For the second time in three years, Law360 has named Podhurst Orseck one of its 2026 Florida Regional Powerhouses, recognizing the Miami-based boutique’s continued success handling complex, high-stakes litigation and appellate matters in Florida and across the country.
For nearly 60 years, Podhurst Orseck has maintained a deliberate focus on trial and appellate practice, concentrating its work in areas including aviation, complex commercial litigation, class actions, mass torts, appellate matters and catastrophic personal injury and wrongful death cases. With approximately two dozen attorneys, the firm has built a reputation for taking on sophisticated matters that often involve some of the country’s largest companies, institutions and legal teams.
“Being recognized as a Florida Regional Powerhouse is a reflection of what we have always believed makes this firm special: we are small by design, but we bring tremendous depth and experience to every matter we handle,” said Steven C. Marks, Managing Partner of Podhurst Orseck. “We have an incredibly talented group of lawyers who bring different strengths to the table, but who work together toward the same goal. That combination of experience, collaboration and focus allows us to take on some of the most challenging cases and give every client the level of attention and commitment they deserve.”
In its profile of the firm, Law360 highlighted Podhurst Orseck’s collaborative culture and the complementary strengths of its attorneys. Partner Peter Prieto, head of class action and commercial litigation, told the publication that the firm’s “deep bench” of junior partners and associates is one of the characteristics that sets it apart, noting that its lawyers are “talented in complementary ways.”
The firm’s deliberately lean structure allows attorneys to handle highly complex matters in-house while working closely across practice areas. As longtime Partner Stephen F. Rosenthal told Law360, “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts,” adding that the firm deliberately maintains a lean team. Veteran Partner Ricardo Martinez-Cid similarly emphasized that Podhurst Orseck is selective about the lawyers it brings into the firm, with each expected to be capable of handling highly complex trial and appellate matters from the outset.
That approach has translated into significant results across the firm’s core practice areas. In aviation litigation, Partners Steven C. Marks, Kristina M. Infante, and Pablo Rojas recently represented Naoise Connolly Ryan in litigation against Boeing arising from the 2019 crash of Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302. Following a federal trial in Chicago in August 2026, a jury awarded Ryan $38 million in damages with pre-judgement interest.
Podhurst Orseck also continues to play a leading role in some of the nation’s most significant mass and class action litigation. The firm has served as lead counsel in the Takata Airbags multidistrict litigation since 2015, helping recover more than $1.55 billion for millions of consumers affected by one of the largest automotive recalls in U.S. history. The firm was also appointed to the plaintiffs’ steering committee in the Blue Cross Blue Shield antitrust multidistrict litigation, with Prieto serving as chair of the experts committee. In September 2025, an Alabama federal judge approved a $2.8 billion settlement in the case.
The firm’s personal injury and mass tort practice has likewise represented clients in some of the most consequential cases in South Florida. Martinez-Cid and fellow Partner Lea P. Bucciero served as lead counsel for victims and families following the 2021 Champlain Towers South condominium collapse, helping secure a $1.2 billion settlement in 2022. The firm also represented victims in litigation arising from the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School mass shooting, reaching a $127.5 million settlement with the FBI in 2021.
Podhurst Orseck’s recognition comes as South Florida’s legal and business communities continue to expand and grow increasingly sophisticated. The firm has continued to generate work through its longstanding relationships with law firms and businesses throughout Florida and beyond, while positioning its specialized litigation practice to serve clients involved in increasingly complex disputes.
“The South Florida legal market is extraordinarily strong, and we are seeing more businesses, more investment and more complex disputes as the region continues to grow,” Marks told Law360. “We are very fortunate to have built a firm that is positioned to handle that complexity while remaining true to who we are. We do one thing, and we do it very well.”
The full Law360 article announcing Podhurst Orseck’s selection is available here.
About Podhurst Orseck, P.A.
Founded in 1967 by Aaron Podhurst and Robert Orseck, Podhurst Orseck began as a focused litigation and appellate practice in Miami, Florida. Over time, the law firm became a global force in tort litigation, known primarily for its groundbreaking work in aviation law, complex commercial disputes, class actions, and catastrophic personal injury cases. What sets Podhurst Orseck apart is its deliberate decision to remain a boutique firm with an elite, collaborative team. Nearly 60 years after its inception, the firm continues to set the standard for courtroom excellence and client-focused advocacy.
