There's more to the Miami legal world than Don Johnson and hanging chads. Like, for example, the 30-odd international firms either headquartered or with a strong presence in the city. Many of them, especially the ones that specialize in litigation, corporate law, and real estate, are scrambling for new recruits to meet rising client demand. As the economy limps back to normal in the rest of the country, in Miami it's in an all-out sprint. The 10.5 million vacationers in 2002 helped, along with full-throttle development in many of the chicest neighborhoods. And the lawyers who work at those firms and live in those neighborhoods aren't there for the early bird specials and pastel-hued stucco. Sure, the area's home to plenty of retirees who play nine holes before you start work and go to bed before you finish. But top-notch shopping, extravagant restaurants, acres of beaches, and a throbbing club scene make Miami feel hotter than its average summer temperature of 82. Much hotter. HOT RESTAURANTS Power brokers rub shoulders — and, probably, knees — at B.E.D., where diners eat in, yes, bed. GRASS attracts glitterati to the Design District with flavors of Asia by way of Peru. And internationally renowned chef Angel Palacios came all the way from Madrid to put his unique stamp on haute Spanish cuisine (ever tasted foie gras foam and fried frogs' legs?) at LA BROCHE. HOT BARS Saturdays offer plenty of fun at Ian Schrager's SKYBAR MIAMI BEACH, at The Shore Club, but only to those who can get in. PEARL RESTAURANT AND CHAMPAGNE BAR in South Beach offers enough bubbly and caviar options to make you dizzy. And laundry is a lot more fun when you do it at THE LAUNDRY BAR on Miami Beach, with a cocktail in hand. HOT JOBS If you're looking for high-profile, you can't beat GREENBERG TRAURIG, which served as lead counsel for President Bush's campaign in the Florida presidential election litigation. Meanwhile, HOLLAND & KNIGHT has mined diverse talent from Miami's workforce — the firm was recognized in a diversity study conducted by the Minority Law Journal this year for having the most minority partners in the country. And while SHOOK HARDY & BACON originated in Missouri more than 100 years ago, the firm's five-year-old Miami office is just warming up to a slew of Fortune 500 clients. COLSON HICKS EIDSON has carved out a huge chunk of the personal injury niche, recently as co-lead counsel for the hundreds of victims in the federal suit against Ford Motor Company and Firestone. For in-house gigs, inquire at the HQs of Hispanic broadcast giant TELEMUNDO or ROYAL CARIBBEAN CRUISES. HOT 'HOODS SOUTH BEACH, home to famous faces and steep prices, is close to beaches, clubs, and, sometimes, Madonna. CORAL GABLES is Miami's business center but also boasts rows of Mediterranean-style apartments; hipsters, meanwhile, are flocking to COCONUT GROVE, where Robert Frost and Tennessee Williams once had homes. HOT CLUBS At CROBAR, on the beach, relieve your workday stress to the electronic beats of DJs John Digweed and Victor Calderone (Gwyneth and Lil' Kim have been known to drop by the V.I.P. room). Afterwards, head to RUMI, one of many South Beach spots that morphs from restaurant to club after midnight. If it's classic Miami salsa you crave, you'll find it at MANGO'S TROPICAL CAFÉ. HOT TICKETS PRO PLAYER STADIUM is home to the Dolphins and Florida Marlins, while the Miami "Wait 'Til Next Year" Heat play at AMARICAN AIRLINES ARENA. Meanwhile, the CITY BALLET, under the direction of Balanchine'S protegé Edward Villella, and the MIAMI SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, led by Cuban-American maestro Manuel Ochoa, highlight the city's surprisingly diverse cultural offerings. The JACKIE GLEASON THEATER OF THE PERFORMING ARTS offers everything from Broadway to Elvis Costello (Margaret Cho appears this month). ART BASEL, the renowned Swiss contemporary art show, will descend on Miami Beach for three days in December. HOT SHOPPING The BAL HARBOUR Shops on Collins Avenue, Miami's answer to Rodeo Drive, carry haute couture from Versace and Escada. Spend a Sunday scouting produce at the FARMERS MARKET on LINCOLN ROAD, a pedestrian-only thoroughfare lined with shops. Furnish your pad from the DESIGN DISTRICT's 18 square blocks of furniture.

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