Harold L. Lewis

Equity Partner

hlewis@haber.law

Harold (Hal) Lewis is Chair of the firm’s Real Estate and Transaction Departments. He is a deal maker not a deal breaker with more than thirty five years of practice experience. He is a thoughtful, pragmatic and discreet adviser to his diverse client base and is well-recognized for his work in the legal profession, including an AV rating by Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory, Super Lawyers, Top Lawyers, Legal Elite and Best Lawyers in America.

Mr. Lewis practices in multiple areas with particular emphasis on transactional real estate and corporate matters including real estate and asset based financing, acquisition and development, leasing, condominium and the design and implementation of ownership structures including partnerships and limited liability companies. He handles legal work in all asset classes including industrial, office, multi-family, hotel, retail and residential and commercial condominiums. He has run point on multiple large “from the ground up” projects, including ground leases, reciprocal easements and operating agreements, land assemblage, and leasing to local and national tenants. He writes on several nationally recognized title insurance companies.

Mr. Lewis has extensive experience in complex financing structures and represents lenders, borrowers and investors in routine loan transactions as well as more sophisticated matters such as warehouse lines, CMBS financing, mezzanine financing and investment of preferred equity. He has represented borrowers and lenders in workouts and restructuring including several large and complex CMBS workouts.

Mr. Lewis lectures extensively to the South Florida business, lending and legal communities on multiple topics including real estate lending structures, guarantees, lease drafting and remedies, loan workouts and foreclosures, green building, drafting of purchase and sale agreements, and broker remedies. He was previously awarded Educator of the Year honors by the Miami Association of Realtors and served several times as a guest lecturer at International Council of Shopping Centers University in New York.

PRACTICE AREAS

Mr. Lewis is an experienced real estate, corporate, and transactional lawyer, whose areas of practice include:

  • Asset and Real Estate Based Lending
  • Construction Lending
  • Lender Liability and Regulatory Defense
  • Letters of Credit
  • Loan Modifications and Workouts
  • Property Acquisition, Sale and Development
  • Leasing
  • Condominium Development
  • Corporate, Limited Liability and Partnership Law
 

Education

  • Bachelor of Arts, Duke University, graduated magna cum laude 1981
  • University of Miami School of Law (J.D. degree), graduated cum laude 1984
  • University of Miami Law Review
 
 

AWARDS AND HONORS

  • AV rated lawyer by Martindale-Hubbell
  • Best Lawyers in America, 2013-2024
  • South Florida Legal Guide, “Top Lawyers,” 2007-2022
  • Super Lawyers, 2011-2023
  • Previously recognized in Florida Trends Legal Elite as one of Florida’s top real estate lawyers
  • Finalist, Key Partners in Business Law, South Florida Business Journal
  • Daily Business Review, Deal Makers, October 2007, November 2014, October 2017
  • Realtors Association of Greater Miami and the Beaches Educator of the Year 2006
 
 

MEMBERSHIPS AND CERTIFICATIONS

  • The Florida Bar
  • Miami-Dade County Bar Association
  • American Bar Association
  • United States District Court, Southern District of Florida
  • Board of Directors, Commercial and Industrial Association of South Florida (past President)
  • Member, International Council of Shopping Centers
  • Member, Risk Management Association
  • Member, Miami Finance Forum
  • Member, CREW Miami Chapter (past member of Board of Directors)
 
 

Published Articles

Frequently quoted in various publications, such as: