Mr. Berlin is one of the founding partners and a shareholder of Berlin Patten Ebling, PLLC. He practices in the areas of complex commercial and residential real estate transactions and corporate matters related to the structuring of real estate transactions, including, without limitation, developer representation, lender representation, contractor and builder representation, landlord representation, land use and zoning matters, and purchaser and seller representation in connection with residential, commercial, and business transactions.
He is a Member of the Florida Bar (1993), the Middle District of Florida (1993), the Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section of the Florida Bar, Sarasota County Bar Association, and the American Bar Association. Mr. Berlin frequently presents to realtors, lenders, developers, buyers, and sellers on topics including short sale transactions, contract negotiation and preparation, 1031 exchanges, realtor liability, lender liability, and other real property related matters.
Mr. Berlin was born in Saginaw, Michigan, and moved to Florida in 1982. He is a graduate of Middlebury College, Middlebury Vermont (1990), where he received his Bachelor’s degree in Economics with honors. After graduating from Middlebury College, Mr. Berlin attended law school at the University of Florida, College of Law, in Gainesville Florida (1993).
During law school, Mr. Berlin accepted a position to and joined the law firm of Tew, Zinober, and Barnes, PA, located in the Tampa area, where he practiced primarily in the areas of real property litigation and land use. Mr. Berlin was involved in large tract development. After moving to Sarasota, he eventually joined Kirk Pinkerton, PA, as a shareholder practicing in the firm’s real property division. At Kirk Pinkerton, Mr. Berlin handled mostly complex commercial transactions and served on the firm’s shareholder and employee compensation committee. Thereafter, Mr. Berlin left Kirk Pinkerton to establish the legal department and serve as general counsel to Pinnacle Towers, a publicly traded real estate investment trust. Mr. Berlin was responsible for all aspects of the company’s legal affairs, including overseeing its extensive real estate acquisition program, as well as administering the company’s legal department. After leaving Pinnacle Towers, rather than rejoining a large law firm, Mr. Berlin elected to establish his own law firm, Berlin Law Firm, PA, which he quickly grew into one of the largest real estate boutique law firms in the region. In October 2009, Mr. Berlin was proud to partner with pre-eminent land use attorney Brenda Patten, Esq. to establish Berlin-Patten, PLLC, a firm dedicated to carrying on Mr. Berlin’s commitment to personalized and comprehensive real estate legal and settlement services.
Office Location
Sarasota, Florida
Credentials
Areas of Practice
- Complex Commercial & Residential Real Estate Transactions
- Business Sales and Acquisitions
- Developer Representation
- Lender Representation
- Contractor and Builder Representation
- Landlord Representation
Bar Admissions
- Florida, 1993
- U.S. District Court Middle District of Florida, 1993
Education
- University of Florida College of Law, Gainesville, Florida
- J.D. – 1993
- Middlebury College, Middlebury, Vermont
- Bachelor of Arts (cum laude) – 1990
- Honors: With Honors
- Major: Economics
Professional Associations and Memberships
- Florida Bar, Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section
- Sarasota County Bar Association
- American Bar Association