Hal M. Lucas

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Hal M. Lucas represents companies and individuals across a broad range of business litigation, arbitration, and business law matters.  Prior to co-founding Lucas | Savitz, Hal worked at prominent Miami-based firms handling a wide array of commercial disputes.

Hal’s litigation and arbitration experience includes disputes arising from:

• Business tort claims, including fraud and breach of fiduciary duty
• The purchase and sale of commercial and residential real estate
• Securities investments
• Non-competition, non-solicitation, and confidentiality agreements
• Misappropriation of trade secret claims
• Partnership, limited liability company, and corporate governance disputes
• License and distribution agreements
• Mergers & Acquisitions
• Claims of deceptive and unfair trade practices
• Complex contractual disputes
• Landlord/tenant relationships
• Intellectual property claims
• Insurance coverage matters
• Product liability claims

In addition to his litigation and arbitration practice, Hal has significant experience handling commercial and business law matters as corporate legal adviser and outside general counsel to companies.

Representative Matters

Arbitration

• Representing sellers of aviation services company and related party in post-sale disputes with buyer and affiliated entities in consolidated international arbitration proceedings administered by the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC)
• Representing multinational financial services firm, as claimant, in arbitration action (administered by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA)) arising from non-solicitation and confidentiality agreements with several former employees
• Representing multinational financial services firm, as claimant, in unauthorized trading arbitration action (administered by FINRA) based upon foreign exchange trading activities of former trader at the firm
• Representing limited partnership as claimant in FINRA-administered arbitration action against global financial advisory firm concerning investment made in a synthetic investment product that was linked to the performance of a hedge fund
• Representing individual and entity investors as claimants in International Centre for Dispute Resolution (ICDR) administered arbitration action against European-headquartered bank concerning investments made in a Madoff feeder fund

Business Law

• Representing water transfer printing film, equipment, and training company in the negotiation and preparation of copyright and trademark license agreements
• Representing members in the negotiation and drafting of complex limited liability company operating agreements
• Representing purchasers and sellers in the acquisition and sale of limited liability company membership interests
• Representing sporting television shows in the negotiation and preparation of media agreements with sponsors
• Representing companies in the negotiation and preparation of restrictive covenants (i.e., non-competition and non-solicitation agreements) with employees and business counter-parties
• Advising and representing Florida-based agricultural company and affiliated persons and entities, generally, in a broad spectrum of business law matters, ranging from insurance and real estate-related assignments, to finance and corporate law matters

Litigation

• Defending international travel distributor against claim for injunctive relief arising from alleged breach of duplication, reverse engineering, and non-competition provisions in license agreement with technology provider
• Defending Fortune 100 company in action by medical equipment distributor related to alleged distribution rights in Colombia
• Representing Fortune 500 company, as plaintiff, in trademark infringement, defamation, tortious interference, and deceptive and unfair trade practices action arising from defendant’s operation of a website (“gripe site”) and use of associated domain names
• Defending management-level employee in action by former employer premised on alleged kickback program between the employee and third party vendors
• Representing various ownership and shareholder interests in internal disputes within joint ventures, limited liability companies, and closely-held corporations
• Representing water transfer printing film, equipment, and training company in copyright enforcement matters concerning artwork
• Representing point-of-destination shopping center in litigation and workouts with commercial tenants
• Representing companies, as co-counsel, in high-technology patent infringement lawsuits
• Obtaining dismissal with prejudice for individual sued by commercial tenants for indemnification of alleged losses arising from landlord’s eviction of tenants

Recognition & Appointments

• AV^® Peer Review Rating, Martindale-Hubbell (2015-Present)
• Selected as a Top Lawyer by the South Florida Legal Guide (2020-2022)
• Selected as a Rising Star by Florida Super Lawyers Magazine (2010-2014)
• Selected as a Top Up & Coming Attorney by Florida Trend Magazine’s Legal Elite (2008-2009)
• Member of the Florida Hemp Advisory Committee, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (2019-Present)
• Member of the Board of Directors of Friends of Miami Animals Foundation, Inc. (2016-2020)
• Member of the Board of Directors of EVI Industries, Inc., formerly known as EnviroStar, Inc. (NYSE American: EVI) (2015-Present)
• Co-Chair of the Securities Subcommittee of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee, American Bar Association (ABA) Section of Litigation (2011-2013)
• Co-Chair of the Young Lawyer Subcommittee of the Securities Litigation Committee, ABA Section of Litigation (2009-2013)
• Volunteer Attorney, Lawyers for Children America (LFCA) (2004-2010). Hal represented and advocated on behalf of several foster children in the State of Florida. Attorney at Law Magazine (Greater Miami Edition, June/July 2011) profiled Hal’s representation of an LFCA client in custody proceedings that resulted in the client’s regaining full custody of her own young child.  Hal was also featured with the same client on a Neighbors 4 Neighbors special report on WFOR CBS 4 News concerning the challenges faced by young men and women as they age out of the State of Florida foster care system.

Publications & Speaking Engagements

• FINRA Regulatory Notice 11-17 Revises the Discovery Guide for Arbitration Proceedings, News & Developments Article, Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee, ABA Section of Litigation (September 2011)
• “Recklessness” Under Section 10(b) & Rule 10b-5, Securities Litigation Journal, ABA Section of Litigation (fall 2009)
• US Securities Litigation in the Financial Crisis, a chapter published in the book, Global Financial Crisis, Navigating and Understanding the Legal and Regulatory Aspects (Globe Business Publishing Ltd 2009) (co-author)
• Panelist on Civil Law Practice in Miami-Dade County, Florida, hosted by the Dade County Bar Association, FIU Student Chapter (November 2012)
• Moderator, Sports Law Panel, Third Annual International Legal Symposium on the World of Music, Film, Television and Sports, presented by the ABA Forum on the Entertainment and Sports Industries (May 2012)