The Florida Bar Awards Board Certification in “First-In-The Nation” Intellectual Property Law Specialty To Attorneys Steven I. Peretz And Michael B. Chesal Of Kluger Peretz Kaplan & Berlin.

MIAMI, November 27, 2007 – Kluger Peretz Kaplan & Berlin (KPKB) is pleased to announce that Steven I. Peretz and Michael B. Chesal, members of the firm practicing in intellectual property law, are two of 80 Florida lawyers whom The Florida Bar recently certified as specialists in the newly established intellectual property law specialty, the first of its kind in the U.S.

Certified attorneys are the only Florida lawyers allowed to identify or advertise themselves as specialists or experts.  Certification is the highest level of evaluation by The Florida Bar of the competency and experience of attorneys in areas of law approved for certification by the Supreme Court of Florida.  Board certification evaluates attorneys’ special knowledge, skills and proficiency in various areas of law, and professionalism and ethics in practice.  

Peretz, a founding member of the firm, is co-chair of KPKB’s Intellectual Property Law Group. Recognized by his peers as one of the “Top 250” lawyers in South Florida , Peretz focuses his practice on copyright, trademark, patent, and trade secret litigation, primarily in Federal courts. He is admitted to practice in the U.S. District Court, Southern and Middle Districts of Florida , and the U.S. Supreme Court. Peretz holds a J.D., from the University of Chicago Law School and a B.A., magna cum laude, from Wesleyan University .

Chesal, co-chair of KPKB’s Intellectual Property Law Group, holds a J.D., cum laude, from the University Of Miami School of Law and a B.S.B.A., cum laude, from the University of Florida . A member of the Florida Bar since 1988, Chesal joined KPKB in May of 1991 where he followed his interest in developing a practice protecting and defending trademarks, copyrights, and other intellectual property. He is admitted to practice in the U.S. District Court, Southern and Middle Districts of Florida , the U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit, and the U.S. Supreme Court.

Florida currently offers 22 specialty areas of practice for which board certification is available – the greatest number of state-approved certification areas in the nation.

"Board certification is a valuable credential that is becoming a significant trend in the legal profession,” said Florida Bar President Frank Angones Jr.  “Specialization recognizes lawyers’ expertise and professionalism, and is a natural progression for lawyers who can demonstrate high skill levels in particular areas of law.” 

Intellectual property board certification standards are available on The Florida Bar web site at www.FloridaBar.org/certification.  More information on the 22 legal specialty areas also is available by contacting The Florida Bar’s Legal Specialization & Education Department at 850-561-5842.

The Best Lawyers in America®, 2008, ranked Kluger Peretz Kaplan & Berlin #1 in Florida Intellectual Property Law. KPKB has more listed lawyers in Best Lawyers in the field of intellectual property law than any other law firm in the state of Florida . 

Florida-based Kluger, Peretz, Kaplan & Berlin P.L. is a boutique law firm with offices in Miami and Boca Raton .  Providing a broad range of legal services across a diverse and global business portfolio, the firm’s 50-plus attorneys are engaged principally in the practice of commercial litigation and dispute resolution, bankruptcy and creditors' rights, intellectual property law, and corporate and real estate transactions.  Please visit us at www.kpkb.com for more information.

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