Florida is one of the most active real estate markets in the United States. From luxury condominium towers in Miami to large-scale mixed-use developments across the Tampa Bay area, the legal complexity of property transactions here is significant. Zoning approvals, construction financing, CMBS structures, condo law, and land use entitlements all require specialized knowledge. Finding the right real estate lawyer at the outset of a deal or dispute can determine whether it moves forward efficiently or gets tied up for months.
Florida also divides its real estate legal market into distinct geographic sub-markets. Chambers USA, which conducts independent research across thousands of client and peer interviews each year, publishes separate rankings for Florida South and Florida North and Central, reflecting the genuinely different legal landscapes that operate in each region. The lawyers on this list were selected from both sub-markets, covering South Florida, Central Florida, and the Tallahassee corridor.
Here are seven real estate lawyers in Florida who stand out for their experience, verified track records, and consistent peer recognition.
1. Matthew B. Gorson: Senior Chairman and Real Estate Shareholder at Greenberg Traurig LLP, Miami, FL
Matt Gorson joined Greenberg Traurig in 1973 as the firm’s 14th lawyer and has spent over five decades reshaping the skylines of Downtown Miami, Brickell Avenue, Miami Beach, and Sunny Isles Beach. He currently serves as Senior Chairman of the firm. Best Lawyers in America has recognized him in Real Estate Law every year from 1987 to 2026, a 39-year consecutive record. Chambers USA ranks him in Real Estate for Florida South. He received the Daily Business Review Lifetime Achievement Award in 2023 and is listed in the Lawdragon 500 Leading Global Real Estate Lawyers for 2024 and 2025. Greenberg Traurig was named Real Estate Firm of the Year at the 2026 Florida Legal Awards.
2. Suzanne M. Amaducci: Chair of Real Estate and Finance at Bilzin Sumberg, Miami, FL
Suzanne Amaducci chairs Bilzin Sumberg’s Real Estate and Finance practice and leads the firm’s Hospitality Group. She is a Fellow of the American College of Real Estate Lawyers, a distinction reserved for practitioners recognized for skill, experience, and ethical standards in the profession. Chambers USA has recognized her in Real Estate for Florida South across multiple consecutive years, and she has been included in Best Lawyers in America and Florida Super Lawyers consistently. She has closed over one billion dollars in marina transactions and serves as an adjunct professor in real property development at the University of Miami. Bilzin Sumberg has been ranked Band 1 in South Florida Real Estate by Chambers USA for eight consecutive years and has received Law360’s Real Estate Group of the Year recognition multiple times.
3. Gary A. Saul: Co-Chair of Miami Real Estate Practice at Greenberg Traurig LLP, Miami, FL
Gary Saul is Co-Chair of Greenberg Traurig’s Miami Real Estate practice and is widely regarded as the leading condominium law attorney in South Florida. He earned his J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania Law School. Chambers USA has recognized him in Real Estate for Florida South, and clients describe him as ‘the go-to attorney for condo work’ with ‘nobody coming close to him in that area.’ His representative project list includes the St. Regis Residences in both Sunny Isles Beach and Brickell, the Millennium Tower Miami, Four Seasons Fort Lauderdale, the Pendry St. Petersburg, and numerous other luxury and branded residential developments across the state.
4. Joseph G. Goldstein: Miami Real Estate and Land Use Practice Group Leader at Holland & Knight LLP, Miami, FL
Joe Goldstein has over 34 years of experience in land use, zoning, comprehensive planning, environmental permitting, and development agreements. He earned his J.D. from the University of Miami School of Law and previously worked as a planner at the South Florida Regional Planning Council before entering private practice. Chambers USA has ranked him in Real Estate: Zoning/Land Use for Florida South for 17 consecutive years, from 2008 through 2025. Best Lawyers in America has recognized him in Environmental Law, Land Use and Zoning Law, and Real Estate Law since 2005, and named him Miami Lawyer of the Year in Land Use and Zoning Law in 2017, 2019, and 2025. Legal 500 USA inducted him into its Hall of Fame in Real Estate: Land Use and Zoning in 2023.
