Joseph M. Goldstein

Businesses involved in disputes or government bid protests turn to Joseph M. Goldstein for several reasons: his expertise, trial experience and government background. He is based in the Fort Lauderdale office, where he is a partner in the Litigation Department, and holds an office in Tallahassee as well.

Mr. Goldstein is among the less than one percent of attorneys who are Florida Bar Board Certified in Business Litigation. His qualifications in this area enhance his practice, which focuses on commercial litigation; government contracts, including bid protests; employment litigation, especially involving noncompetition agreements; and real estate disputes. He generally represents defense companies, technology firms, construction firms and government service providers.

Representative Cases

• As the result of a bid protest trial, Mr. Goldstein successfully helped a technology company receive a government contract after its proposal was initially rejected.
• He reversed a potential debarment from government contracting for a construction services company that was under allegations of improper conduct.
• He successfully defended a business in a dispute involving alleged theft of proprietary materials and noncompete agreements. This was done through prosecution of evidentiary hearing and settlement negotiations, including overturning an injunction prohibiting competition.

AUTHOR

• Florida State Procurement Handbook
• Author, Chapter on Florida Procurement Law, American Bar Association, Section of Public Contract Law, "Guide to State Procurement, a 50-State Primer on Purchasing Laws, Processes and Procedures."

Background

A former Assistant General Counsel for the federal government, Mr. Goldstein has experience in government contracting law and is well known within local and state procurement divisions. He has also been a part-time hearing officer for Broward County, presiding over bid protests and debarment hearings under the Broward County Procurement Code. He is a member of the City of Plantation Planning & Zoning Board as well.

Within the American Bar Association, he is the Florida State Co-Chairman for the Section of Public Contract Law, State and Local Contracting Division. He also acts as Vice-Chairman of the ABA’s State and Local Procurement Division, as well as its State and Local Division Bid Protest Committee. The ABA State Law Database Coordination Committee is another group for which he is Co-Chairman.

After graduating from law school, Mr. Goldstein served from 1989 to 1991 as a law clerk for Judge Patricia Fawsett on the U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida. Following his clerkship, Mr. Goldstein fulfilled his military commitment arising from his ROTC scholarship. He was selected to serve in the Air Force General Counsel's Honors Program at the Pentagon, where he served on active duty from 1991 until 1994. There he represented the Air Force in more than 150 bid protests before the General Services Board of Contract Appeals and the General Accounting Office. He conducted legal reviews and negotiations with major defense contractors and assisted the Department of Justice in prosecuting fraud and qui tam suits. He later retired as a Captain and was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal.

Mr. Goldstein is a member of Leadership Broward and a member of its Board of Directors.  He also formerly served as a Manager for the Plantation Eagles Soccer Club Athletic League.

Recognition

• Martindale Hubbell A-V Rated
• The Best Lawyers in America®, selected for inclusion in Administrative Law, 2011, 2012
• South Florida Legal Guide - "Top Lawyers in South Florida," selected for inclusion, 2011, 2012
• Florida Super Lawyers, selected for inclusion in Business Litigation in 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011

Education

• Georgetown University Law Center, LL.M., Tax, with distinction, 1994 
• Nova University, J.D., magna cum laude, 1989
• Cornell University, B.S., Urban and Regional Studies, 1986

Bar Admissions

• The Florida Bar

Court Admissions

• U.S. District Court, Southern, Middle and Northern Districts of Florida
• U.S. Tax Court
• U.S. Court of Federal Claims

Affiliations

• American Bar Association - State and Local Procurement Division, Vice Chair; State and Local Bid Protext Committee, Vice Chair; State Law Database Coordination, Co-Chair
• Florida Bar Board Certified, Business Litigation
• Fellow of the American Bar Association
• Chair, Florida Bar 17th Judicial Circuit Grievance Committee "D"
• Chair, Leadership Broward Foundation
• Board Member, Broward Public Library Foundation