Pablo S. Quesada

Partner

Pablo S. Quesada is a founding partner with specialized knowledge in the areas of corporate, real estate, international law and insurance. He has extensive experience handling a myriad of transactions including mergers and acquisitions, private equity transactions, financings, and lending transactions, as well as litigating complex commercial litigation matters involving corporations, financial institutions, insurers and health care organizations.

Prior to forming SMGQ, Mr. Quesada served in-house as Regional Counsel for VISA’s Latin America and Caribbean Region, providing legal counsel to all business units at VISA’s Regional headquarters in Miami, and its sub-regional offices in Chile, Mexico and Venezuela, while also serving as Secretary to VISA’s acquirer subsidiary in Guatemala. Mr. Quesada was responsible for advising all levels of management on legal issues affecting their business areas, the interpretation and application of domestic and foreign laws and VISA’s internal rules and regulations. In this capacity, he further advised on numerous regulatory matters including privacy and consumer laws and data breach obligations. Prior to joining VISA, Mr. Quesada was a corporate and securities attorney with K&L Gates LLP.

NOTABLE RECOGNITIONS

• AV® Preeminent™ Rating by Martindale Hubbell, the highest peer rating possible

• Best Lawyer, The Best Lawyers in America

• Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers Magazine

• Top Lawyer, South Florida Legal Guide

• South Florida Lawyer to Watch, Attorney at Law Magazine (Attorney At Law's 2018 Top Lawyers)

NOTABLE CLIENT WORK

• Mergers, Acquisitions, Dispositions and Restructurings 
  • Acquisition of a publicly traded company for the operation of medical facilities
  • Acquisition of acute care hospitals in the Southeastern U.S.
  • Acquisition of a classified, military grade communications device and related technology
  • Acquisition of a significant U.S. juice producer and brand
  • Acquisition of a Mexican-based telecommunications distributor
  • Acquisition of a Florida-based plastics recycling business
  • Sale of a Miami-based aircraft repair station in the sale of its operations to a publicly traded company and the negotiation of the management team’s buy-out
  • Sale of physician practice group, with retained interest through partial share exchange
  • Sale via merger of a medical equipment company
  • Sale by U.S.-based multinational of its U.S. operations
  • Restructuring of a multinational’s worldwide operations
  • Establishing U.S. operations for Spanish-based telecommunications and information systems company

• Real Estate
  • Lender representation on commercial real estate loans
  • Landlord and tenant representation in commercial leases, including industrial, office and retail leases
  • Representation of developer in the structuring, purchase, financing, development and management of a resort-styled development in the Caribbean
  • Representation of developer in the structuring, financing, development and management of U.S. government project in the Caribbean
  • Representation of property owner in a joint venture for the development of a mixed-use hotel in the United States
  • Representation of investor in a joint venture for the development of a mixed-use hotel in the United States
  • Representation of property owner in the negotiation of joint entitlement and joint development agreements for a project consisting of nearly 1,000 contiguous acres of undeveloped Florida land
  • Representation of real estate investment fund in joint venture with a foreign publicly traded fund for the acquisition of multi-family properties
  • Representation of private real estate lender in the formation and structuring of its mortgage investment vehicles
  • Representation of various mezzanine lenders on commercial development projects
• Loan and Credit Facilities
  • Lender representation on asset-based loans
  • Borrower representations have included structuring and negotiating mortgage, mezzanine, trade credit, and asset-based credit facilities, including warehousing and working lines of credit and terms loans
• Other Commercial Transactions
  • Petroleum-related services agreement with a South American national oil company
  • Software licensing and services agreement with a South American telephone operator
  • Exclusive master distribution agreement for Latin America with a leading original equipment manufacturer
  • Sponsorship and licensing agreements for premier soccer tournaments, concert tours and other high-profile events throughout
• Commercial Litigation
  • Representation of Fortune 100 insurance company in securing a dismissal of action in claims brought by terminated agent
  • Representation of Fortune 100 insurance company against provider claims brought by hospital network
  • Representation of Fortune 100 healthcare company involving indemnification claims resulting from its acquisition of a medical practice
  • Representation of specialty insurer on life insurance coverage claims
  • Representation of specialty insurer on reinsurance coverage claims
  • Representation of Fortune 150 bank holding company in real estate litigation

  • Representation of commercial landlords in industrial, retail and office space evictions

  • Representation of client against credit card network and financial institution on negligence and fraud-based claims
  • Recovery for cardholder in claims against card issuer for fraudulent charges posted to cardholder’s account
  • Representation of real estate investment group against developer on securities fraud and fiduciary duty-based claims and secured significant recovery for client
  • Representation of an LLC member in claims against another member for breach of fiduciary duty and other claims available under the LLC Act securing significant recovery for client
  • Representation of 50% shareholder in a leading Florida mortgage lender and servicer, the corporate and litigation strategy of which resulted in the client’s successful buy-out of its sole other shareholder in the company and in its related entities
  • Representation of client in defense of mortgage fraud and related claims securing a significant and successful outcome for client
  • Representation of client in defense of bribery claims securing a significant and successful outcome for client

PROFESSIONAL/CIVIC ACTIVITIES

• South Florida Chapter of the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America, Past Director
• The Florida Bar’s Eleventh Circuit Grievance Committee “E,” Former Vice-Chair
• The Florida Bar’s Business Corporation Act (Chapter 607) Project, Former Working Group Co-Chair

PUBLICATIONS

• “Advising the Florida Shareholder in a Deadlock Scenario? Beware Not to Unknowingly Offer Its Shares for Sale,” CABA Briefs Magazine (Spring 2007) (published by the Cuban American Bar Association)