(Reuters) – A longtime Miami-Dade Circuit Court judge who approved last year’s $1.2 billion settlement for victims of the Champlain Towers South collapsed in Surfside, Florida, has joined midsize law firm Bilzin Sumberg Baena Price & Axelrod, the firm said Monday.
Michael Hanzman signed off on the settlement in June 2022, almost one year after the 12-story building’s fall killed 98 people.
Hanzman, who spent 12 years on the bench, will be a senior counsel in the Miami-based firm’s trial practice. His judicial term was set to expire in January 2025, but he announced his resignation last month.
Bilzin Sumberg managing partner Albert Dotson said in a statement that Hanzman had made an “indelible mark” on the South Florida community. The firm, which has around 120 lawyers, said Hanzman will help with recruiting efforts and will train and mentor the firm’s attorneys.
The firm’s past clients have included Hyundai Motor America Corp, Royal Caribbean Group, Hard Rock Stadium and the Miami Dolphins.
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