Practice
Daniel’s practice is focused exclusively in the hospitality industry. He advises hotel, condo-hotel, restaurant and nightclub owners and operators in connection with a wide array of legal matters including acquisitions, leasing, compliance, licensing, guest relations issues, employment matters, ADA issues, data privacy, and litigation.
Among his many hotel-related litigation matters, Daniel successfully achieved a multi-million dollar arbitration judgment on behalf of a luxury hotel operator following a “midnight raid” termination by the hotel owner. The landmark case is frequently discussed at hotel conferences and has gained Daniel international recognition.
In addition to his law practice, Daniel is also an adjunct professor of hospitality law at the FIU Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management and Broward College, and currently serves as President of the South Florida Chapter of HFTP (Hospitality Finance and Technology Professionals).
Prior to joining Sandman Savrann, Daniel was a partner in the hospitality practice group at Shutts & Bowen LLP in Miami and, prior to that, a bankruptcy litigation attorney at Kozyak Tropin & Throckmorton in Miami and a real estate attorney at Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson in New York.
Daniel is a graduate of Harvard Law School and earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Florida. He is fluent in Spanish and Italian.
Daniel offices primarily in Miami, Florida, and serves Sandman Savrann’s clients regionally and nationally.
Education:
- Harvard Law School, J.D.
- University of Florida, B.A. and B.S.
Professional and Community Activities
- President, Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP), South Florida Chapter
- Academy of Hospitality Industry Attorneys (AHIA)
- Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (FRLA)
- Greater Miami and the Beaches Hotel Association (GMBHA)
- Vice Chair, Florida Bar Grievance Committee
- Friends of the Israel Defense Force (FIDF)
Recognition
- Super Lawyers, 2017-2022
- Daily Business Review, “On the Rise” Award for Professional Excellence, 2017
- Dade County Bar Association, Dade Legal Aid-Put Something Back, “Advocate of Pro Bono Commitment Award,” December 2016
- Dade County Bar Association, “Legal Luminaries,” Finalist, 2016 and 2017
- Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, “40 Under 40 Outstanding Lawyers of Miami-Dade County,” November 2013
- Daily Business Review, “Most Effective Lawyers: Arbitration” Finalist, December 8, 2014
Speaking Engagements
- Moderator, “The New World of Technology in Hospitality & Tourism Post-Covid,” Florida International University and GMBHA, November 2020
- Speaker, “Is Your Hotel ADA & WCAG 2.1 Complaint?,” HFTP, FRLA and GMBHA, February 2020
- Panel Moderator, Marcus & Millichap 4th Annual Hotel Investment Forum, October 2019
- Speaker, “A Look Ahead: The Transaction Climate for Buyers and Sellers,” The Lodging Conference, September 2019
- Speaker, “ADA Compliant Websites and Service Animals,” FRLA Monroe County, July 2019
- Panelist, “The Rising Cranes of Miami: Hot Topics in Real Estate,” Miami-Dade Bench & Bar Conference, March 2019
- Speaker, “Hotel Safety Solutions and Panic Buttons,” Hospitality Finance and Tech Professionals (HFTP), November 2018
- Speaker, “The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is here! How it affects you and what you should do to prepare,” GMBHA and HFTP South Florida Chapter, August 2018 (encore presentation)
- Speaker, “ADA Website Accessibility Seminar,” GMBHA and Miami Lighthouse for the Blind, August 2018
- Speaker, “The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is here! How it affects you and what you should do to prepare,” GMBHA and HFTP South Florida Chapter, July 2018
- Speaker, “The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is here! How it affects you and what you should do to prepare,” GMBHA, June 2018
- Speaker, “Hot Legal Topics Affecting Condo-Hotels,” Onsite Property Management Association (OPMA) Executive Summit, May 2018 and November 2018
- Speaker, “Law & Order: Hospitality,” Greater Miami and the Beaches Hotel Association, May 2018
- Keynote Speaker, “Preventing Wrongful Trademark Practices by Brokers and Owners in Condo-Hotels,” Onsite Property Management Association (OPMA) Executive Summit, November 2017
- Speaker, “Hotel Sales and Marketing Contracts,” Meeting Planners’ Panel Discussion, August 2017
- Moderator, “State of the Market: Are Distressed Deals Coming Back?,” Dade County Bar Association, February 2017
- Presenter, “Important Alerts for All Hotels: Your Folios May Expose You to a Federal Lawsuit,” Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce Tourism & Hospitality Council, October 2016
- Presenter, “Your Zika-Related Losses May Be Covered by Your Business Interruption Insurance,” Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce Tourism & Hospitality Council, October 2016
- Speaker, “Hospitality Law with the Giants,” Miami-Dade Bench & Bar Conference, February 2015
- Speaker, “Best Practices in Handling Foreclosure-Related Motions,” Dade County Bar Association, January 2014
- Moderator, “Legends of Arbitration,” Dade County Bar Association, November 2013
- Speaker, “Il Contenzioso Negli USA” (US Litigation), Apindustria, Vicenza, Italy November 2012
Publications
- Banning Ex-Employees May Violate Federal Law, Shutts & Bowen Hospitality Blog, July 2017
- Hospitality Q&A: What are the Penalties for Employing Unauthorized Aliens?, Shutts & Bowen Hospitality Blog, March 2017
- Lessons from the News: Trump Hotel Sues Titans LB Justin Staples Over Unpaid Wedding Bill, Shutts & Bowen Hospitality Blog, March 2017
- Service Animals at Restaurants: 5 Things Restauranteurs Should Know, Shutts & Bowen Hospitality Blog, December 2016
- Judge Puts the Brakes on the DOL’s New Overtime Rule, Shutts & Bowen Hospitality Blog, November 2016
- Your Zika-Related Losses May be Covered by Your Business Interruption Insurance: What You Need to Know, Shutts & Bowen Hospitality Blog, October 2016
- Important Alert: Your Folios May Expose You to a Federal Lawsuit, Shutts & Bowen Hospitality Blog, October 2016
- 7 Things You Need to Know About the Department of Labor New Overtime Rule, Shutts & Bowen Hospitality Blog, September 2016
- Author, “Key Contractual Provisions Hotel Operators Should Consider to Prevent a “Midnight Raid”: Lessons Learned From the Setai Litigation,” Law360, January 2015