Overview
Whether looking to fix an immediate dispute or looking for overall ongoing assistance, Alan Burger has the background to fit client needs. Alan possesses a wide array of expertise with over 30 years of experience and that inspire practical solutions to real problems.
Using a common sense approach, Alan pinpoints the heart of the problem and identifies solutions. He also possesses the rare ability to both advise a business in any stage as well as guide clients through the entire litigation process.
Among his clients and colleagues, Alan is relied upon as a consummate “go-to” resource or simply a “fixer.”
Consider retaining Alan for:
- Complex business consulting and business litigation
- "Bet the farm" litigation or arbitration
- Franchise advice or related litigation
- Commercial litigation including alternative or contingent fee arrangements
- Complex commercial landlord-tenant issues
- Anti-doping, administrative or federation actions, and arbitration. litigation
- Cybersecurity and data privacy
Alan is at heart, a strong proponent of pre-suit dispute resolution and mediation and tries to head off lengthy disputes. However, when unavoidable, Alan’s litigation skills have resulted in multiple defense “wins” on multi-million dollar claims. On the claim side, Alan has secured large jury verdicts or settlements, one approaching $75,000,000 and others at seven figures and above. Alan has also achieved the significant accomplishment of having two arbitration awards vacated by a trial court. Review of those orders was upheld by the intermediate Appellate Court and in one instance, the Florida Supreme Court.
An industry advisor in franchising, Alan understands the business from both the franchisor and franchisee side. In fact, he has served as co-chair of the McDonald Hopkins’ franchise group and regularly lectures at the Titus Center for Franchising, Palm Beach Atlantic University and the Huizenga School of Business at Nova Southeastern University.
He has facilitated the drafting of franchise offerings and entity structuring. Alan has also overseen purchase and sales of multi-unit franchisees, including multi-unit distressed franchisees. He has assisted franchisee groups or individual franchisees with dispute resolution including suit avoidance, arbitration and litigation, when necessary.
Alan is well-versed in complex commercial landlord-tenant issues, having been a go-to lecturer on complex commercial landlord tenant topics for years.
In the last few years, Alan has developed an original approach and proficiency in anti-doping matters, for which he serves as the firm’s chair. In that arena, he won a multi-million dollar jury award for a commercial pilot wrongfully accused of flying a passenger plane while allegedly high on drugs. Alan has also appeared before the World Court of Sport (CAS) representing an athlete accused of taking steroids.
Over the course of his career, Alan has established an ability to understand and manage interpersonal and complex relationships. He uses these skills to aid his clients whether its in negotiation, structure of transactions, mitigation of risk, mitigation of claims or litigation.
Alan earned a J.D. from California Western School of Law and an LL.M. in real property law from the University of Miami. He received a B.A. from the University of Florida.
Representative Cases & Matters
CASES OR MATTERS OF NATIONAL INTEREST
- Counsel to SPAC in connection with successful resolution of dispute with multinational law firm
- Aviation Performance Solutions, LLC. v. Matthews et. al., 2020 WL 2488666
- Aviation Performance Solutions, LLC. v. Matthews, 2020 WL 883383
- Swaters v. Concentra, $6 million settlement, August, 2019
- "Green Bay Packers, others seek bankruptcy for West Palm firm that collected race fees," Palm Beach Post, April 10, 2018
- “Hollywood Hologram Wars: Vicious Legal Feud Behind Virtual Mariah, Marilyn and Michael,” Variety, May 28, 2015
- "How Nine Guys made Up Five Guy," South Florida Business Journal, December 12, 2014
- “Alki David Insists Hitler Photo Not Intended As a Threat in Michael Jackson Hologram Lawsuit,” Yahoo News, September 18, 2014
- "Five Guys franchisee files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy," South Florida Business Journal, June 27, 2014
- "Devonshire in Palm Beach Gardens hit with $158 million foreclosure," Palm Beach Post, August 16, 2012
- "Playing Chicken, KFC Telling U.S. Franchises to Remodel Stores or Shut Down," Franchise Times, 2011
- "FAU Profs Settle Dispute, Build Robots," Multiple outlets, February 2005
FRANCHISE RELATIONSHIPS
- Counsel to national franchisor
- Counsel to start-up franchisors, designed entire franchise system.
- Counsel to national franchisees, involved in day-to-day business issues and litigation.
- Counsel to franchisees in multi-unit purchases.
- Counsel to several multi-unit franchisees in distressed situations.
- Counsel to franchisees in disputse with franchisors.
- Counsel to franchisee groups in disputes with franchisors.
- Assisted large group of franchisees in achieving substantial pre-arbitration and pre-suit has settlement with franchisor.
COMPLEX BUSINESS LITIGATION
- Lead counsel in arbitration against a prominent securities broker/dealer for securities fraud and unfair and deceptive trade practices resulting in a confidential seven figure settlement.
- Lead counsel in successful defense of a control person of a NASD broker dealer in a NASD arbitration proceeding seeking millions of dollars in which all other respondents were found liable or settled.
- Counsel in multiple “family companies” including intra-company or intra-family disputes.
- Successfully defended a lender in a suit asserting a constructive trust against millions of dollars.
- Co-counsel in class action with agreed upon injunctive and declaratory relief having an approximate value in the millions of dollars.
