My name’s Juan Antúnez and I head my firm’s litigation practice, which covers all aspects of inheritance, probate and trust litigation. I’ve been voted lawyer of the year in Best Lawyers for trusts and estates litigation in Miami, Florida, and rated a “top lawyer” in my field by Super Lawyers.

International Work:

My team’s developed specialized experience in cross-border estate matters, and in connection with that work I’m a member of the Miami branch of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP), a worldwide association of trusts and estates professionals, and STEP’s litigation arm, referred to as the Contentious Trusts and Estates Global Special Interest Group. Although most of our international work never makes the headlines, we were lead counsel in the widely-reported burial dispute involving former Venezuelan President Carlos Andrés Pérez (in which our clients prevailed, click here, and served as lead U.S. counsel for the Thomas & Agnes Carvel Foundation in a case we successfully litigated in the London Chancery Division, resulting in a reported opinion: Thomas & Agnes Carvel Foundation v Carvel [2007] EWHC 1314 (Ch).

Education and Teaching Experience:

I’m a 1996 graduate of the New York University School of Law (J.D.), and a 2003 graduate of the University of Miami School of Law (LL.M. in Estate Planning). I’ve previously served as an adjunct law professor for the LL.M. in Estate Planning program at the University of Miami School of Law, and frequently lecture at continuing legal education seminars for professional groups on areas related to trusts and estates.

Writing Projects:

I’ve published the Florida Probate & Trust Litigation Blog since 2005, which is eons ago in internet years. I also co-authored the Florida probate chapter of International Succession, published by Oxford University Press, was the sole author of the Florida chapter of ADR and Trusts: an international guide to arbitration and mediation of trust disputes, published by Spiramus Press, and published A User’s Guide to Prosecuting Claims under Florida’s Uniform Disposition of Community Property Rights at Death Act, which is my CLE presentation on the subject.

USMC:

Prior to law school I volunteered for service in the United States Marine Corps Reserve from 1987 to 1993 (4th ANGLICO, West Palm Beach, Florida) including combat duty during the Gulf War. In addition to managing not to get myself shot, after the war I ended up with the Combat Action Ribbon, Kuwaiti Liberation Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Southwest Asia Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, and Meritorious Unit Citation.