries. With a team of seasoned attorneys, we offer comprehensive legal services to help clients navigate complex legal challenges and mitigate risks associated with business operations and disputes.
Scope and Expertise:
- Litigation and Dispute Resolution:
- Commercial Litigation: Defending businesses in disputes arising from contracts, business transactions, and commercial relationships.
- Employment Litigation: Representing employers in employment-related disputes, including wrongful termination, discrimination, and wage and hour claims.
- Class Action Defense: Managing complex class action lawsuits, ensuring that businesses are effectively defended against collective claims.
- Regulatory Compliance and Investigations:
- Regulatory Defense: Assisting clients in responding to investigations and enforcement actions by government agencies, ensuring compliance with federal, state, and local regulations.
- Internal Investigations: Conducting thorough internal investigations to identify and address potential legal issues before they escalate.
- Corporate Governance and Risk Management:
- Corporate Governance: Advising businesses on best practices for corporate governance, including board responsibilities, shareholder rights, and compliance with corporate laws.
- Risk Management: Developing strategies to manage and mitigate legal risks associated with business operations, transactions, and strategic initiatives.
Explore Our Locations
Talk Now
(305) 416-3180
Follow Us
Business Law Team
Susan Ayers is Of Counsel in Lydecker’s Los Angeles office. She brings nearly 25 years of civil litigation experience representing clients in construction defect, insurance defense, first party property and hurricane claims, professional liability, personal injury, real estate, environmental matters, and appellate proceedings.
Prior to joining Lydecker, Ms. Ayers managed a high volume caseload involving complex insurance defense matters. She previously founded Ayers Law Firm, PLLC, where her practice encompassed civil litigation, real estate, bankruptcy, franchise, and family law matters. She also served as in house counsel to a California real estate development group, representing developers, community associations, and commercial property owners.
Earlier in her career, Ms. Ayers served as a Senior Attorney for the State of Florida, where she developed extensive motion practice and trial experience. During law school, she externed for the Honorable Robert W. Alberts of the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Central District of California and worked in the tax legal division of PricewaterhouseCoopers.
In addition to her legal practice, Ms. Ayers is a licensed Florida real estate broker.
Mr. Conto is a Partner at the firm’s Boca Raton Office. Mr. Conto began his career in law representing corporations in legal matters concerning maritime law. Mr. Conto then joined a well-known litigation defense firm with offices throughout Florida. There he focused his practice on defending corporations in construction defect matters, premises liability matters and negligent security matters involving claims of wrongful death. He also represented insurance companies in high exposure first-party property disputes.
At Lydecker Mr. Conto is concentrating his practice on defending developers, general contractors, subcontractors, design professionals, environmental consultants, product manufacturers and insurance carriers in a variety of contexts arising from the construction and use of real property. Mr. Conto has successfully represented clients in all phases of litigation including trials, summary judgment proceedings and mediations.
Graham Cox is an Associate in Lydecker’s Texas office. Mr. Cox’s practice involves all aspects of civil litigation, with a primary focus on representing clients in complex disputes from inception through resolution. He is experienced in managing cases across a wide range of matters, including commercial litigation, business disputes, general liability claims, as well as Directors and Officers liability and employment matters.
Prior to joining Lydecker, Mr. Cox practiced at a Texas based law firm where he managed a substantial caseload, taking an active role in all phases of litigation. His experience includes drafting pleadings and dispositive motions, conducting and defending depositions, appearing in court on behalf of clients, and negotiating favorable settlements. He has served as first chair attorney in depositions and has worked closely with clients to develop strategies tailored to their legal and business objectives.
Jarmanese K. Davis is an Associate in Lydecker’s Houston office. Ms. Davis’s practice focuses on civil litigation, including commercial and business disputes, employment matters, and general liability claims. Drawing on her prior in-house experience, she approaches litigation with an understanding of both the legal and practical considerations businesses face when navigating disputes, regulatory obligations, and risk.
Ms. Davis also has experience managing and supporting litigation, including developing case strategy, drafting and reviewing pleadings, coordinating with outside counsel, evaluating legal and business risk, and assisting with matters through various stages of litigation and resolution.