- Co-lead counsel in suit by pilot accused of flying while under the influence of heroin and cocaine. $6 million dollar payment after jury verdict entered for his client.
- Defense co-counsel in a suit seeking $25 million which was settled for pennies on the dollar.
- Represented public company over the course of years in multiple commercial lawsuits including employment-related claims, lender related claims, and claims arising from complex contractual relationships.
- Represented private company with respect to claims made by a minority interest holder where minority interest holder asserted value of its claims exceeded $1 billion.
- Represented high profile CEO of a public company in various claims arising from the bankruptcy of the entity.
- Lead counsel in approximately 200 commercial evictions.
- Multiple reported appellate decisions.
- Obtained injunction against high profile CEO for cyber-stalking a competitor’s CEO.
- Achieved an over 60 million dollar jury verdict for a client whose business was stolen by a competitor.
TRADE SECRET, NON-COMPETE
- Counsel in high profile non-compete/restrictive covenant case in which client was sued for $20 million and plaintiff obtained a zero verdict.
- Lead counsel in tortious interference and trade secret theft suit in which a jury entered verdict for client in excess of $60 million.
- Successfully defended entities and employees who were alleged to have violated employment, non- competition or trade secret agreements.
- Successfully obtained injunctive relief against persons or entities violating non-compete agreements.
REAL ESTATE
- Lead counsel in approximately 200 commercial evictions.
- Lead counsel in which a client disposed of a portion of its apartment building portfolio for in excess of $100 million
- Lead counsel in defense of multiple suits brought against owners, landlords, and tenants for allegedly violating the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act).
- Defense counsel in multiple high profile foreclosure cases.
- Represented assisted living/senior care center in defense of a $125 million mortgage foreclosure suit.
DATA PRIVACY AND CYBERSECURITY
- Counsel to several different universities whose confidential information relating to students was compromised.
- Lead counsel in successful defense of a software piracy suit brought by one of the world’s largest software companies, seeking tens of millions of dollars.
Honors & Recognition
AV Preeminent® by Martindale-Hubbell
Named one of the Best Lawyers in America (2019-2024)
Selected for inclusion in Florida Super Lawyers (2009, 2010, 2012-2015, 2017-2019)
Selected for inclusion in the Corporate Counsel Edition of Super Lawyers for Litigation
2015 Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County Real Property Law Award
Selected for inclusion in Florida Legal Elite (2011)
Named one of "South Florida’s Top Lawyers," Miami Metro Magazine (2001)
Titus Center for Franchising, Advisory Board, Chair of the Curriculum Committee
Credentials
Education
California Western School of Law
University of Florida
Admissions – Court
- Courts of the District of Columbia
- Southern District of Florida Trial Bar
- U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida
Admissions – State
- District of Columbia
- Florida
Professional & Civic
Community Involvement
- Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County (Board Member)
News & Insights
External News & Publications
"Don't Risk Customers' Data - Protect your business when a vendor handles clients' personal information;" Scotsman Guide Commercial Edition, January, 2011
"What Indemnification Means to You;" Scotsman Guide Commercial Edition, April 2010
"What are the options when a tenant files for bankruptcy?" Commercial Investment Real Estate, January 2010
“Commercial Evictions In Florida;” National Business Institute, 2003
“Real Estate Sales Transactions;" Sterling Education Services, Inc., 2004
“Practical Real Estate Title Skills in Florida;” Half Moon LLC, 2004
“Data Security and Compliance;” Lorman Education Services, 2005
“Landlord and Tenant Law in Florida;” Lorman Education Services, 2003-2006, 2008
“What is ‘Material’? Giving Definition to the Standard for Contract Rescission and Document Amendments;” Ralph E. Boyer Institutes Real Property and Condominium Law, Eighteenth Institute on Real Property Law/Thirtieth Institute on Condominium and Cluster Developments, November 2005
“Drafting Commercial Real Estate Leases: The Ins and Outs of Protecting our Interests;” National Business Institute, 2006
“Evictions,” Lorman Education Services, 2007
“Landlord-Tenant Law Beyond the Basics;” Sterling Educational Services, 2009
Contributor: “Secure Data Destruction for Protecting Business Data;” Sarbanes-Oxley Compliance Journal: News
“Innovative Uses for Special Assessment: Building Infrastructural Without Raising Taxes;” University of Miami, Business Law Journal 1989
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Events
Speaking Engagements
Lecturer, Titus Center for Franchising, Palm Beach Atlantic University: Franchise Terminations, Antitrust, Non-Compete Agreements, Liquidated Damages
Lecturer, Titus Center for Franchising, Palm Beach Atlantic University: Franchise Law 101
Franchise Relationships and Health Care Reform (Panelist)
Network Privacy & Cyber Risk: The 21st Century Challenge, 35th Annual Florida RIMS Educational Conference (Panelist), 2010
Commercial Tenant Bankruptcy: Legal Strategies for Landlords And Tenants, Strafford Publications (Speaker), 2010
Protecting Data and the Importance of a Data Policy, In House Counsel, National Quick Service Restaurant Franchisor
Protecting Data and the Importance of a Data Policy, In House Counsel, International Power Company
University of Miami Forum on Small Practice (Speaker)