Mercer Property Law represents developers, institutional landlords, and foreign investors in commercial real estate transactions and government takings throughout South Florida. The valuation analysis and the legal strategy aren't separate conversations in my practice. They've never been.
ABOUT US
Appraiser's eye. Attorney's argument.
Appraiser's eye. Attorney's argument.
I came to real estate law through the appraisal side — six years valuing commercial properties, writing reports that determined what assets were actually worth, and testifying as an expert witness when the government decided it wanted someone's land. I watched property owners accept condemnation offers they didn't have to accept, sign leases with rent escalation schedules nobody had stress-tested, and close on acquisitions where the valuation assumptions were never seriously challenged. I went to law school to be able to do something about that. Mercer Property Law exists for clients who want counsel that treats the numbers and the law as a single problem — because in commercial real estate, they always are.
OUR PHILOSOPHY
Know your value
Know your value
Commercial real estate transactions move fast, and the people driving them — developers, brokers, lenders, investors — are often more focused on closing than on what they're closing into. I've sat across from enough purchase agreements and lease abstracts to know how much gets assumed and how little gets verified. My job is to be the person in the room who slows that down just enough to ask the questions the deal hasn't answered yet. What does the rent escalation clause actually produce over the lease term? What's the zoning exposure if the entitlement doesn't clear? What's the property actually worth if the government's appraiser is working from a 2019 comp?
I practice in Miami because the South Florida market rewards exactly this kind of attention. It's a market where capital moves fast, international investors bring different legal assumptions, and the gap between what a property is offered and what it's actually worth can be enormous — particularly in condemnation proceedings. My background as a certified appraiser isn't a footnote to my legal practice. It's the reason I can argue a condemnation valuation, negotiate a ground lease rent structure, or walk a foreign investor through the real economics of a South Florida acquisition with a level of specificity that most real estate attorneys simply can't match.
We get results
We get results
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We work within your transaction timeline, not against it.
We work within your transaction timeline, not against it.
We work within your transaction timeline, not against it.
Our practice areas
/ 01
Developer Representation & Acquisitions
Developer Representation & Acquisitions
Development deals in South Florida have more moving parts than most markets — entitlement risk, environmental conditions, coastal zone regulations, historic designation overlays, and a financing environment that changes faster than the permitting process. A purchase agreement that doesn't account for those variables isn't protecting your position; it's just memorializing an assumption that the deal will go cleanly. I represent developers in acquisitions, dispositions, and project structuring throughout Miami-Dade and Broward Counties, with particular focus on the due diligence and contract terms that determine whether a deal actually pencils.
Matters We Handle:
Development site acquisition & disposition
Purchase agreement negotiation & review
Entitlement & zoning due diligence
Development agreement drafting
Joint venture & equity structuring
Construction contract review
/ 02
Commercial Leasing
Commercial Leasing
A commercial lease in South Florida is rarely a standard document — the market is too fragmented, the tenant mix too varied, and the landlord-tenant dynamics too deal-specific for standard to mean much. What matters is whether the lease as negotiated actually reflects the economics both parties agreed to, and whether the provisions that govern the relationship over five, ten, or twenty years are drafted to hold up when circumstances change. CAM structures, exclusivity clauses, co-tenancy rights, percentage rent triggers, personal guarantee carve-outs — these are the provisions that separate a good lease from a liability.
Matters We Handle:
Commercial lease review & negotiation
Ground lease structuring
Landlord-side lease drafting
CAM & operating expense analysis
Lease assignment, subletting & modification
Anchor tenant & co-tenancy provisions
/ 03
Eminent Domain
Eminent Domain
Most property owners in Florida don't know they have the right to challenge the government's condemnation offer — the government is required to pay full compensation for what it takes, but the initial offer is the government's appraiser's number, and that number is frequently wrong. Comparable selection, highest-and-best-use analysis, severance damages, business damages — each of these represents a potential gap between what you're offered and what you're owed. I know how government appraisers work because I spent six years doing similar work, and that knowledge is directly applicable when I'm arguing against their methodology.