Prior to joining Lydecker, Ms. Davis served as in-house counsel for companies in the EdTech and oil and gas/energy industries, where she advised business leaders on employment, commercial, regulatory, compliance, and corporate matters. Her experience includes conducting workplace investigations, advising on employment policies and agreements, drafting and negotiating commercial contracts and nondisclosure agreements, supporting cross-border transactions and due diligence, and advising on regulatory compliance and corporate governance.
Ms. Davis earned her Juris Doctor from Louisiana State University’s Paul M. Hebert Law Center, where she served as an Articles Editor for the Louisiana Journal of Civil Law Studies and as a executive board member of the Board of Advocates. She was also inducted into the Order of the Barristers in recognition of her excellence in written and oral advocacy. During law school, Ms. Davis participated in LSU’s Civil Mediation Clinic and competed in national moot court and dispute resolution competitions. Ms. Davis is also a credentialed Texas mediator with advanced training in civil and family law mediation.
Mark A. Emanuele, a Partner at Lydecker and an AV-rated member of The Florida Bar, has practiced law in South Florida for over 35 years. His primary areas of practice include environmental litigation, healthcare, and administrative and regulatory litigation.
Mr. Emanuele has appeared before the Division of Administrative Hearings (DOAH), Circuit Courts, and Appellate Courts throughout Florida on various matters. His experience includes participation in Florida Agency for Healthcare Administration (Agency) workshops, drafting development and implementation of Agency Rules in accordance with the Florida Administrative Procedures Act, defending Agency Rules as a valid exercise of delegated legislative authority, and challenging Agency Rules deemed unconstitutional or in violation of the Florida Administrative Procedures Act. Additionally, he has handled extensive healthcare litigation matters involving formal administrative proceedings under Chapters 120 and 408 of the Florida Statutes.
Mr. Emanuele has represented multiple publicly traded healthcare companies, including acute care hospital systems, long-term acute care hospitals (LTACH), comprehensive medical rehabilitation facilities (CMR/IRF), nursing homes, and hospice entities. His administrative litigation experience encompasses various proceedings involving licensure matters, compliance issues, and certificate of need matters. Furthermore, his practice involves challenges to procurements, bid protests, and related proceedings before various governmental agencies and DOAH.
Mr. Emanuele is a member of the United States District Court for the Northern, Middle, and Southern Districts of Florida, as well as the United States 11th Circuit Court of Appeal. He has practiced before all Florida courts, including County Court, Circuit Court, DOAH, District Courts of Appeals, and Bankruptcy Court. Additionally, he holds memberships with the Broward County Bar Association, the American Health Lawyers Association (AHLA), and the Administrative Law, Labor and Employment Law, Trial Law, and Health Law Sections of The Florida Bar.
Mr. Emanuele is a native of Hartford, Connecticut and has resided in Florida since 1973. He earned his Juris Doctor at Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad Law Center in 1985 and his Bachelor of Arts Degree from St. Thomas University in 1980. While earning his Bachelor and Juris Doctorate Degree, Mr. Emanuele worked as a police officer with the Cities of Hollywood and Hallandale. Mr. Emanuele lives in Broward County, Florida, is married to Claudia Emanuele, and has two (2) children.
Alex Garrett is Of Counsel in Lydecker’s Tampa office and is a former Public Defender with extensive experience in a broad range of civil disputes. Mr. Garrett represents a wide range of clientele, including condominium associations, homeowners associations, small businesses, governmental entities, resorts, restaurants, and other establishments within the hospitality industry.
A Florida Native, Mr. Garrett is a “Double Gator” and received his Bachelor of Science in Finance and his Juris Doctorate at the University of Florida.
Mr. Garrett is committed to staying up to date on new developments in the law and is dedicated to providing his clients exceptional outcomes with a focus on their individual needs.
Doug Gerber is Of Counsel with Lydecker and works in the Firm’s Orlando office. Mr. Gerber been a member of the Florida Bar since 2005 and the Middle District of Florida since 2006. Mr. Gerber’s areas of practice include but are not limited to civil litigation, commercial litigation, general liability litigation, premises liability, property practice, and business law throughout the State of Florida. He has extensive experience in representing business entities, insurers, and individuals in litigation often involving motion practice, mediations, and trials.
