Attorneys

Alejandro Espino

Shareholderaespino@vlplaw.com

Alejandro Espino has focused his practice on construction law and litigation since 1997 and has represented owners, contractors, subcontractors, engineers, sureties, and suppliers in all aspects of construction issues. Clients call upon Alex to draft and negotiate contracts, address issues during construction, resolve disputes, and litigate claims. Alex has a wide range of experience in trial, arbitration, dispute resolution proceedings, and administrative proceedings. Alex is also a construction arbitrator for the American Arbitration Association.

Alex is Board Certified in Construction Law by The Florida Bar, a distinction held by less than 1% of the Florida Bar. Alex served on The Florida Bar’s Construction Certification Committee for six years, including one year as Chair. Alex has been recognized in Best Lawyers in America in Construction Law; in Florida Trend’s Legal Elite in Construction Law; and in Florida Super Lawyers in Construction Litigation. In the 2019 and 2020 Florida Super Lawyers editions, Alex was recognized in the Top 100 in the Miami Area for all areas of practice. Alex also maintains an AV Preeminent Peer Review Rating with Martindale-Hubbell, the highest possible rating in both legal ability and ethical standards.


Relevant Experience and Representative Cases

  • Successfully represented a subcontractor on a public wastewater treatment plant project in the Florida Keys in a three-day arbitration against the prime contractor and its surety, obtaining a judgment exceeding $500,000 and a finding of no liability on the prime contractor’s counterclaim exceeding $600,000; issues related to nonpayment and alleged defective work
  • Successfully represented a prime contractor on a landfill stabilization project in a seven-day jury trial against the project owner, obtaining a jury verdict in the prime contractor’s favor on its claims and on the owner’s counterclaim of $1,500,000 and negotiating a $900,000 settlement prior to retrial on damages; issues related to delay, loss of efficiency, overinspection, design errors, unknown conditions and superior knowledge, wrongful termination, and liquidated damages
  • Successfully represented a prime contractor on a neighborhood improvement project in a six-week jury trial against the owner’s design engineer, obtaining a judgment exceeding $6,000,000 and a complete recovery for the prime contractor; issues related to design errors, delay, impact to means and methods, overinspection, and differing site conditions
  • Successfully represented a prime contractor on a stormwater retention project in a five-day jury trial against the project owner, obtaining a judgment exceeding $550,000 and a complete recovery for the prime contractor; issues related to delay, design errors, extreme weather and liquidated damages
  • Successfully represented a sitework contractor on a large residential development project against the developer and the owner, obtaining a jury verdict in the prime contractor’s favor on its claims and on the owner’s counterclaims exceeding $5,000,000 and negotiating a confidential settlement before retrial; issues related to wrongful termination, delay, extra work, construction means and methods, liquidated damages, alleged defective work, and surety performance bond claims
  • Successfully represented a dredging subcontractor on a university marine laboratory dredging project in an eight-day jury trial against the prime contractor and project owner, obtaining a judgment exceeding $1,100,00 and defeating the prime contractor’s counterclaim exceeding $1,000,000; issues related to differing site conditions and superior knowledge, delay and lost productivity, extra work, and cardinal changes
  • Successfully represented a highway contractor in a three-week jury trial against the project owner, obtaining several favorable court rulings and a jury verdict in favor of the highway contractor, leading to a multi-million dollar settlement; issues related to differing site conditions, delay and lost productivity, liquidated damages, and alleged defective work
  • Successfully defended an excavation contractor and its insurer from a developer’s defect claims
  • Successfully represented a maintenance contractor in appeal of a trial court’s entry of summary judgment against it and in favor of the project owner, thereafter negotiating a settlement and obtaining complete relief for maintenance contractor; issues related to nonpayment and contract interpretation
  • Successfully represented a condominium association in defense of a prime contractor’s claims for breach of contract valued in excess of $1,000,000
  • Successfully represented a condominium association in the recovery of insurance proceeds related to a catastrophic fire
  • Successfully represented a condominium association in the recovery of insurance proceeds related to hurricane damage
  • Represented a prime contractor in negotiating and closing a gap financing credit facility agreement for a design–build–finance project in excess of $500,000,000
  • Represented an international contractor based in Italy in claims related to an Army Corps of Engineers project in Amman, Jordan
  • Successfully represented a subcontractor in the prosecution of a construction lien and claims against the foreclosing lender and subsequent purchaser, including recovery in garnishment proceedings against the original owner
  • Successfully represented a bridge subcontractor in products liability and defective products claims against a manufacturer
  • Successfully represented a property owner at trial in a continuing trespass action, including the issuance of a pretrial temporary injunction
  • Successfully represented a highway contractor against a demolition subcontractor and its insurer in a property damage claim
  • Successfully represented a prime contractor against a plumbing subcontractor and its insurer in a property damage claim
  • Successfully represented a sitework subcontractor in a three-day arbitration against the prime contractor on a public project, leading to a determination by the court that the subcontractor was the prevailing party entitled to reimbursement of attorneys’ fees and costs; issues related to contract scope and additional work
  • Successfully represented a shell subcontractor in a two-week arbitration against the prime contractor and the surety on an assisted living facility, resulting in an award by the arbitration panel to the subcontractor and rejecting the prime contractor’s counterclaim; determination by the court that the subcontractor was the prevailing party entitled to reimbursement of attorneys’ fees and costs, culminating in a multi-million-dollar settlement; issues related to additional work, delay, and alleged defective work
  • Successfully represented a prime contractor and an electrical subcontractor in arbitration against a public owner on an equitable adjustment claim for increased costs
  • Successfully represented a landlord in litigation against its tenant concerning a landlord lien on a concrete block plant
  • Successfully represented a manufacturer in a breach of contract and civil theft action, securing a judgment in excess of $2,000,000
  • Successfully represented a sitework subcontractor on a public park project against the prime contractor on claims for delays, inefficiencies, and disruptions and in defense of a counterclaim exceeding $1,000,000.00
  • Represented clients on a range of construction issues, including but not limited to construction defect claims, lost productivity claims, cardinal change claims, delay claims, contract interpretation claims, utility claims, differing site conditions (Type I and II), change order disputes, payment and performance bond claims, lien claims, overinspection claims, liquidated damages claims, suspension and termination claims, warranty claims, errors and omissions claims, and bid protests.

