Joseph Altschul | Hollywood Business Lawyer

Joseph E. Altschul has over 34 years of legal experience in South Florida. He has tried jury trial cases to verdict in Miami-Dade County, Broward County and Palm Beach County, as well as in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida. He has also successfully argued appeals before the Florida Supreme, the United States Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeal, and Florida’s Third District Court of Appeal and Fourth District Court of Appeal.

Joseph began his legal career with Ruden McClosky’s Fort Lauderdale office before being recruited to a commercial litigation boutique in Miami, Florida, where he gained extensive trial experience and was elevated to partner.

He later ventured out to begin his own firm in Weston, Florida, and subsequently merged his practice and became a partner in the firm Boies, Schiller & Flexner. In 2005, Altschul again ventured out to establish a small firm practice.

Before attending law school, Joseph worked as a commercial real estate broker specializing in office buildings and office properties. This provided him with invaluable experience, perspective and understanding of the real estate industry. Indeed, Joseph originally headed off to law school with the intention of becoming a real estate developer. This goal, however, encountered a detour when he discovered a passion for trial and appellate advocacy during law school.

Joseph also proudly served in the United States Army Reserves for 10 years, where he was a captain in the infantry. He completed basic training at Ft. Dix, NJ, and subsequently completed Airborne school and the Infantry Officer’s Basic Course at Fort Benning, Georgia. The military was a natural step for Joseph, having been born and raised an “Army Brat” on military bases. His travels as an “Army brat” involved travel and residences throughout the world, having lived in Germany and Tehran, Iran during his youth.

Joseph began his collegiate studies at the University of New Hampshire, where he was a member of the varsity wrestling team and the Reserve Officer Training Corp (ROTC). He later transferred to Florida Atlantic University, where he graduated with a degree in business finance and real estate (BBA) in 1985.

In 1990, he graduated cum laude from the University of Miami School of Law, where he finished in the top 8% of his class and was an editor of the University of Miami Law Review. Joseph received the American Jurisprudence Book Awards in Evidence and Advanced Moot Court. He was on the winning teams in the moot court and mock trial competitions, and subsequently received the Order of the Barrister award. He was a member of the teams that represented the University in regional and national moot court and mock trial competitions, which teams received recognition for Best Brief at the National Moot Court Competition, Region V. They were also a semi-finalist in the National Mock Trial Competition, Southern Region.

Joseph is admitted to practice law in Florida and before the United States Supreme Court, the United States Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, and the U.S. District Courts for the Southern and Middle Districts of Florida.

Joseph has been a guest speaker at various meetings before various groups on the topics of real estate law, investments and foreclosure. He frequently counsels people in financial difficulty relating to mortgage foreclosure, and has participated in training small group leaders of Crown Financial Ministries on financial stewardship and mortgage foreclosure.

Joseph is also an active real estate investor. He has attended and been a guest speaker at numerous real estate investment seminars and bought and sold many properties in South Florida.

Joseph has lived in South Florida for 41years. He is a past president of the Rotary Club of Weston.