Family Law

• Divorce

Criminal Law

• Criminal Defense
  SMGQ Law (Sanchez-Medina, Gonzalez, Quesada, Lage, Gomez & Machado, LLP) is an AV-Rated, South Florida-based law firm offering its clients expertise in a wide range of areas including corporate, securities and lending transactions, complex commercial and business litigation and trial practice, labor and employment, white-collar criminal defense, commercial and residential real estate transactions, with an emphasis in both lender and developer representation, tax, asset protection and estate planning, immigration and naturalization, government relations and entertainment, sports and art law. Our attorneys have extensive experience in handling matters for key industries, including financial, banking and insurance services, real estate, healthcare, manufacturing and industrial, telecommunications and entertainment, having represented a number of Fortune 500, publicly traded and privately held businesses, as well as high-net worth individuals. Being located in a gateway city such as Miami, we represent clients in transactions and legal proceedings both domestically and abroad. The firm enjoys client relations throughout the United States, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia.
• DUI/DWI
  Our criminal defense practice is headed by a former prosecutor with over 25 years of experience handling criminal cases, including all state and federal felonies and misdemeanors, which includes the investigation, trials and appeals of murder cases, narcotics possession and trafficking charges, sex offenses, fraud, "white-collar" and business crimes, accounting and banking crimes, Internet and computer crimes, false statements and perjury, theft cases, conspiracy, healthcare fraud, mortgage fraud, securities fraud, mail and wire fraud, money laundering, Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations ("RICO"), violations of probation, bond reductions, licensure and grievance proceedings, obstruction of justice, DUI and other traffic-related offenses, and sealing and expunging records.
• Wrongful Death
  Representation of the husband and children of a woman killed in an accident involving a county bus in a lawsuit against Miami-Dade County for negligence and wrongful death. Successfully settled the case in an amount in excess of the sovereign immunity statutory cap on damages available to Florida government entities such as Miami-Dade County.
• Sex Crimes
• Fraud
  Representation of Fortune 100 telecommunications company in general and commercial litigation matters throughout state and federal courts in Florida including breach of contract, consumer fraud claims, consumer disputes, and deceptive trade practices issues
• Theft
• Misdemeanors
• Murder
• Restraining Order
• Money Laundering

Business and Corporate Law

• Corporate Law
  Prior to forming SMGQ in 2006, Mr. Quesada served as Regional Counsel for VISA’s Latin America and Caribbean Region, providing legal counsel to all business units at VISA’s Regional headquarters in Miami, and its sub-regional offices in Chile, Mexico and Venezuela. Mr. Quesada was responsible for advising all levels of management on legal issues affecting their business areas, the interpretation and application of domestic and foreign laws and VISA’s internal rules and regulations.  In this capacity, he further advised on numerous regulatory matters including privacy and consumer laws and data breach obligations. Prior to joining VISA, Mr. Quesada was a corporate and securities attorney with K&L Gates LLP, one of the 10 largest U.S. based international law firms. While at K&L Gates, Mr. Quesada serviced one of the country’s largest privately owned companies, and was primarily responsible for its major transactions, as well as its day-to-day corporate, contractual and transactional legal needs.
• Mergers and Acquisitions
  From the University of Miami School of Law in December 2014 with a focus in business law. While pursuing her Juris Doctor, she earned her Master of Business Administration, with a concentration in Mergers and Acquisitions, from the University of Miami School of Business. Ms. Williams was admitted to the Florida Bar in April 2015. Prior to her bar admission, she worked as a law clerk for the Family Law Practice Group at SMGQ Law for over a year while attending the University of Miami School of Law and School of Business.
• Business Disputes
  South Florida has evolved into one of the most active entertainment, sports and creative arts centers in the country. Our lawyers have represented production companies, actors, aspiring screenwriters and singers, musicians, models, television and media personalities and professional athletes (active and retired) in business and litigation matters, including negotiation and preparation of contractual agreements, purchase and sale of assets, resolution of business disputes, defense of criminal charges, among other matters. The Firm also represents buyers, sellers, art dealers and brokers in transactions involving the sale, purchase and financing of fine art, including Old Masters, Modern Art and Latin American Art.
• Business Transactions
  Other Commercial Transactions. Representations have included the negotiation of numerous domestic and international commercial transactions and agreements such as a petroleum-related services agreement with a South American national oil company (NOC); a software licensing and services agreement with a South American telephone operator; an exclusive master distribution agreement for Latin America with a leading original equipment manufacturer; sponsorship rights agreements for premier soccer tournaments, concert tours and other high profile events throughout Latin America; strategic marketing and content licensing agreements with Internet portals and websites; a leasing agreement for use of satellite transmission services; various venue leasing/use agreements; and hotel franchise and management agreements for hotel development projects.
• Limited Liability Companies
  Our tax practice group provides tax advice and services to domestic and foreign companies, partnerships, individuals and not-for-profit institutions. We advise and represent clients with respect to all types of federal, state and local tax issues, including business structuring, business acquisitions, restructurings and other reorganizations, executive compensation, real estate tax issues, international tax issues, Florida state income, sales and other taxes, tax audits and tax litigation. Our estate planning practice provides personalized estate planning and wealth preservation services to domestic and foreign individuals, their families and their closely-held businesses. Our counsel includes traditional estate planning; advanced strategies to minimize estate and gift taxes; and asset protection measures. Representative services include the preparation of revocable trusts, wills, and irrevocable insurance trusts; asset value discounting techniques with family limited partnerships and limited liability companies; business succession planning and the transfer or sale of family businesses; and asset protection planning.
• Trade Secrets
• Intellectual Property
  In addition to his Juris Doctorate, Mr. Lopez also obtained a Master of Business Administration degree, and before dedicating himself to the full time practice of law, was a successful entrepreneur who started, grew, and ran a rum and spirits business in the Dominican Republic. Mr. Lopez and his partners were responsible for all aspects of the business, including international sales, supplier relations, financial management, product design and packaging, product marketing, and operations. In addition, Mr. Lopez served as the company’s in-house legal counsel, addressing all of the firm’s transactional, employment, and intellectual property issues (including, in the case of the latter, prevailing over Bacardi, Inc., with respect to the registration of two contested trademarks).

