Hugo Vincent Alvarez

Hugo V. Alvarez is a shareholder in Becker & Poliakoff's Business Litigation practice group where he focuses on complex civil and commercial litigation involving business disputes, real estate and insurance-related claims.

Hugo has successfully litigated a large volume of cases with significant financial exposure, defending Fortune 500 companies, prominent real estate developers, insurance companies, municipalities, financial institutions, condominium/homeowner’s associations and general contractors. Among his more high profile matters was a trial representing the Miami Dolphins. Hugo has also conducted State-of-Florida-accredited seminars discussing the implications of fraud in litigation and the recourse litigants have to combat fraud. He has been published in the Miami-Daily Business Review, appeared on CNN and is often  quoted in leading business periodicals such as the South Florida Business Journal.

Mr. Alvarez is a former law clerk for the Hon. William H. Byrnes of the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals in Louisiana. He also served as a law clerk and Appellate Case Manager for the Appellate Division of the Fifteenth Judicial Circuit in West Palm Beach, Florida, where he worked closely with current Florida Supreme Court Justice Jorge Labarga.

The legal community has taken notice of Mr. Alvarez’s work over the course of his distinguished career.   He was recognized in the 2018 edition of The Best Lawyers in America in real estate litigation.  Mr. Alvarez was named a Florida Super Lawyer in 2017, a recognition he has received every year since 2011.  He has been named a 2017 Legal Luminary Finalist by the Dade County Bar Association.  Mr. Alvarez has also earned a perfect 10 rating by Avvo and he obtained that perfect score based on both peer and client reviews.  Florida Trend Magazine named him a “Legal Elite Up and Comer” from 2005 through 2009, an honor bestowed upon 150 out of 90,000 attorneys under the age of 40. Florida Trend also named him among its “Legal Elite” in 2010-13 and again in 2015.  The South Florida Business Journal honored him as a finalist for the Key Partners Award in 2006 and 2007 and named him one of South Florida’s brightest “Up and Comers” as part of its 2007 awards edition. Mr. Alvarez was also honored by Business Leader Media with its 2009 Movers & Shakers Award. 

The Miami New Times, Daily Business Review, South Florida Business Journal, as well as numerous other papers throughout Florida, have interviewed Mr. Alvarez, looking to his legal experience in real estate. He has appeared on CNN discussing real estate related issues associated with the foreclosure crises and he has appeared on Spanish TV. He has also written op-ed pieces in several local papers.   

Mr. Alvarez received his law degree from the Tulane University School of Law. While attending law school he was a member of the Tulane Journal of International and Comparative Law and served as the Student Body Vice President. He was also a member of Tulane’s National Hispanic Bar Association Appellate Moot Court Team and was named to “Who’s Who: American Law Students.” Mr. Alvarez was the recipient of the CALI Excellence for the Future Award for academic achievement in Financial Institutions, and a prize recipient from the Louisiana State Bar Association for an essay he wrote. Mr. Alvarez received his B.A., with distinction, with a double major in Political Science and Public Management from the University of Maine. Mr. Alvarez attended the University of Maine on an athletic scholarship where he was a member of the university’s football team.  He was a two-time recipient of the Scholar Athlete Award, recipient of the Frederick C. Mosher Award from the University’s Public Management Department for outstanding academic achievement, and elected to serve as a Student Senator by the student body.  He is also a member of the Pi Alpha Alpha National Honor Society.  Mr. Alvarez was inducted into the Christopher Columbus Athletic Hall of Fame.  He began his legal career as a law clerk for the 15th Judicial Circuit in West Palm Beach, Florida, where he worked closely with current Florida Supreme Court Justice Jorge Labarga.   

Mr. Alvarez is a member of the Florida Bar, the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida and the United States Supreme Court.  He served as the Vice Chair for the Florida Bar’s Grievance Committee and currently serves as a Director for the Latin Builders Association and the Coral Gables Bar Association.