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  1. Professionals

Rafael A. Aguilar

Partner

Miami

+1 305-910-0525

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  • Overview
  • Experience
  • Credentials
  • Insights & News

Rafael has over 25 years of experience representing developers, investors, and financial institutions in a broad range of real estate transactions, including joint ventures, the formation of real estate investment funds, complex acquisitions and dispositions, ground-up development and mortgage financings.

Rafael's clients include real estate developers, home builders, financial institutions, private equity funds, and other investors. He focuses on acquisitions, dispositions, joint ventures, and financings throughout the United States and Latin America. He also commonly represents clients in the formation of real estate investment funds, distressed investments and loan restructurings, transportation infrastructure and public-private partnerships (P3s).

A native Spanish speaker, Rafael regularly advises Latin American investors and family offices in a wide range of business transactions.

Key Matters

Representative Experience

*Some experience may have been handled while at a prior firm.

  • Representing leading homebuilder in connection with a joint venture to develop more than 1,000 acres of land in Collier County, Florida
  • Represented family office in connection with real estate investments in Austin, Texas and related land development matters.
  • Represented leading homebuilder, Minto Communities, LLC, as borrower, in connection with an increase in the size of and amendment to a credit facility in the amount of US$300M.
  • Represented leading homebuilder in connection with acquisition of 4,000 acres of land in Palm Beach County, Florida for development into a master-planned residential community and incorporation into Westlake, Florida. 
  • Represented New York-based private equity fund, as money partner, in connection with a joint venture to develop landmark property in downtown Ft. Lauderdale, Florida into an Icon-branded luxury condominium tower.
  • Represented leading Argentine casino-gaming company in connection with US$58M acquisition of gaming business in Florida.  
  • Represented leading Argentine developer in connection with US$220M acquisition of land in Bal Harbour, Florida for development of luxury residential condominium project and related US$90M private placement of securities to finance construction.  
  • Represented European real estate fund in connection with the formation of a joint venture to acquire an island off the coast of Panama for development into a luxury residential resort community.  
  • Represented leading Miami-based developer in the formation of US$35M real estate fund to invest in commercial properties in the Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States.  
  • Represented leading Argentine developer in US$50M private placement of securities to develop luxury residential condominium project in Key Biscayne, Florida.
  • Represented leading U.S. telecommunications company in the construction of terrestrial fiber optic cable networks in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Peru, and Venezuela.
Recent Experience
Minto Communities, LLC’s Acquisition of Land in South Carolina
Cuadrilla Capital Acquires Gluware, Inc.
Represented Minto Communities, LLC in the Sale of Land in Palm Beach County, Florida
Minto Communities, LLC’s Exchange of Land in Palm Beach County, Florida
Stellex Capital Management's Acquisition of The James Skinner
Represented The Honey Pot Company Holdings, LLC, a leading better-for-you feminine care brand, in the sale of a controlling stake in the business to Compass Diversified (NYSE: CODI)
Represented TJC, LP in its Acquisition of TIDI Products Holdings, LLC, and its Subsidiaries
Hudson Ferry Capital Sale of Ground/Water Treatment & Technology
US$300M Credit Facility for Minto Communities, LLC

  • The Best Lawyers in America, 2025 (Real Estate Law)
  • Lawdragon
    • 500 Leading Dealmakers in America List, 2025
    • 100 Lawyers You Need to Know in South America List, 2025
  • The Legal 500 Latin America, 2015, 2021–2022
  • “Top Dealmaker,” Daily Business Review, 2014

  • Speaker, “Housing Markets Shortage vs. High Interest Rates”, International Bar Association Annual Real Estate Investments Conference, 2023
  • Currently representing former political prisoner from Nicaragua in pro bono affirmative asylum case
  • Reading Volunteer, Read to a Child, 2023-2024
  • Board of Directors, Salvadoran-American Humanitarian Foundation, 2014-2020

Capabilities

Transactions
Finance
Private Investment Funds
Real Estate

Key Matters

Representative Experience

*Some experience may have been handled while at a prior firm.

  • Representing leading homebuilder in connection with a joint venture to develop more than 1,000 acres of land in Collier County, Florida
  • Represented family office in connection with real estate investments in Austin, Texas and related land development matters.
  • Represented leading homebuilder, Minto Communities, LLC, as borrower, in connection with an increase in the size of and amendment to a credit facility in the amount of US$300M.
  • Represented leading homebuilder in connection with acquisition of 4,000 acres of land in Palm Beach County, Florida for development into a master-planned residential community and incorporation into Westlake, Florida. 
  • Represented New York-based private equity fund, as money partner, in connection with a joint venture to develop landmark property in downtown Ft. Lauderdale, Florida into an Icon-branded luxury condominium tower.
  • Represented leading Argentine casino-gaming company in connection with US$58M acquisition of gaming business in Florida.  
  • Represented leading Argentine developer in connection with US$220M acquisition of land in Bal Harbour, Florida for development of luxury residential condominium project and related US$90M private placement of securities to finance construction.  
  • Represented European real estate fund in connection with the formation of a joint venture to acquire an island off the coast of Panama for development into a luxury residential resort community.  
  • Represented leading Miami-based developer in the formation of US$35M real estate fund to invest in commercial properties in the Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States.  
  • Represented leading Argentine developer in US$50M private placement of securities to develop luxury residential condominium project in Key Biscayne, Florida.
  • Represented leading U.S. telecommunications company in the construction of terrestrial fiber optic cable networks in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Peru, and Venezuela.
Recent Experience
Minto Communities, LLC’s Acquisition of Land in South Carolina
Cuadrilla Capital Acquires Gluware, Inc.
Represented Minto Communities, LLC in the Sale of Land in Palm Beach County, Florida
Minto Communities, LLC’s Exchange of Land in Palm Beach County, Florida
Stellex Capital Management's Acquisition of The James Skinner
Represented The Honey Pot Company Holdings, LLC, a leading better-for-you feminine care brand, in the sale of a controlling stake in the business to Compass Diversified (NYSE: CODI)
Represented TJC, LP in its Acquisition of TIDI Products Holdings, LLC, and its Subsidiaries
Hudson Ferry Capital Sale of Ground/Water Treatment & Technology
US$300M Credit Facility for Minto Communities, LLC

Credentials

Education

Rafael received his J.D. and LL.M. in Taxation from New York University. He received his B.A., magna cum laude, from Yale University.

    Admissions
    • Florida
    • New York
    Languages
    • Spanish

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    Capabilities

    Transactions
    Finance
    Private Investment Funds
    Real Estate
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