Stephen Sandiford
Stephen Sandiford
+1.305.789.7472

Overview

Stephen Sandiford is a Miami and West Palm Beach attorney who focuses his practice on handling mergers and acquisitions (M&A), securities transactions, joint venture agreements and fund formation. Mr. Sandiford has experience in capital raising, corporate governance and providing other day-to-day legal advice that companies need to get operations up and running.

Mr. Sandiford regularly serves as counsel for capital partners and real estate developers interested in forming joint ventures for projects in California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Michigan, New York and Texas.

In addition, Mr. Sandiford assists foreign and domestic companies in the technology, healthcare and real estate sectors, and regularly represents clients in Europe, Britain, Latin America and the Caribbean.

Representative Experience

  • Represented Lennar Corporation in the formation of Lennar Multifamily Venture, an equity fund/joint venture sponsored and managed by Lennar Multifamily Communities with global sovereign and institutional investors, with aggregate equity commitments of $2.2 billion to develop and own Class A multifamily communities in 25 target markets throughout the United States.
  • Represented a public company in multiple joint ventures and related financing transactions relating to the restructure and redevelopment of Candlestick Park and neighboring Hunters Point in San Francisco valued at more than $1 billion
  • Represented a joint venture of two national homebuilders in obtaining a $200 million acquisition and development loan for the purpose of developing 840 home sites in Irvine, Calif.
  • Represented a major real estate development company based in the Miami Design District in connection with sale of a 20 percent minority equity interests to an affiliate of another major real estate company at a then enterprise value of $1.6 billion
  • Represented a major real estate fund in closing several complex real estate joint ventures valued in the hundreds of millions of dollars
  • Represented a leading real estate fund in the purchase and sale of real estate backed loans and judgments

  • Represented a major real estate developer in the Miami Design District in a $590 million international financing with a $490 million mortgage loan from lenders including major leading multi-national banks, and a $100 million mezzanine loan from a Blackstone affiliate
  • Represented a major Florida-based real estate developer in obtaining $236 million construction financing for development of a 64-story high-end condominium tower in Miami's urban core
  • Represented a Venezuelan venture capital investment group in its proposed $30 million leveraged buyout of a high-security wireless network solutions technology company
  • Represented a major foreign developer in securing a $60 million EB-5 financed mezzanine loan for construction of more than 500 residential units in Orange County, Calif.
  • Represented a major foreign developer of a 184-unit condominium with 5,000 square feet of retail space in Weehawken, N.J.; representation also included securing a $102.3 million construction loan for the client

  • Represented a high-net-worth individual in the buyout of his partner's equity interests in a group of insurance companies
  • Represented a leading designer and retailer of premium branded women's contemporary apparel and accessories, in the sale of its interests to a private equity fund
  • Represented the owners of a family-owned engineering and construction company in the sale of 50 percent of its interests to a private equity group. The deal was structured as a passive investment, with the client retaining half the company's interests, and management retained to operate and run the business
  • Represented a hotel developer in its acquisition, sale, leaseback and leasehold financing of multiple hotels in Orlando, Fla.
  • Represented several leading private equity funds in their acquisition and disposition of various portfolio companies
  • Represented an international pharmaceutical company in an agreement that granted the company an exclusive right to acquire a leading biopharmaceutical company and its key iron-chelating product
  • Represented a global skincare giant in its strategic sale and merger with a developer of laser, LED light systems and skin care products, through a complex reverse-merger
  • Represented several international banks in the sale of certain loan portfolio assets and commercial and corporate banking operations
  • Represented a Canadian private equity firm in its sale of a leading global provider of warranty solutions and related programs to private equity firm for an enterprise value of approximately $1.5 billion
  • Represented several leading pharmaceutical companies in various licenses and mergers and acquisitions transactions
  • Represented a leading real estate fund in the structuring and formation of its third opportunistic real estate fund designed to raise over $750 million to acquire and manage distressed and other value-added real estate assets

  • Represented a family-owned real estate company in the disposition of real estate assets worth approximately $165 million
  • Advised an international spirits corporation in the sale of its renowned liqueur to the world's largest privately held spirits company
  • Represented an international pension fund in its investments in various existing private equity and real estate investment funds

Credentials

Education
  • Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law, J.D., cum laude
  • Columbia Law School, LL.M.
  • University of The West Indies, LL.B., magna cum laude equivalent
Bar Admissions/Licenses
  • Florida
  • New York
Memberships
  • The Florida Bar, Business Law Section, Corporations, Securities & Financial and Services Committee (CSFS Committee), Chair, 2021-Present 
  • American Bar Association
  • Dade County Bar Association
  • The Florida Bar Business Law Section, Chapter 605 Florida Corporation Act Drafting Committee, 2017-Present
Honors & Awards
  • The Best Lawyers in America guide, Corporate Law, 2025
  • Holland & Knight Pro Bono All-Star, 2020
  • The Florida Bar, Business Law Section, Fellow, 2017
  • Daily Business Review, Most Effective Lawyers: Corporate Securities, Winner, 2016
  • Real Estate Forum, Annual Deals and Dealmakers, Winner, 2015
  • Daily Business Review, Top Dealmakers of the Year – Retail, Winner, 2015

Speaking Engagements

News