Education

  • Florida State University (J.D., magna cum laude, 1997)
    • Legal Research & Writing Teaching Assistant (1995–1996)
    • Book Award (1996)
  • Florida State University (B.A., magna cum laude, 1993)

Bar Admissions

  • Florida, 1997
    • Board Certified in Construction Law by The Florida Bar, 2006
  • The District of Columbia, 2022

Court Admissions

  • U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida, Middle District of Florida, Northern District of Florida
  • United States District Court, District of Columbia

Honor Awards

  • Florida Super Lawyers
    • SuperLawyer, Construction Litigation, 2012 – 2023
    • Top 100 in Miami, 2019, 2020
    • Rising Star, Construction Litigation, 2010, 2011
  • Florida Trend’s Legal Elite, 2009 – 2011, 2013, 2016 – 2021
  • Best Lawyers in America, Construction Law/Litigation, Construction, 2008 – 2024
  • AV Preeminent Peer Review Rating, Martindale-Hubbell
  • Faculty, Basic Construction Law Seminar (Changes, Extras & Delays), Fall 2005

Memberships

  • The Florida Bar
    • Real Property, Probate & Trust Law Section (Construction Law Committee)
    • Construction Certification Committee Member (2014–2017 term, 2017–2020 term; Chair 2017–2018)
    • Eleventh Judicial Circuit Grievance Committee “I” Member (2021–2024 term)
  • Florida State University College of Law Alumni Association Board of Directors, 2018–present
  • The American Bar Association
    • Section on Litigation (Construction Litigation; Trial Practice)
    • Forum on the Construction Industry (Dispute Avoidance & Resolution; Contract Documents; Contract Negotiations, Performance & Administration)
    • Section of Public Contract Law (Construction Claims & Disputes Resolution)
  • Engineering Contractors Association
  • Florida Transportation Builders Association
  • American Road & Transportation Builders Association
  • American Arbitration Association, Construction Arbitrator
  • Florida Supreme Court Certified Circuit Mediator

Foreign Languages

Spanish