Founder & Managing Partner, specializes in state and federal cases throughout the United States. He has tried over 80 jury and hundreds of bench trials and has successfully handled several criminal and civil appeals. Many of his cases involve high profile international narcotic traffickers, public corruption, organized fraud and money laundering.

His civil litigation experience is in commercial litigation, international business transactions, fraud, contract disputes, personal injury, insurance claims, debt collection and real estate. Tapanes graduated from Miami-Dade College in 1996 with an Associate in Arts Degree in Criminal Justice, Florida International University in 1999 with a Bachelor in Science in Criminal Justice with a minor in Political Science. Mr. Tapanes received his Juris Doctorate Degree from St. Thomas University School of Law in 2002. He received a Masters of Laws (LLM) in Intercultural Human Rights at St. Thomas University School of Law in 2004, enhancing the firm’s International Litigation capabilities. He served as an Assistant State Attorney in Miami-Dade County from 2002 to 2008, became Assistant Chief of the Career Criminal Robbery Unit and worked in the Gang Prosecution Unit where he handled major crimes and proactive investigations.

Tapanes is admitted to practice in all state courts in Florida and the United States District Court for the Southern, Middle, and Northern Districts of Florida. He is a member of the Cuban American Bar Association, American Bar Association, Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, and the League of Prosecutors. He was committee chairperson for the Florida Bar Grievance for three years, and currently serves as a Mediator / Arbitrator for the Florida Bar Fee Dispute Program.