Gustavo D. Lage

Partner

Gustavo D. Lage is a partner who focuses his practice in the areas of criminal litigation, civil litigation, and commercial litigation. Mr. Lage, a former prosecutor, has extensive experience in the litigation of disputes through trial. He has tried in excess of 25 cases to verdict and represented a variety of clients ranging from large multi-national corporations such as Ford Motor Company and General Motors, to professional athletes such as former Major Leaguer Jose Canseco and former NFL player Wesley Carroll, and individuals and families in wide range of litigation matters.

Prior to becoming a member of SMGQ, Mr. Lage was a prosecutor at The Miami-Dade County State Attorney's Office before he joined the insurance and civil litigation firm of Rumberger, Kirk & Caldwell, P.A. Mr. Lage left Rumberger, Kirk & Caldwell to become a partner in the firm of Salas, Ede, Peterson & Lage, LLC, where he practiced from 1998 until 2007. In 2007, Mr. Lage left Salas, Ede, Peterson & Lage, LLC to form his own firm, The Lage Law Firm, P.A., where he successfully managed his own practice until joining SMGQ in 2009.

Mr. Lage is admitted to practice law in all Florida state courts, as well as the U.S. District Courts for the Southern, Middle and Northern Districts of Florida.

NOTABLE CLIENT WORK

• Representation of a local psychiatrist in a medical malpractice lawsuit where it was alleged that a patient suicide resulted from alleged medical malpractice. After a five week trial, the jury returned a defense verdict in favor of Mr. Lage's client.
• Representation of Ford Motor Company and General Motors in toxic tort asbestos litigation. After weeks of trial and the cross examination of Plaintiff's expert witnesses, Plaintiff settled with Ford and General Motors for a confidential amount. The remaining Defendants did not settle and proceeded to verdict, and the jury awarded Plaintiff in excess of $32 million.
• Representation of former Major Leaguer Jose Canseco and his brother Osvaldo Canseco after their arrest for aggravated battery stemming from an incident in a nightclub on Miami Beach. The State's initial plea offer included a state prison sentence. After trial preparation, argument on motions in limine and during jury selection, the State agreed to withdraw its request for a state prison sentence and instead place Jose and Osvaldo Canseco on probation.
• Representation of the State of Florida Department of Agriculture through appeal in a suit involving a claim that the State of Florida failed to adequately inspect carnival rides resulting in the death of a teenager. The case was dismissed against the State of Florida at the trial court level and ultimately affirmed on appeal.
• Representation of former NFL player Wesley Carroll in a case involving alleged perjury in relation to an accusation of improper inducements to local college athletes by a sports agent. After a vigorous defense and numerous depositions, instead of seeking a jail term, the State agreed to enroll Mr. Carroll in a pre-trial diversion program wherein the charges against him were ultimately dismissed based on his successful completion of the program.
• Representation of an infant and her parents in their claims against two physicians, a hospital and a nurse, arising from a shoulder dystocia and brachial plexus injury to the child at birth allegedly caused by the negligence of the defendant medical professionals. On the first day of trial a global settlement was reached with all defendants resulting in a structured settlement yielding over $2 million for the benefit of the child, separate and apart from the attorneys' fees earned and collected by Mr. Lage and his partner Peter A. González.

PROFESSIONAL/CIVIC ACTIVITIES

• The Florida Bar, Member
• Cuban American Bar Association
• Dade County Bar Association