Miami law firm sues Location Ventures affiliates for alleged nonpayment of $199K

Lawsuits keep piling up against Location Ventures and its Urbin subsidiary. The latest comes from the Miami-based law firm that represented the two firms on zoning matters. 

Bercow Radell Fernandez Larkin & Tapanes sued two affiliates of Location Ventures and Urbin on Aug. 15 in Miami-Dade Circuit Court for allegedly failing to pay $199,171 in legal fees tied to lobbying work for a proposed development on agricultural land. Location Ventures and Urbin, both based in Coral Gables, were founded by disgraced developer Rishi Kapoor, who stepped down from the two companies last month. 

In 2021, Kapoor executed a retainer agreement with Bercow Radell in connection with “a comprehensive plan amendment and related approvals for an ‘agrihood’ community in the Redland area of unincorporated Miami-Dade County,” the lawsuit states. Since January, Location Ventures and Urbin have failed to pay multiple invoices provided by Bercow Radell, the complaint alleges. 

Location Ventures allegedly owes $104,633, and Urbin allegedly owes $94,538, according to the suit. 

Bercow Radell shareholder Michael Larkin, and Ariella Gutman, the attorney representing the law firm in its complaint, did not respond to emails and phone messages seeking comment. Alan Fine, a former Miami-Dade judge who was appointed manager of Location Ventures last month, declined comment. Vivian Bonet, the manager for the Urbin subsidiary, did not respond to a request for comment. 

Two years ago, Kapoor hired Bercow Radell to seek zoning changes that would allow commercial development in the Redland, and seek permission from Miami-Dade County to build 100 houses, a hotel and an equestrian center on 500 acres of farmland outside the urban development boundary. The UDB is an imaginary line where construction is prohibited. The application stalled, according to county records. 

Bercow Radell has also represented Location Ventures and Urbin in obtaining approvals in the city of Miami Beach for two co-living projects the firm and its subsidiary had proposed. Those projects are in limbo as well. 

In addition to Bercow Radell, Coral Gables-based SB Architects sued Location Ventures and an affiliate for alleged nonpayment of about $650,000 for plans and drawings tied to various real estate projects. The Redland proposal is among the projects for which SB Architects claims it drew up plans. 

Location Ventures imploded following revelations that Kapoor had hired Miami Mayor Francis Suarez as a private consultant for Urbin, paying the politician $10,000 a month. The ensuing scandal set off local and federal investigations into Kapoor’s management of Location Ventures. Meanwhile, investors also sued Location Ventures affiliates. Among the investors are married couple Diana Ulis and Alex Kleyner. In court documents, Ulis and Kleyner allege they are owed $25 million for their equity stake in Location Ventures and two real estate projects.