Matters We Handle:
Condemnation valuation challenges
Highest-and-best-use disputes
Severance & consequential damage claims
Business damage claims
Partial taking analysis
Condemnation settlement negotiation & litigation
/ 04
Foreign Investor Transactions
Foreign Investor Transactions
South Florida is one of the most active markets in the country for foreign real estate investment — particularly from Latin America — and that capital comes with specific legal considerations that general real estate counsel often isn't equipped to address: FIRPTA withholding requirements, foreign entity structuring, currency and financing constraints, and a set of legal and business assumptions that don't always translate directly from the investor's home market. I'm bilingual in English and Spanish, which matters not just for communication but for the trust that comes from counsel who understands how business actually gets done in the markets my clients are coming from.
Matters We Handle:
Foreign entity acquisition structuring
FIRPTA compliance & withholding coordination
International investor due diligence
Cross-border contract review
1031 exchange for foreign investors
Portfolio acquisition representation
/ 01
Developer Representation & Acquisitions
Developer Representation & Acquisitions
Development deals in South Florida have more moving parts than most markets — entitlement risk, environmental conditions, coastal zone regulations, historic designation overlays, and a financing environment that changes faster than the permitting process. A purchase agreement that doesn't account for those variables isn't protecting your position; it's just memorializing an assumption that the deal will go cleanly. I represent developers in acquisitions, dispositions, and project structuring throughout Miami-Dade and Broward Counties, with particular focus on the due diligence and contract terms that determine whether a deal actually pencils.
Matters We Handle:
Development site acquisition & disposition
Purchase agreement negotiation & review
Entitlement & zoning due diligence
Development agreement drafting
Joint venture & equity structuring
Construction contract review
/ 02
Commercial Leasing
Commercial Leasing
A commercial lease in South Florida is rarely a standard document — the market is too fragmented, the tenant mix too varied, and the landlord-tenant dynamics too deal-specific for standard to mean much. What matters is whether the lease as negotiated actually reflects the economics both parties agreed to, and whether the provisions that govern the relationship over five, ten, or twenty years are drafted to hold up when circumstances change. CAM structures, exclusivity clauses, co-tenancy rights, percentage rent triggers, personal guarantee carve-outs — these are the provisions that separate a good lease from a liability.
Matters We Handle:
Commercial lease review & negotiation
Ground lease structuring
Landlord-side lease drafting
CAM & operating expense analysis
Lease assignment, subletting & modification
Anchor tenant & co-tenancy provisions
/ 03
Eminent Domain
Eminent Domain
Most property owners in Florida don't know they have the right to challenge the government's condemnation offer — the government is required to pay full compensation for what it takes, but the initial offer is the government's appraiser's number, and that number is frequently wrong. Comparable selection, highest-and-best-use analysis, severance damages, business damages — each of these represents a potential gap between what you're offered and what you're owed. I know how government appraisers work because I spent six years doing similar work, and that knowledge is directly applicable when I'm arguing against their methodology.
Matters We Handle:
Condemnation valuation challenges
Highest-and-best-use disputes
Severance & consequential damage claims
Business damage claims
Partial taking analysis
Condemnation settlement negotiation & litigation
/ 04
Foreign Investor Transactions
Foreign Investor Transactions
South Florida is one of the most active markets in the country for foreign real estate investment — particularly from Latin America — and that capital comes with specific legal considerations that general real estate counsel often isn't equipped to address: FIRPTA withholding requirements, foreign entity structuring, currency and financing constraints, and a set of legal and business assumptions that don't always translate directly from the investor's home market. I'm bilingual in English and Spanish, which matters not just for communication but for the trust that comes from counsel who understands how business actually gets done in the markets my clients are coming from.
Matters We Handle:
Foreign entity acquisition structuring
FIRPTA compliance & withholding coordination
International investor due diligence
Cross-border contract review
1031 exchange for foreign investors
Portfolio acquisition representation
Developer Representation & Acquisitions
Developer Representation & Acquisitions
Development deals in South Florida have more moving parts than most markets — entitlement risk, environmental conditions, coastal zone regulations, historic designation overlays, and a financing environment that changes faster than the permitting process. A purchase agreement that doesn't account for those variables isn't protecting your position; it's just memorializing an assumption that the deal will go cleanly. I represent developers in acquisitions, dispositions, and project structuring throughout Miami-Dade and Broward Counties, with particular focus on the due diligence and contract terms that determine whether a deal actually pencils.
