Genovese Joblove & Battista, PA

Managing Partners: John H Genovese, Michael D Joblove
Number of partners: 24
Number of other lawyers: 14

Firm Overview:
Genovese Joblove & Battista, P.A. (‘GJB’) is dedicated to providing clients throughout the nation with exceptional service in select areas of law, with offices in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Tampa and an affiliate office in Caracas. GJB focuses on complex commercial, franchising, real estate, white-collar, and other types of litigation. The firm’s attorneys also represent debtors, trustees, committees, secured and unsecured creditors, and receivers in bankruptcy, insolvency and workout engagements. In addition, the firm provides skilled and strategic representation in cross- border insolvency, litigation, and transactional matters. The firm’s senior lawyers also practice in corporate and employment law, securities, banking, asset-based lending, real estate development, healthcare, and telecommunications, as well as in other transactional and regulatory areas. The firm also providesadvice and consulting services in government affairs and counsel in municipal law. GJB is a member of the Integrated Advisory Group (IAG), a powerful multi-disciplinary association of independent professional firms, with members throughout Europe, North and South America and the Middle East.

Main Areas of Practice:

Insolvency, Bankruptcy & Creditors’ Rights:
GJB has one of the most sophisticated insolvency practices in Florida, comparable in size and the complexity of matters handled by Florida’s largest firms. The firm regularly represents major players in matters involving financially distressed businesses, including workouts, debt restructuring, bankruptcy and insolvency proceedings, creditor assignments and all related litigation and transactional matters. GJB’s insolvency partners have leading roles in Florida’s most significant bankruptcy proceedings.

Commercial Litigation:
GJB’s commercial litigation attorneys have nationally recognized expertise in a broad range of matters including franchising, real estate, contract disputes, director and officer liability, employment, environmental, insurance, trademark and copyright, partnership disputes and dissolutions, securities and shareholder disputes, state and local regulatory proceedings, torts, and uniform commercial code. The firm’s attorneys practice at all levels of state and federal courts including appeals and in arbitration.

Franchise Representation:
GJB is a leader in franchise litigation in Florida. The firm represents Miami-based Burger King Corporation and other franchisor clients across the country, and regularly handles matters for a variety of franchise systems including BP Amoco, Carlson Restaurants Worldwide (for its T.G.I. Friday’s® concept), Jamba Juice, Curves, Denny’s, Inc., Wild Wing Cafe®, Pearle Vision, Inc., Campero USA Corporation (for its Pollo Campero® concept), Benihana National Corp., Smoothie King Franchising, Inc., and Church’s Chicken. Firm partners serve on the Executive Board of the International Franchise Association, the Board of Governors of the ABA’s Forum on Franchising and is in leadership positions of the IFA’s Women’s Franchise Network.

Directors and Officers/Professional Liability
GJB Directors and Officers/Professional Liability (D&O) Team offers comprehensive representation to fiduciaries, among others, in prosecuting director and officer claims, complex fraud litigation, insurance litigation and professional negligence. The firm’s areas of expertise include D&O litigation, lender liability litigation, avoidance and clawback litigation, and professional liability litigation. The firm handles each matter in a way that achieves the most efficient and successful resolution for its client. The firm has counseled fiduciaries on some of the most complex claims including those arising out of bankruptcies, securities class actions, SEC, criminal investigations, and other regulatory actions.

Real Estate Litigation:
GJB has one of Florida’s leading real estate litigation practices. The firm’s attorneys have represented developers, general contractors, subcontractors, and professionals for more than 30 years, including Minto Communities, Inc., one of South Florida’s largest developers. Other prominent real estate clients have included KB Home, Bendersen Development, Capital Realty Services, and Affiniti Architects.

White-Collar Litigation:
GJB provides individuals and business entities representation in the increasingly difficult regulatory climate, which has seen widespread government criminalization of certain business practices. The firm’s attorneys defend clients throughout the United States in matters involving healthcare fraud, mortgage fraud, money laundering, securities fraud, mail and wire fraud, bank fraud, tax fraud, computer fraud, internet fraud, public corruption, campaign finance fraud, and Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.

Securities Litigation:
GJB represent numerous individual and institutional investors in large class action suits and arbitration proceedings on behalf of investor clients. The firm’s practice includes a former assistant general counsel to a major securities brokerage firm. GJB attorneys have experience with various securities law issues including issues arising under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, the Securities and Exchange Acts of 1933 and 1934, state securities law, and common law.

Employment Law:
GJB maintains an active practice in the growing area of employment law. It counsels clients on various types of employment policies and prepares and updates manuals containing policies that protect the rights of both employer and employee in complying with the various applicable laws.

Class Action Litigation:
GJB’s class action group is regularly selected to prosecute or defend complex class action cases and has helped obtain substantial settlements for class members in securities, employment and other class actions. For example, the firm served as co-counsel for the securities claimants in the Enron securities class action and the related bankruptcy cases, focusing on bankruptcy and insolvency issues. This significant litigation resulted in $7.2 billion in recoveries for the class, the largest securities litigation settlements in US history.

Municipal Law:
GJB’s municipal law practice team acts as general counsel for municipalities as well as special counsel in regulation, zoning and land use, employment, and litigation matters. These representations include efforts to promote, ameliorate or oppose prospective ordinances, code enforcement, municipal and county contracting disputes, zoning and regulatory proceedings and claims, and tax challenges and appeals.

Land Use & Zoning:
GJB land use attorneys have extensive experience in all aspects of local, state and federal land use, permitting, complex regulatory zoning, environmental compliance, and governmental issues. The firm represents landowners, developers, investors, and other entities at local, state and federal government levels as well as before boards and commissions. In addition, GJB also represent municipalities and other governmental and quasi-governmental authorities giving us a unique insider perspective.

Government Law:
GJB’s government law practice includes government relations, procurement, lobbying, regulatory and administrative law. The firm provides representation matters involving ad valorem tax issues, affordable housing, civil rights, construction contracts, environmental, government procurement issues, health law, land use and zoning, legislative and executive branch, lobbying services, public-private ventures, relocation incentives, school boards, special benefit districts, and transportation/airports/ports.