A native Floridian who was born in and raised in South Florida and who has lived in Central Florida for more than 25 years, Mr. Gerber is a double Gator, having earned his bachelor’s degree in Public Relations from the University of Florida in 1992 and his master’s degree in Exercise and Sports Sciences with a Specialization in Sports Management from the University of Florida in 1996. While at the University of Florida, Mr. Gerber was admitted and a member of the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society.
After working for various sports organizations in Central Florida involving amateur sports events, college bowl games, NFL exhibitions, and the 1996 Olympic Games, Mr. Gerber attended the Shepard Broad Law Center at Nova Southeastern University, where was first a Staff Member and then became an Articles Editor for the Nova Law Review. Mr. Gerber had his article on the validity of arbitration clauses in personal injury suits involving minors published in the Fall 2003 issue of the Nova Law Review. He was also a member of the Pro Bono Honor Society while at the Shepard Broad Law Center after interning with the Administrative Judge for the Seventeenth Judicial Circuit of Florida and with the City Attorney’s Office with the City of Coral Springs.
Mr. Gerber has served as the Chairman of the Real Property Law Committee of the Orange County Bar Association, was a member of the Small Claims Rules Committee of the Florida Bar, and most recently served as the Chair of Section C of the Grievance Committee of the Florida Bar for the Ninth Judicial Circuit.
Jacqueline Humbert is an experienced trial attorney in Lydecker’s Miami office whose practice focuses on commercial litigation, creditor-debtor disputes, insurance litigation, construction defect matters, and other complex civil disputes. With more than 18 years of litigation experience, Ms. Humbert has represented individuals, businesses, insurers, property owners, financial institutions, and other clients in state and federal courts throughout Florida.
Ms. Humbert has extensive courtroom experience, having served as lead counsel in more than 75 jury trials. She began her career as an Assistant Public Defender in Broward County, where she spent more than a decade handling serious felony matters, including first-degree murder, major crimes, and death penalty cases. Her experience included complex motion practice, evidentiary hearings, appellate matters, and trial preparation, as well as supervising and mentoring junior attorneys.
Since transitioning to civil practice, Ms. Humbert has represented both plaintiffs and defendants in a broad range of matters, including commercial and contract disputes, first-party property insurance and coverage litigation, construction defect and catastrophic property damage claims, and creditor-debtor matters. She also has significant experience in judgment enforcement and debt recovery, including domestication of judgments, fraudulent transfer actions, garnishments, levies, asset investigations, and other post-judgment remedies.
Ms. Humbert earned her Juris Doctor from St. Thomas University School of Law and her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Florida. She is admitted to The Florida Bar and the United States District Courts for the Southern and Middle Districts of Florida. Ms. Humbert is fluent in English and Spanish.
Mr. Johnson specializes in the representation of professionals, corporations and insurers in a broad range of business and tort matters, including employment claims, environmental claims and other complex actions. Mr. Johnson also has experience litigating government municipal matters throughout the state of Florida, as well as representing journalists and media companies in intellectual property and defamation litigation. Mr. Johnson’s practice also includes the defense of attorneys, accountants and real estate professionals in professional liability matters and non-profit corporations as well as their directors and officers in a range of matters.
Before joining Lydecker, Mr. Johnson began his career as an associate in the Miami office of a business litigation boutique headquartered in New York, where he represented banking and corporate interests in multiple international business and commercial disputes. Mr. Johnson is also an experienced and accomplished appellate attorney, having multiple published Federal and Florida opinions, as well as oral arguments and appellate mediations across multiple appellate courts.
In addition to his professional commitments, Mr. Johnson recognizes his responsibility to serve the community. He is a member of the 100 Black Men of South Florida, one of the leading youth mentoring organizations in the country, as well as the Miami-Dade County Black Affairs Advisory Board. He is also a director of BAC Funding Corp. a non-profit state funded lender for disadvantaged business. He is also Secretary of the Coppin State University Development Foundation which raises money for scholarships to his alma mater, Coppin State University. He also Serves as Vice Chair of the Miami-Dade School District Audit and Budget Committee. He has also served as a member of the Executive Board of the Miami-Dade Chapter of NAACP and the Polemarch (President) of the Richmond-Perrine (FL) Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.
