Manuel A. Garcia-Linares

Partner

F: (305) 373 4099
Overview Experience Insights News Education and Credentials Recognition and Community

Overview

For clients facing complex business disputes, Manuel "Manny" Garcia-Linares, Chair of the firm's Litigation department, is a trusted advisor and proven litigator. He helps clients navigate complex commercial and business litigation matters, defends officers and directors from liability claims, and resolves real estate and professional malpractice, legal and accounting, disputes. Manny also has extensive experience litigating class action matters.

Manny fosters a collaborative approach, working seamlessly with colleagues across the firm's family office, corporate, transactional, and estate planning practices, to deliver comprehensive legal solutions. He advises fiduciaries and ultra- and high net worth individuals in probate and trust disputes, as well as developers and property owners in complex commercial real estate litigation matters.

Manny has been recognized with several prestigious distinctions. He has been ranked in Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business* (Chambers & Partners) as a recognized practitioner for Litigation: General Commercial in Florida since 2013. According to the 2023 edition of Chambers USA*, a client noted, "Manuel is practical and business-oriented. He distills the issues and makes them very easy for us to understand." In the same issue, another client confirmed, "Manuel is an effective counselor and litigator with experience handing complex disputes across a number of areas. He steers clients toward practical solutions and he has a stellar reputation among the Bench and Bar." He was selected as the Litigation – Real Estate "Lawyer of the Year" for the Miami Metro Area by Best Lawyers in America (Woodward/White, Inc.) in 2023.

Manny is a licensed Certified Public Accountant in the State of Florida. He incorporates financial acumen into his legal strategies, ultimately benefiting his clients' cases. Manny has lectured and written articles on accounting malpractice and document retention policies.

Beyond the courtroom, Manny demonstrates strong leadership within the firm, holding several leadership roles. In addition to being Chair of the Litigation department, he serves on the firm's Executive Board and is the Managing Partner of the Florida offices in Miami, Boca Raton and West Palm Beach. Manny is also deeply committed to promoting diversity in the firm and legal profession, co-chairing the Day Pitney Diverse Attorneys Network.

Manny was a judicial intern to the Honorable George Arceneaux, Jr., for the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, and a law clerk to the Honorable Juan Ramirez, Jr., at the Eleventh Judicial Circuit in Miami, Florida.

Experience

Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

Successfully represented putative class members in an appeal of an order granting a motion to dismiss before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit in matter alleging breach of agreements with customers and negligence for charging fees that were greater than the costs to execute a trade where defendant generated profits from these fees when it had agreed to charge no more than the costs of executing a trade; subsequently, plaintiffs' motion to certify the class action was granted for matter valued in excess of $15 million

Represents a Fortune 500 insurance exchange for United States military personnel and their families, defending against allegations by former legal service provider for inter alia, breach of contract, fraud in the inducement, negligent misrepresentation and quantum meruit for $20-30 million; also, represent client in counterclaims for legal malpractice in its handling of personal injury cases, breach of fiduciary duty based on its providing unethical and incorrect legal advice, fraudulent and negligent representation with respect to the billing of enhanced fees and unjust enrichment for work that was paid but never performed in a number of flat fee cases

Represents a U.S. direct broadcast satellite service provider in a class action alleging violations of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act of 1991 and damages in excess of $5 million; after briefing, the court entered an order granting client's Motion to Compel Arbitration

Represents leading international jewelry company in the defense of a lawsuit filed against the jeweler in Eleventh Judicial Circuit of Florida, by a retail jewelry store alleging that the jeweler wrongfully terminated its rights to franchise and distribute the client's jewelry in South America; after a full evidentiary hearing, the court dismissed the plaintiff's Motion for Temporary Injunction to prevent client from terminating its franchise and distribution operations and subsequently, granted client's Motion to Compel Arbitration, entering an order finding that all claims asserted by the plaintiff are subject to arbitration to the Danish Institute of Arbitration

Represents an American multinational investment bank and financial services corporation in defense of a multi-plaintiff lawsuit filed by a group of investors and creditors of a bankrupt Mexican oil services company against the bank in the Southern District of Florida, alleging in a seven-count complaint violations of the Federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization Act (RICO), conspiracy to violate the same, and additional common law counts for fraud, aiding and abetting fraud, conspiracy to commit fraud and breach of fiduciary duty with regards to multiple, complex financial transactions and claiming $1.1 billion in losses; successfully moved to dismiss the suit on the basis of forum non conveniens, arguing that Mexico was the appropriate forum

Successfully represented U.S. direct broadcast satellite service provider in actions against various U.S. and Bahamian Companies for injunctive relief, civil conspiracy, conversion and violations of federal law for receiving and assisting others in receiving satellite signals in violation of 47 USC section 605(a) and unauthorized reception of communication services in violation of Florida Statute section 812.15

Represents a professional baseball pitcher, currently with the New York Yankees, in various matters, including a matter pending before the trial court of the Massachusetts Superior Court for breach of contract, valued at $2-3 million; court entered an order of dismissal and no appeal was taken

Insights

News

Education and Credentials

Education
Tulane University Law School, J.D., magna cum laude, Order of the Coif, The Tulane Law Review, Associate Editor
University of Miami, B.A.
Admissions
State of Florida
U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida
U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
Affiliations
American Bar Association
Cuban American Bar Association, Past President
Cuban American Bar Foundation, Past President, Board Member
Miami-Dade County Bar Association
Florida Institute of Certified Public Accountants
Cuban American Certified Public Accountants Association, Past President

Recognition and Community

Recognition

No aspect of these advertisements has been approved by the highest court of any state. See Awards Methodology.

Chosen for inclusion on the list Legal Elite NOTABLE Managing Partners by Florida Trend (Trend Magazines Inc.), 2023-2024

Selected to the South Florida Business Journal's Diversity & Inclusion program's Diverse Voices List, 2023

Selected as the Litigation – Real Estate Lawyer of the Year for the Miami Metro Area by The Best Lawyers in America (Woodward/White, Inc.), 2023

Chosen for inclusion in the Chambers USA Legal Directory (Chambers & Partners) of recognized practitioners for Litigation: General Commercial in Florida, 2013-2024

Selected to the list of Florida Super Lawyers (Thomson Reuters), Business Litigation, 2007-2024

Chosen for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America (Woodward/White, Inc.), Bet-the-Company Litigation, 2017-2025, Commercial Litigation, 2010-2025, Litigation - Banking and Finance, 2011-2025, Litigation - Construction, 2011-2025, Litigation - Real Estate, 2011-2025

Selected to list of South Florida’s Top Lawyers by the South Florida Legal Guide, 2001-2020

Chosen for inclusion on the list Florida Legal Elite by Florida Trend (Trend Magazines Inc.), 2007-2018

Name a finalist for the list of "Most Effective Lawyers" in Class Actions category by Daily Business Review (ALM Media Properties, LLC), 2008

Selected as a Up & Comers Award Finalist by South Florida Business Journal (American City Business Journals), 2008

Union Planters Bank Young Hispanic Leadership Award for Distinguished Professional Accomplishments and Community Service, 2000

David L. Herman Award and the American Jurisprudence Award for Legal Professionalism , Tulane Law School

Community

City of Coral Gables Retirement Board, Board Member and Former Chair

City of Coral Gables Partnership Committee, Board Member and Former Chair

Our Lady of Lourdes Academy, Board of Trustees, Chair

Belen Jesuit Preparatory School Alumni Association, Board Member

Belen Jesuit Preparatory School Board, Leadership Development Group, Former Board Member

Belen Alumni Lawyers Section, Board, Immediate Past Chair

St. Theresa School Board, Former Vice President