Employment Law

• Workers Compensation
• Employment Contract
  Our transactional attorneys advise clients from varying industries on a wide range of both domestic and international commercial arrangements and transactions. The Firm regularly assist clients ranging from start-up entities to large corporations in negotiating and preparing agreements relating to the manufacture, procurement, and distribution of goods, and representing clients engaged in all aspects of the business cycle including manufacturers, suppliers, resellers, distributors, agents, financing entities, and end users. The commercial agreements we often prepare include manufacturing, supply, distribution and reseller agreements; franchising and licensing agreements; strategic alliances and joint venture agreements; sales commission and referral agreements; employment agreements, non-compete, confidentiality and non-circumvention agreements; independent contractor and consulting agreements; and other commercial agreements involving both domestic and international transactions. Our transactional lawyers further advise business clients on a wide variety of commercial law matters including product warranties and terms of sale contracts under Article 2 of the UCC, as well as alternatives to secure payment, including standby and commercial letters of credit. Our lawyers also have specialized expertise in the areas of e-commerce, Internet-based transactions and electronic payments systems.
• Employment Litigation
  Mr. Lang represents management for Fortune 500, midsize and small companies in labor and employment matters throughout Florida and nationwide, including single plaintiff, multi-plaintiff, collective and class actions. His expansive employment experience includes representing management in a wide range of matters such as wage and hour, non-compete, disability, discrimination, harassment, retaliation, mergers and acquisitions, tortious interference, trade secret, unfair and deceptive trade practices, whistleblower, FMLA, Title III of the ADA, WARN, and executive employment agreements. Mr. Lang also routinely provides his corporate clients with proactive counseling and advice on how to navigate the day to day employment issues in an effort to avoid litigation. He also prepares and revises transactional employment documents for his clients, including executive employment agreements, independent contractor agreements, non-compete agreements, employee handbooks, among others.
• Non-compete Agreement
  Mr. González also represents and advises clients on transactional matters including real estate transactions, asset purchase transactions, non-compete agreements, contracts involving the sale and purchase of fine art and entertainment industry-related matters. He has represented domestic and foreign clients in the negotiation, contract, sale and closing of several of the highest priced luxury waterfront residential properties in South Florida. Mr. Gonzalez's clients range from large corporations, local and regional small to mid-size companies, and other businesses, families and individuals in South Florida, and from Los Angeles, New York, Washington, D.C., Chicago, Ecuador, Venezuela, Colombia, Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom and other areas of the world.

