MIAMI—Akerman is moving its offices from SunTrust International Center to Swire's Brickell City Centre Green. The top 100 US law firm will become the lead office tenant at the complex, occupying 108,000 square feet—a full 80% of the class office space in one of the two office buildings under construction at the $1.05 billion mixed-use development.

Akerman will take up occupancy in 2015 and have its name atop the Brickell City Centre Green building. Akerman and Swire have a strong relations, with the international law firm playing a key role in the development as real estate and land use counsel for the Asian company. Tere Blanca of Blanca Commercial Real Estate, with support from Alexander Cahlin and David Valdez, represented Akerman in the deal.

“That Akerman has chosen Brickell City Centre for its Miami office is an honor,” says Megan Kelly, executive vice president of Swire. “Miami has developed into a worldwide center for finance and trade, and this very prestigious tenancy will strengthen Brickell City Centre's positioning relative to the market opportunities that Miami's evolution is creating."

Coupled with the healthy demand for class A office space in Brickell, Brickell City Centre recently signed Saks Fifth Avenue as retail anchor and the first residential tower, Reach, is over 70% sold. The remaining office building, known as Two, will be completed in early 2016.

“We see Brickell City Centre as a remarkable, mixed-use environment that will offer our people and our clients a truly unique experience,” says Andrew Smulian, Akerman chairman and CEO. “These new offices will provide Akerman with the opportunity to apply design thinking to not only where we work but how we work. Our objective is to create an efficient, dynamic space that encourages collisions of discovery and innovation—hallmarks of our law firm and our client-centered culture."

The Miami office space will be located on the East block of Brickell City Centre at 98 Southeast Seventh Street, with direct access to the Eighth Street Metromover station. Terms of the transaction were not released.

Tere Blanca, the founder, president and CEO of Blanca Commercial Real Estate, is usually on the landlord side, but the firm has been expanding it tenant representation practice. The Akerman deal is a nice win for Blanca. She's bullish on the future of Miami's office scene. She recent told Forum, “Miami is a brand that is appealing to C-suite executives and their workforces.”