Timothy Dean Henkel

Timothy "Tim" Henkel is rated AV Preeminent by Martindale Hubbell and has been practicing law for 34 years. As of January 2022, Tim practices through the Miami law firm of Henkel Law, P.A. He concentrates his practice in general commercial and complex business litigation, contract negotiations and business matters, and U.S. fresh produce issues including under the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act ("PACA").

Tim has litigated cases throughout the state and federal trial courts in Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach Counties in Florida as well as in federal courts in Philadelphia, New York, Los Angeles, Tampa, Rochester, Cincinnati, Minneapolis, Houston, Chicago, Atlanta, and Terre Haute. He has prosecuted appeals of civil cases in Florida's Third and Fourth District Courts of Appeal. He also has arbitrated disputes before the American Arbitration Association as well as participated in numerous mediations.

Tim served as a Federal law clerk to Judge Jose A. Gonzalez, Jr. in the Ft. Lauderdale division of the Southern District of Florida (1988-90). After the clerkship, he was associated with the Miami firm of Gilbride, Heller & Brown, P.A. where he worked on a variety of civil litigation matters including lender liability, accountant liability, business torts, and contract disputes. Between 1994 and 2010, Tim was employed first as an associate and then as a partner of the law firm of Silver, Garvett & Henkel, P.A. From 2010 through December 2021, Tim was law partners with Ira Cohen in the Miami firm of Henkel & Cohen, P.A. 

Tim obtained his law degree with honors from George Mason University School of Law (1988) in Arlington, Virginia, and graduated 11th in his class. He was an Editor of the Law Review and was awarded Best Oralist and Best Team distinctions in the Moot Court competition in his final year of law school. Tim worked during his last two years of law school as a law clerk for Robert E. Miller in a personal injury law firm (1986-88). He obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Virginia (1985).

Practice Areas

• Business and Commercial Litigation in Federal and state courts; Arbitration
• Produce Marketing Contracts & PACA Disputes; U.S. Fresh Produce Industry Issues 
• Contracts 
• Commercial and Business Law

Arbitrator

      Florida Supreme Court Qualified Arbitrator

Certifications

     Successfully completed Foreign Supplier Verification Program sponsored by Food Safety Preventive Controls Alliance, January 2020.

     Certified in Internal Investigations by HRcertification.com, April 2021.

 Admissions

• The Florida Bar, 1989
• The Virginia Bar, 1988
• The California Bar, 2016
• U.S. Supreme Court
• U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth and Eleventh Circuits
• United States District Courts, Southern, Middle, and Northern Districts of Florida (including the Trial Bar in the Southern District of Florida); and the Eastern and Western Districts of Virginia

 Education

• Juris Doctor, with honors, George Mason University School of Law, Arlington, Virginia, 1988
• Bachelor of Arts, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 1985 (double major in history, and rhetoric and communications)

 Judicial Clerkships

      Honorable Jose A. Gonzalez, Jr., U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida, Fort Lauderdale Division, 1988-90

Client Testimonials and Endorsements

Client Testimonials may be found on the websites for the following attorney ratings services: Martindale Hubbell, Avvo; and also on Google Reviews. 

Honors and Selections

     Martindale Hubbell’s AV Preeminent 5.0 out of 5 Peer Review Rating, 1999-2022

     Martindale Hubbell’s “Platinum Client Champion” award, 2021 (recognizing attorneys for their commitment to the best in client service)

     Board of Editors, George Mason University School of Law (1987-88)

     Best Oralist and Best Team, Moot Court competition, George Mason University School of Law (1988)

     Graduated 10th in both law school and high school classes

     Selected for publication in Florida Trend’s Legal Elite, 2009, 2014 & 2016

     Listed by Avvo.com, 2011-18, as "superb" (10 out of 10)

     Selected for publication by Super Lawyers, 2013-2021

     Selected for publication in 2015 South Florida's Top AV Rated Lawyers

 Speaking Engagements

Speaker, “Business Contracts A to Z” seminar sponsored by National Business Institute, Miami, December 5, 2012 and West Palm Beach, April 16, 2015. 

Speaker, "The Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act: What It Is and Why You Need to Know" seminar sponsored by the Knowledge Group, webinar, September 24, 2018. 

Speaker, "Lender Liability in Commercial and Residential Foreclosures and under the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA)" seminar sponsored by the Knowledge Group, webinar, October 16, 2019.