Matters We Handle:
Development site acquisition & disposition
Purchase agreement negotiation & review
Entitlement & zoning due diligence
Development agreement drafting
Joint venture & equity structuring
Construction contract review
Commercial Leasing
Commercial Leasing
A commercial lease in South Florida is rarely a standard document — the market is too fragmented, the tenant mix too varied, and the landlord-tenant dynamics too deal-specific for standard to mean much. What matters is whether the lease as negotiated actually reflects the economics both parties agreed to, and whether the provisions that govern the relationship over five, ten, or twenty years are drafted to hold up when circumstances change. CAM structures, exclusivity clauses, co-tenancy rights, percentage rent triggers, personal guarantee carve-outs — these are the provisions that separate a good lease from a liability.
Matters We Handle:
Commercial lease review & negotiation
Ground lease structuring
Landlord-side lease drafting
CAM & operating expense analysis
Lease assignment, subletting & modification
Anchor tenant & co-tenancy provisions
Eminent Domain
Eminent Domain
Most property owners in Florida don't know they have the right to challenge the government's condemnation offer — the government is required to pay full compensation for what it takes, but the initial offer is the government's appraiser's number, and that number is frequently wrong. Comparable selection, highest-and-best-use analysis, severance damages, business damages — each of these represents a potential gap between what you're offered and what you're owed. I know how government appraisers work because I spent six years doing similar work, and that knowledge is directly applicable when I'm arguing against their methodology.
Matters We Handle:
Condemnation valuation challenges
Highest-and-best-use disputes
Severance & consequential damage claims
Business damage claims
Partial taking analysis
Condemnation settlement negotiation & litigation
Foreign Investor Transactions
Foreign Investor Transactions
South Florida is one of the most active markets in the country for foreign real estate investment — particularly from Latin America — and that capital comes with specific legal considerations that general real estate counsel often isn't equipped to address: FIRPTA withholding requirements, foreign entity structuring, currency and financing constraints, and a set of legal and business assumptions that don't always translate directly from the investor's home market. I'm bilingual in English and Spanish, which matters not just for communication but for the trust that comes from counsel who understands how business actually gets done in the markets my clients are coming from.
Matters We Handle:
Foreign entity acquisition structuring
FIRPTA compliance & withholding coordination
International investor due diligence
Cross-border contract review
1031 exchange for foreign investors
Portfolio acquisition representation
ATTORNEY BIO
Sofia Mercer
Sofia Mercer is the founder of Mercer Property Law and has practiced commercial real estate law in Miami for eleven years. She earned her B.S. in Finance from Florida International University in 2006 and her J.D. from the University of Miami School of Law in 2013. She was admitted to the Florida State Bar the same year and to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida in 2014. Before law school, Ms. Mercer spent six years as a certified commercial real estate appraiser in South Florida — valuing office buildings, retail centers, and mixed-use developments, and testifying as an expert witness in condemnation proceedings throughout Miami-Dade and Broward Counties.
Sofia Mercer is the founder of Mercer Property Law and has practiced commercial real estate law in Miami for eleven years. She earned her B.S. in Finance from Florida International University in 2006 and her J.D. from the University of Miami School of Law in 2013. She was admitted to the Florida State Bar the same year and to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida in 2014. Before law school, Ms. Mercer spent six years as a certified commercial real estate appraiser in South Florida — valuing office buildings, retail centers, and mixed-use developments, and testifying as an expert witness in condemnation proceedings throughout Miami-Dade and Broward Counties.
It was a condemnation case — a small business owner offered a fraction of his property's value by a government agency — that sent her to law school. She wanted to be the attorney in the room, not just the expert. Ms. Mercer has been recognized on the Florida Super Lawyers Rising Stars list in Real Estate and is rated AV Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell. She is a member of the Florida Bar's Real Property, Probate & Trust Law Section, the Urban Land Institute Florida District Council, and the Miami Association of REALTORS® Commercial Division. She is bilingual in English and Spanish, and her practice serves developers, institutional landlords, and foreign investors — particularly from Latin America — navigating South Florida's commercial real estate market.