Matthew McElligott is a Partner at Lydecker’s Miami office and is a veteran trial attorney with extensive experience litigating across the legal spectrum. At Lydecker, Mr. McElligott’s practice areas include premises liability, products liability, professional liability, bad faith litigation, complex commercial litigation, construction defect / accident claims, negligent security, and catastrophic injury and wrongful death cases.
Mr. McElligott is originally from Virginia and attended George Mason University where he obtained a Bachelor of Science in the Administration of Justice. Mr. McElligott then earned his Juris Doctor from the University of South Carolina School of Law graduating cum laude and receiving book awards in Professional Responsibility and Evidence.
Mr. McElligott began his legal career at the Miami Dade Public Defender’s Office and amassed considerable trial experience representing clients over a wide range of criminal offenses. Since then, Mr. McElligott has represented individuals and companies in a wide range of civil matters as both plaintiffs and defendants with a focus on litigation and courtroom advocacy. Mr. McElligott also has substantial appellate experience having authored several writs and appeals throughout the District Courts of Florida.
Mr. McElligott’s comprehensive litigation experience is an asset to clients in need of zealous, professional, and effective representation.
Armando Mejias is a litigation associate based Lydecker’s Miami office, specializing in complex commercial litigation, contract disputes, and appellate matters. He is recognized for his precise legal research, strategic motion practice, and drafting of sophisticated briefs in both state and federal courts.
Armando has extensive experience handling high‑stakes litigation, complex corporate disputes, and international arbitration matters. His work encompasses trial preparation, discovery strategy, appellate advocacy, and transactional litigation issues. In addition, he provides bilingual legal support and has developed a reputation for combining analytical rigor with practical solutions for clients.
He earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Florida Levin College of Law in 2022, including an exchange program at Universidad Pontificia Comillas in Madrid, and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Systems of Justice, summa cum laude, from Universidad del Sagrado Corazón. Armando is admitted to practice in Florida and the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida.
Mark Mercer is a partner in Lydecker’s Los Angeles and San Diego offices. He has over 25 years of experience representing private companies and public agencies in complex legal matters, with a practice deeply rooted in California construction law. Mark began his legal career in personal injury defense before transitioning to the representation of sureties in construction litigation, where he developed extensive experience handling multi-party construction claims and performance disputes. Mark later moved into public-sector practice, representing and advising California public agencies on construction claims, bid disputes, and environmental and regulatory compliance matters.
His current construction defect experience spans residential, commercial, and public infrastructure projects and includes claims involving alleged design defects, construction deficiencies, delays, and building performance issues. He regularly counsels owners, developers, contractors, subcontractors, and design professionals through all phases of construction defect matters, from pre-litigation risk assessment and dispute resolution to complex litigation.
In addition to construction defect litigation, Mark’s practice includes real estate, project entitlement, and insurance coverage matters, giving him a comprehensive understanding of the contractual, regulatory, and coverage issues that frequently intersect with California construction disputes. His practical, solutions-oriented approach is informed by a deep understanding of California’s construction statutes, public contracting requirements, and risk allocation frameworks.
Some of his successes include:
- Obtaining a defense verdict on a million-dollar contractor lawsuit for extra payment arising from unforeseen conditions.
- Settling a several million-dollar construction defect claim of a water treatment facility.
Mewerick Mozza is an Of Counsel attorney at the Lydecker’s Miami office. Mr. Mozza concentrates his practice in all aspects of federal and state civil litigation.
Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Mozza worked for the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida at the Chambers of Magistrate Judge John J. O’Sullivan, where he aided with matters from Social Security Disability determinations, maritime personal injury cases, to international breach of contracts. Furthermore, Magistrate Judge O’Sullivan and Mr. Mozza were invited to Bolivia to provide an international conference where they were awarded Distinguished Visitor status and laws passed under their names for aiding the judiciary system in Bolivia. Additionally, Mr. Mozza worked for Mozza & Abogados Asociados exposing him to a different legal system. He counseled in the administration and legal transactions of the clients’ international businesses throughout South America and in the United States, including the purchasing and leasing of real estate and their international commercial transactions. Furthermore, Mr. Mozza was the recipient of the Law Awards 2022 by Latin American Quality Institute due to the exceptional performance in representing clients in international business transactions. In addition, Mr. Mozza worked at the Law Offices of Anidjar and Levine, P.A., where he handled personal injury claims and property damage claims in the pre-litigation and litigation departments. Mr. Mozza is committed to providing aggressive representation for all his clients and ensuring all clients receive effective legal representation.
