Overview
Jeffrey V. Nelson concentrates on Construction Law with the firm’s Real Estate and Litigation practices. He has over 30 years of experience representing owners, developers, and contractors in private development and public construction projects in and outside the USA. He is conversationally fluent in Spanish and Italian.
Jeff’s transactional practice focuses on contract drafting, negotiation, and project management implementing various project delivery systems (bid-build, design-build, public-private partnerships, and privately financed projects). His dispute resolution practice includes mediation, litigation, and arbitration of contract disputes including claims for defects, extra cost and delay.
Prior to joining the firm, Jeff owned his own practice in Fort Lauderdale, where he provided general counsel and outside counsel services to construction and development industry clients. He was also a Shareholder at a private, Florida construction law firm and spent significant time abroad, holding executive management positions in European real estate and construction companies where he gained valuable experience providing strategic guidance, legal & risk management, capital markets/investor support and commencement of operations in several new markets/countries.
Representative Experience
- General Counsel for electrical & utility contracting company, which works with leading US general contractors, utilities, owners, and developers and specializes in electrical building construction, outside plant power and communications projects, prime electrical infrastructure, airfield lighting, and utility scale solar projects.
- Commercial Manager and Americas Counsel for Italian general contractor and the infrastructure construction, equipment and material supply activities of its several subsidiaries operating in the North, Central and South American markets.
- Acted as European Counsel & Commercial Director of European regional and local development offices of a private U.S. developer entering Central and Western Europe in start-up real estate development activities. Provided strategic guidance, legal & risk management (investor relations and new markets), and capital markets support.
- Negotiated market-favorable terms and closed institutional investor equity for speculative and build-to-suit industrial and retail development projects in Central and Western Europe.
- Managed investor due diligence, performance reporting, compliance and communications for institutional investors.
- Supervised entry of company to France, Italy and Spain.
- Engaged outside counsel and managed establishment of market specific templates for investment structures, employment, consulting, construction and leasing.
- International Counsel & Foreign Commercial Manager for an Italian construction group. Responsible for multinational business & legal activities in North and South America, Europe, the Middle East, Russia, Italy and Asia.
- Supervised and managed all English language contracting relationships including design-build, EPC, competitive public procurement and traditional delivery.
- Served on joint venture management committees and directed contract administration for public and privately funded projects/programs with values ranging from EURO 5MM–1BN.
- Participated in team management of employment, HR, risk management, compliance, credit and insurance matters.
- Provided strategic support for non-English activities.
- General Counsel and Vice President of US subsidiary of Italian owned multi-national construction organization.
Professional & Community Involvement
- Council Member and Mayor, Village of Sea Ranch Lakes, Florida, January 2018-December 2023
- General Counsel, Engineering Contractors Association of South Florida, Inc., 1994-2002 & 2009-2012
Recognition
- AV Preeminent® Top Rated Lawyer, Martindale-Hubbell
Newsroom
In the Media:
Real Estate Lawyers On The Move
Law360|June 2020
In the Media:
Senior-level hires and promotions for the week of June 1, 2020
Miami Herald|June 2020
In the Media:
On the Move
Law.com / Daily Business Review|May 2020
Firm Announcements:
Stearns Weaver Miller Adds Jeffrey V. Nelson in Fort Lauderdale
May 2020