It was a condemnation case — a small business owner offered a fraction of his property's value by a government agency — that sent her to law school. She wanted to be the attorney in the room, not just the expert. Ms. Mercer has been recognized on the Florida Super Lawyers Rising Stars list in Real Estate and is rated AV Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell. She is a member of the Florida Bar's Real Property, Probate & Trust Law Section, the Urban Land Institute Florida District Council, and the Miami Association of REALTORS® Commercial Division. She is bilingual in English and Spanish, and her practice serves developers, institutional landlords, and foreign investors — particularly from Latin America — navigating South Florida's commercial real estate market.
Education
University of Miami School of Law, J.D.
DePaul University College of Law, J.D. / 2013
/ 2011
Florida International University, B.S., Finance
University of Michigan, B.A., Political Science / 2010
/ 2007
Bar Admission
Florida State Bar
Illinois State Bar / 2013
/ 2013
Professional Recognition
Florida Super Lawyers — Rising Star, Real Estate
Illinois Super Lawyers Rising Star / 2013
/ 2018,2019, 2020
AV Preeminent® Rated, Martindale-Hubbell
Our
Presence
Proven Execution
"Sofia caught a valuation issue in our ground lease negotiation that our financial team had missed entirely. She doesn't just read the contract — she understands what the numbers behind it mean. That combination is genuinely rare."
— Robert M., Commercial Developer
"We were facing a condemnation offer that was insultingly low. I didn't even know I had the right to fight it. Sofia challenged the valuation, brought in an independent appraiser, and we settled for nearly three times the original number."
— Mike V., Property Owner
"As a foreign investor entering the U.S. market for the first time, having counsel who speaks the language — both literally and in terms of how business actually gets done here — made an enormous difference. I trusted her from the first conversation."
— Vicky F., International Investor
"Every document reviewed. Every deadline tracked. Every issue flagged before it became a problem. That's what you want on a complex development deal, and that's exactly what we got."
— James T., Developer
"Sofia caught a valuation issue in our ground lease negotiation that our financial team had missed entirely. She doesn't just read the contract — she understands what the numbers behind it mean. That combination is genuinely rare."
— Robert M., Commercial Developer
"We were facing a condemnation offer that was insultingly low. I didn't even know I had the right to fight it. Sofia challenged the valuation, brought in an independent appraiser, and we settled for nearly three times the original number."
— Mike V., Property Owner
"As a foreign investor entering the U.S. market for the first time, having counsel who speaks the language — both literally and in terms of how business actually gets done here — made an enormous difference. I trusted her from the first conversation."
— Vicky F., International Investor
"Every document reviewed. Every deadline tracked. Every issue flagged before it became a problem. That's what you want on a complex development deal, and that's exactly what we got."
— James T., Developer
"Sofia caught a valuation issue in our ground lease negotiation that our financial team had missed entirely. She doesn't just read the contract — she understands what the numbers behind it mean. That combination is genuinely rare."
— Robert M., Commercial Developer
"We were facing a condemnation offer that was insultingly low. I didn't even know I had the right to fight it. Sofia challenged the valuation, brought in an independent appraiser, and we settled for nearly three times the original number."
— Mike V., Property Owner
"As a foreign investor entering the U.S. market for the first time, having counsel who speaks the language — both literally and in terms of how business actually gets done here — made an enormous difference. I trusted her from the first conversation."
— Vicky F., International Investor
"Every document reviewed. Every deadline tracked. Every issue flagged before it became a problem. That's what you want on a complex development deal, and that's exactly what we got."
— James T., Developer
"Sofia caught a valuation issue in our ground lease negotiation that our financial team had missed entirely. She doesn't just read the contract — she understands what the numbers behind it mean. That combination is genuinely rare."
— Robert M., Commercial Developer
"We were facing a condemnation offer that was insultingly low. I didn't even know I had the right to fight it. Sofia challenged the valuation, brought in an independent appraiser, and we settled for nearly three times the original number."
