Ronald A. Kriss

Senior Counsel - Real Estate & Commercial Transactions

Ron Kriss concentrates his practice in commercial real estate law and commercial transactions, focusing on loan recovery representation for institutional lenders. His experience includes the foreclosure of office buildings, multifamily projects, hotels, and mixed-use projects, as well as representation of lenders in Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings.

Mr. Kriss also has extensive leasing and financing experience, which includes the representation of clients in the leasing of office, retail, and industrial properties, and the representation of clients in construction and permanent real estate lending, sale leaseback, and private placement financings. He has also represented clients in numerous high-profile projects, including the acquisitions and sales of raw land, office buildings, shopping centers, and industrial parks, and the development of condominium projects, residential subdivisions, and condo hotels.

Mr. Kriss also has experience in a wide variety of commercial transactions, including LLC, shareholder and partnership agreements, employment agreements, distribution agreements, management agreements, construction contracts, asset based and equipment lending, licensing agreements, UCC foreclosures and equipment leasing.

Mr. Kriss is fluent in Hebrew and Spanish.

Significant Representation

Represented the purchaser of Monty’s Raw Bar and Bayshore Landing Marina, an 800-seat restaurant and 150 slip marina in Coconut Grove.
Represented the purchaser of a 3,300 acre cattle ranch and orange grove in Central Florida.
Represented the purchaser of defaulted senior and mezzanine loans secured by Trump Hollywood Condominium in Hollywood, Florida and subsequent judicial foreclosure of unsold inventory of condominium units.
Represented the lender in the foreclosure of Interterra Office Building, a 235,000 square foot office building in downtown Miami, following dismissal of a Chapter 11 case.
Represented the lender in the foreclosure of the Southeast Financial Center, a 55-story office tower in Miami containing 1.1 million square feet.
Represented the lender in the foreclosure of a two-phase project in Hollywood, Florida, consisting of unsold inventory of condominium and townhouse units.
Represented the landlord in the lease of the Carnival Cruise Line headquarters building, a 230,000 square foot office complex in Miami, Florida.
Represented the landlord in the leasing of Corporate Plaza of Deerwood, a 230,000 square foot office park in Jacksonville, Florida.
Represented the investment fund in the acquisition and subsequent sale of Alhambra Plaza, a 222,000 square foot office building in Coral Gables, Florida, and The Alhambra West, a 91,000 square foot office building in Coral Gables, Florida, and office leasing in both buildings.
Represented the investment fund in the acquisition of 16 separate retail and office buildings in Miracle Mile, Coral Gables, Florida.
Represented the developer in the acquisition and development of Trump International Hotel & Tower in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.
Represented the home builder in the acquisition and financing of Sundance Apartments, a 304-unit multifamily project in Miami, Florida.
Represented the home builder in the acquisition and development of Rock Creek Community, a residential subdivision of 32 single family homes in Cooper City, Florida.
Represented the developer in the development of Brickell View West, an 88-unit condominium in Miami, Florida.
Represented the client in the development of the Florida Marlins baseball stadium complex on the former Orange Bowl site in Miami, Florida.
Represented the investment fund in the development of One Seventeen Professional Arts Center, a condominium consisting of two professional buildings in Miami, Florida.
Represented the purchaser of defaulted promissory note secured by unsold units in Onyx on the Bay Condominium, Miami, Florida, and purchase through 363 bankruptcy sale.
Represented the purchaser of defaulted promissory note secured by Terra Beachside Villas, Miami Beach, Florida and acquisition of entire project through foreclosure sale.
Represented the bank lender in the UCC foreclosure of securities and pledged stock.
Represented the lender in the UCC foreclosure of four Boeing 727s.
Represented the distributor in exclusive distribution agreements.
Represented lessee of 500 hopper cars.
Represented the developer in the LLC operating agreement with investors for the purchase of a Manhattan skyscraper.
Represented the lender in the lease financing of a Boeing 747 to an Asian airline.

Education

J.D. cum laude, University of Pennsylvania Law School, 1971
B.S. cum laude, The Wharton School, The University of Pennsylvania, 1968

Bar/Court Admissions and Certifications

Florida
New York
U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida
U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida
U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York
U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York
U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit
U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Southern District of Florida

Awards and Recognitions

Listed in Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business
Listed in Best Lawyers
Listed in Super Lawyers
Recognized by Daily Business Review with the “2007 Top Dealmaker of the Year Award –
Office,” for representing the developer in Office Depot’s global headquarters build-to-suit
transaction.
Ranked Top Lawyer, South Florida Legal Guide for Real Estate, 2004-2023
Recipient, David Ben Gurion Leadership Award, Goldstein Hebrew Academy
Recipient, Amud Hachesed Award, Young Israel of Kendall

Professional Involvement

President, Jewish National Fund – South Florida Region
Member, Miami-Dade Bar
Member, The Florida Bar

Lectures/Publications

Co-author, “Sources of Title,” Florida Real Property Title Examination and Insurance, The
Florida Bar, Third Edition, 1996; Fourth Edition, 1999; Fifth Edition, 2006, Sixth Edition, 2010;
Seventh Edition, 2012; Eighth Edition, 2016; and Ninth Edition (2018), Tenth Edition (2020) and
Eleventh Edition (2023)