Property Law

• Real Estate Litigation
  Mr. González began his career with a boutique Miami firm established by former members of a New York-based national firm. He then worked with the Miami office of Florida-based Walton Lantaff Schroeder & Carson, where he concentrated his practice in the areas of general commercial litigation, insurance defense and real estate matters. Thereafter, he started and successfully managed his own law firm, González & Associates, P.A., for ten years until forming SMGQ as a founding partner on January 1, 2007.
• Construction Litigation
  Representation of developers, architect and engineering firms in arbitration disputes, as well as state and federal courts regarding construction litigation disputes including breach of contract, claims of lien, equitable claims, fraud and violations of statutes governing the industries
• Real Estate Transactions
  Our Firm's real estate and lending group represents foreign and domestic investors, developers, joint ventures, real estate companies, private equity funds and lenders in commercial and residential real estate transactions within and outside the state of Florida. The Firm routinely serves as title and closing agent on commercial and residential purchase and refinance transactions. We represent our clients in the acquisition, development, sale, leasing and financing of raw land, residential communities, including single-family homes, apartments and condominium projects, office buildings, retail buildings and malls, hotels, entertainment facilities, golf courses, and mixed-use developments consisting of one or more of the above segments. We generally advise our clients as to choice of entity and structuring, and in the preparation and review of all organizational documents, including operating, partnership and joint venture agreements, loan documents, including promissory notes, mortgages, collateral assignments, pledge agreements, financing statements and guarantees, and contracts with third parties including architects, engineers, contractors, real estate brokers and other professionals, and contracts involving the sale and lease of completed projects. Such representation has included the financing of such transactions, including conventional mortgage loans, refinancings, loan assignments, construction, mezzanine and equity financings, loan workouts, real estate mortgage investment conduits and securitization and servicing programs, and other forms of structured finance.
• Land Use and Zoning
  Alexandra F. Cimo is an associate attorney primarily concentrating her practice in the areas of land use and zoning and general transactional services.
• Landlord-Tenant Disputes
  Our litigation group is skilled in handling complex civil and commercial litigation matters from the initiation of the case through trial, including real estate, insurance coverage, product liability, malpractice, white collar defense cases, corporate and business disputes, family law matters and class actions. We offer extensive experience in handling matters for key industries, and have represented a number of Fortune 500, publicly-traded and privately-held corporations, including insurance organizations, financial institutions, retailers, manufacturing concerns, oil and gas companies, chemical companies, real estate entities and entertainment industry organizations. We have specialized knowledge from both the prosecutorial and defense sides, in litigating all types of business disputes, including business torts, contract claims, consumer claims, insurance coverage disputes, vicarious liability and indemnity claims, officer and director liability claims, real property disputes involving mortgage loan defaults, claims of lien, lis pendens and other clouds on title to real property, commercial landlord-tenant disputes, and unfair and deceptive trade practices. We also take pride in serving consumers, individuals and their families in cases involving product defects, negligent security, medical negligence, catastrophic personal injury, and wrongful death.
• Condominium Law
  Representation of a South Florida developer sued after purchasing over $34 million in real estate by a former employee claiming to be a 50% joint venture partner of the developer-owner under an oral agreement for the development of condominium conversion projects. After litigating the matter for nearly three years, including efforts by Plaintiff to disqualify the Firm as the developer's chosen counsel, the Firm successfully defended the developer-owner from numerous contractual and fraud-based claims through trial, obtaining a jury verdict rejecting Plaintiff's case and in favor of the developer's breach of contract counterclaim. The jury verdict in favor of the counterclaim entitled our developer-client to the recovery of its attorneys' fees and costs

Immigration Law

• Citizenship and Naturalization

Health Law

• Personal Injury
  Carlos M. Machado is a partner who focuses his practice in the areas of commercial and residential real estate transactions including all related title work, general commercial/civil litigation including personal injury & wrongful death cases, and lender representation in transactional as well as litigation matters.
• Medical Malpractice
  Representation of a local psychiatrist in a medical malpractice lawsuit where it was alleged that a patient suicide resulted from alleged medical malpractice. After a five week trial, the jury returned a defense verdict in favor of Mr. Lage's client.

Trusts and Estates

• Estate Planning
  Kelly M. Scott is an associate attorney primarily concentrating in the areas of estate planning, probate, corporate law, and other general transactional services.
• Wills
  Ms. Scott then received her law degree from Florida International University’s College of Law in 2017, where she graduated valedictorian of her class. She was a Betty G. Reader Scholar, and received CALI Excellence for the Future Awards in various courses including Wills and Trusts, Estate Planning, and Elder Law. During law school, she worked as a summer law clerk for the Miami-Dade County Attorney’s Office. She also completed a summer internship for the Honorable Maria M. Korvick, administrative judge of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit’s Probate Division.
• Trusts
• Probate

Finance Law

• Bankruptcy
• Foreclosure
  Prior to joining the firm, Ms. Cervantes was employed as a foreclosure attorney representing numerous lenders.  Ms. Cervantes is also admitted to practice before the U.S. District Court of the Southern District of Florida.  Ms. Cervantes earned her Juris Doctor from the University of Miami School of Law and her Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Miami.
• Tax Law
  Provided tax planning advice to the purchaser of a cooperative housing corporation in connection with its stock purchase of the cooperative for $510 million.