5. Michael J. Sullivan: Co-Chair of Hospitality Group at Greenberg Traurig LLP, Orlando, FL
Mike Sullivan is Co-Chair of Greenberg Traurig’s Hospitality Group and has been listed in Chambers USA for Real Estate and Leisure Hospitality since 2004, a span of 21 consecutive years. Best Lawyers in America has included him in Real Estate Law every year from 2005 to 2026 and in Leisure and Hospitality Law from 2015 to 2026. He was named Orlando Lawyer of the Year in Leisure and Hospitality Law in 2017 and in Real Estate Law in 2013. He is also listed in the Lawdragon 500 Leading Global Real Estate Lawyers and Latin Lawyer 250 for Real Estate and Tourism. His practice covers hotel and resort acquisitions, hospitality finance, management and franchise agreements, and branded residential and condo-hotel structuring.
6. Javier F. Avino: Head of Land Use and Zoning at Bilzin Sumberg, Miami, FL
Javier Avino is a Partner and Practice Group Leader of Bilzin Sumberg’s Land Development and Government Relations Group and Co-Chair of the firm’s International Group. He became the youngest Practice Group Leader in the firm’s history when appointed to the role in 2017. Chambers USA has recognized him in Real Estate: Zoning/Land Use for Florida South across consecutive years, and Legal 500 USA named him to its U.S. City Elite Tier 1 for Real Estate in 2026. Florida Trend recognized him as a Legal Elite Notable in Real Estate and Land Use in 2025. Chambers describes him as ‘the first stop for developers before they put a shovel in the ground.’ He led the land use approvals for the Miami Produce Center, a 1.36 million square foot mixed-use project in the Allapattah neighborhood of Miami.
7. Reggie L. Bouthillier: Chair of Land Development, Zoning and Environmental Group at Stearns Weaver Miller, Tallahassee, FL
Reggie Bouthillier has over 33 years of experience representing private and public sector clients throughout Florida in real estate, land development, land use, environmental law, and government affairs. He earned his J.D. from the University of Miami School of Law in 1992. Chambers USA ranked him Band 1 in Real Estate: Zoning/Land Use for North and Central Florida in 2025 and Band 2 in Environment for Florida. He has been recognized by Florida Super Lawyers since 2006, with the most recent listing in 2026. He is a member of the firm’s Board of Directors and Executive Committee and serves as Past-Chair and current Board Member of the Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce. Stearns Weaver Miller is the only firm ranked Band 1 in North and Central Florida Real Estate: Zoning/Land Use by Chambers USA.
How to Choose the Right Real Estate Lawyer in Florida
The seven lawyers on this list cover the full range of real estate legal needs across Florida. Gorson and Saul at Greenberg Traurig are the strongest choices in South Florida for large-scale commercial and luxury residential development, with Saul specifically leading in condominium law. Amaducci at Bilzin Sumberg is the right fit for commercial transactions, hospitality, marina deals, and Opportunity Zone investments. Goldstein at Holland & Knight is the most credentialed South Florida attorney for land use, zoning, and development approvals, with 17 consecutive years of Chambers USA recognition.
Sullivan at Greenberg Traurig Orlando is the go-to choice for hotel, resort, and hospitality real estate across Central Florida and beyond. Avino at Bilzin Sumberg brings deep expertise in South Florida land use and development entitlements for high-rise and mixed-use projects. Bouthillier at Stearns Weaver Miller is the strongest choice for land use, zoning, and environmental matters in North and Central Florida, with the firm holding the only Band 1 Chambers ranking in that sub-market.
Florida’s real estate legal market is shaped by its condo law statutes, growth management regulations, environmental permitting requirements, and the speed of its development cycles. The right attorney depends on the type of transaction, the region, and whether your priority is getting approvals, closing a deal, or resolving a dispute. Every lawyer on this list has a documented track record in exactly the kind of work they are recognized for.
If your real estate matter is significant, these are the names worth knowing before you move forward.