— Mike V., Property Owner
"As a foreign investor entering the U.S. market for the first time, having counsel who speaks the language — both literally and in terms of how business actually gets done here — made an enormous difference. I trusted her from the first conversation."
— Vicky F., International Investor
"Every document reviewed. Every deadline tracked. Every issue flagged before it became a problem. That's what you want on a complex development deal, and that's exactly what we got."
— James T., Developer
"Daniel flagged a title issue that would have cost us six figures before we closed. He wasn't just doing legal review — he was actively protecting our investment."
— Marcus T., Real Estate Investor
“Nordå transformed our vision into reality. The design is both timeless and practical, perfectly fitting our family’s needs while respecting the environment.”
— Johan Eriksson, Homeowner
“We couldn’t be happier with the outcome. Nordå created a beautiful home that feels like a true retreat, blending seamlessly with the natural surroundings.”
— Ingrid Dahl, Family Home Owner
“Nordå brought fresh ideas to the table while staying true to our initial goals. The result is a home that feels both innovative and deeply personal.”
— Lars Nyberg, Vacation Property Owner
"Daniel flagged a title issue that would have cost us six figures before we closed. He wasn't just doing legal review — he was actively protecting our investment."
— Marcus T., Real Estate Investor
“Nordå transformed our vision into reality. The design is both timeless and practical, perfectly fitting our family’s needs while respecting the environment.”
— Johan Eriksson, Homeowner
“We couldn’t be happier with the outcome. Nordå created a beautiful home that feels like a true retreat, blending seamlessly with the natural surroundings.”
— Ingrid Dahl, Family Home Owner
“Nordå brought fresh ideas to the table while staying true to our initial goals. The result is a home that feels both innovative and deeply personal.”
— Lars Nyberg, Vacation Property Owner
"Daniel flagged a title issue that would have cost us six figures before we closed. He wasn't just doing legal review — he was actively protecting our investment."
— Marcus T., Real Estate Investor
“Nordå transformed our vision into reality. The design is both timeless and practical, perfectly fitting our family’s needs while respecting the environment.”
— Johan Eriksson, Homeowner
“We couldn’t be happier with the outcome. Nordå created a beautiful home that feels like a true retreat, blending seamlessly with the natural surroundings.”
— Ingrid Dahl, Family Home Owner
“Nordå brought fresh ideas to the table while staying true to our initial goals. The result is a home that feels both innovative and deeply personal.”
— Lars Nyberg, Vacation Property Owner
"Daniel flagged a title issue that would have cost us six figures before we closed. He wasn't just doing legal review — he was actively protecting our investment."
— Marcus T., Real Estate Investor
“Nordå transformed our vision into reality. The design is both timeless and practical, perfectly fitting our family’s needs while respecting the environment.”
— Johan Eriksson, Homeowner
“We couldn’t be happier with the outcome. Nordå created a beautiful home that feels like a true retreat, blending seamlessly with the natural surroundings.”
— Ingrid Dahl, Family Home Owner
“Nordå brought fresh ideas to the table while staying true to our initial goals. The result is a home that feels both innovative and deeply personal.”
— Lars Nyberg, Vacation Property Owner
Frequently Asked Questions
If the government wants to take my property, do I have to accept their offer?
If the government wants to take my property, do I have to accept their offer?
How do you work with foreign investors who aren't familiar with U.S. real estate law?
How do you work with foreign investors who aren't familiar with U.S. real estate law?
How do you approach commercial lease negotiations differently than other attorneys?
How do you approach commercial lease negotiations differently than other attorneys?
What does due diligence actually involve in a South Florida commercial acquisition?
What does due diligence actually involve in a South Florida commercial acquisition?
How do you charge for your services?
How do you charge for your services?
Client resources
The Florida Developer's Pre-Closing Checklist
Download guide
The Florida Developer's Pre-Closing Checklist
Download guide
What Foreign Investors Need to Know Before Buying in South Florida
Download guide
What Foreign Investors Need to Know Before Buying in South Florida
Download guide
Understanding Eminent Domain: Your Rights as a Florida Property Owner
Download guide
Understanding Eminent Domain: Your Rights as a Florida Property Owner
Download guide
We’d love to hear from you.
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