Mr. Mozza graduated from the Trinity University with a Bachelor of Arts and Majors in Political Science, Philosophy, and International Studies in addition to a Minor in Human Communication in 2011. Mr. Mozza graduated Cum Laude from his Juris Doctorate from St. Thomas University School of Law in 2015, and was a member of the Intercultural Human Rights Law Review. Subsequently, Mr. Mozza graduated from a Master in Law in International Commercial Arbitration from the University of Miami in 2017. Mr. Mozza additionally obtained a Bachelor of Humanities in Political Science from Universidad Autónoma Gabriel Rene Moreno, in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia, in 2022. In addition to being a member in good standing of the Florida Bar, Mr. Mozza is also a member of the District of Columbia Bar and the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida.
Michael Poreda is a partner in the New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania offices of Lydecker. He is licensed to practice law in New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania, and is admitted to practice in five of the federal jurisdictions in those states.
He is an experienced litigator who has practiced widely in the areas of employment discrimination, civil rights, education, health care, personal injury, consumer fraud, and professional malpractice. He has represented a wide variety of clients including school boards, police departments, insurance brokerages, real estate agencies, healthcare facilities, car dealerships, contractors, and law firms. Michael has extensive experience in every aspect of civil litigation, including jury trials and appeals. Michael has a nearly perfect career record on motions for summary judgment. One of the most notable was defeating a plaintiff represented by Boies Schiller seeking $7 million for malicious prosecution after six years of litigation.
Michael clerked for the Honorable Hector R. Velazquez of the Superior Court of New Jersey in Hudson County and for the Honorable William J. Martini of the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey in Newark.
Michael graduated with highest honors from Rutgers University with a B.A. He has an M.A. from Teachers College – Columbia University. He earned his J.D. magna cum laude from Seton Hall University School of Law where he was a law review editor. Before attending law school, Michael taught high school history in New Jersey and has served as adjunct faculty at Rutgers University. He is a past Chair of the LGBTQ Rights Section of the New Jersey State Bar Association. He is on the editorial board of The New Jersey Lawyer, where he has also published several articles on employment and education law. He has also published articles in Seton Hall Law Review and Brigham Young University Education and Law Journal.
Jason W. Suh is a Partner in Lydecker Los Angeles – Downtown office. Mr. Suh is an experienced litigator who handles a wide variety of general liability matters, professional liability claims, and business disputes in state and federal courts through all stages of litigation.
He has extensive experience defending individual policy holders and business entities in personal injury and premises liability cases. Additionally, Mr. Suh has years of dedicated expertise in professional liability cases involving attorneys, insurance agents and brokers, real estate agents and real estate brokerage companies, escrow companies, and other miscellaneous professional claims.
His commercial litigation experience includes defending contract disputes, breach of fiduciary duty actions, business torts, real estate matters, and trademark cases. He draws on 19 years of experience representing clients in all facets of civil actions, from having demurrers sustained in favor of his clients, having motions for summary judgment granted, obtaining favorable jury verdicts, and prevailing in the California Court of Appeal.
Jason earned his bachelor’s degree at Cornell University and his juris doctor at the University of Arizona, James E. Rogers College of Law. He is a member of the Los Angeles County Bar Association and the Asian Pacific American Bar Association.
Zayd Takiedine is an Associate Attorney in Lydecker’s Doylestown, Pennsylvania office. Mr. Takiedine’s practice primarily focuses on the areas of professional liability, general liability, commercial litigation, and insurance-related disputes.
Mr. Takiedine earned his Juris Doctor from Rutgers Law School, where he obtained a Certificate in Corporate and Business Law. While at Rutgers, he was selected to participate in the Entrepreneurship Clinic, where he assisted in representing local start-up for-profit and non-profit entrepreneurs. During law school, Mr. Takiedine gained valuable in-house transactional and litigation experience as an intern for a Fortune 500 real estate developer and served as a Summer Associate at a prominent suburban Philadelphia law firm.
Prior to joining Lydecker, Mr. Takiedine practiced at a full-service law firm in the Philadelphia area, where he handled a broad range of civil litigation matters and real estate tax assessment appeals.
