WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (Dec. 18, 2017) – Gunster, one of Florida’s oldest and largest full-service business law firms, is pleased to announce that Gunster was again recognized nationally and locally in 2017 as among the biggest and most diverse law firms by notable industry publications such as the National Law Journal, The American Lawyer, Law360, Florida Trend, the Daily Business Review, and regional Business Journals.
With its more than 180 attorneys, plus 200 committed support staff, located in offices throughout the state of Florida, Gunster continues to rank among the top 10 biggest firms in the state, and makes a respectable showing among nationally recognized large firms.
Gunster's size rankings in 2017* include:
- 6th-largest law firm in South Florida - according to the South Florida Business Journal's annual ranking. This represents a move up in rank from 7th place in 2016.
- 9th-largest law firm in Florida - according to Florida Trend's annual biggest law firms list. Gunster moved up in rank from 11th place in 2016.
- 10th-largest law firm in Florida - according to the Daily Business Review, which bases its rankings on the average number of full-time equivalent attorneys for the previous calendar year. The Tampa Bay Business Journal also ranked Gunster the 10th-largest law firm in the state. Gunster received the same 10th-place ranking by both the DBR and TBBJ in 2016.
- 220th-largest law firm in U.S. - according to the National Law Journal's NLJ500, an annual list of the 500 largest law firms in the nation. Gunster's 2017 rank represents a move up from 230th place in 2016.
- 227th-largest law firm in U.S. - according to Law360's annual list of the biggest 400 law firms in the country. This ranking represents a move up from spot No. 231 last year.
Gunster's diversity rankings in 2017* include:
- 5th-highest percentage of Hispanic attorneys - according to The American Lawyer, a national legal industry publication. Gunster's 10.4 percent is just under the highest-ranking firm's 15 percent.
- 8th-highest percentage of women attorneys in South Florida - according to the DBR's diversity special section in 2017. Gunster has a total of 31 percent women attorneys.
- Above-average percentage of minority attorneys - according to Law360, the average representation of minority attorneys in U.S. law firms (for firms with 150 to 299 attorneys) is 12 percent. Gunster has 15 percent minority attorneys, based on full-time-equivalent figures for the 2016 calendar year.
- Above-average percentage of female associate attorneys - according to Law360, the average representation of nonpartner women attorneys in U.S. law firms (for firms with 150 to 299 attorneys) is 44 percent. Gunster has 60 percent nonpartner women attorneys, based on full-time equivalent figures for the 2016 calendar year.
- 40th-most diverse law firm in U.S. (out of 219 firms surveyed) – according to The American Lawyer's 2017 Diversity Scorecard, with 15 percent minority attorneys.
*Note: rank position may differ by publication, depending on a publication's cut-off date and methodology.
Notably, Gunster Director of Attorney Recruiting and Professional Development Brad Sprayberry currently serves on the Diversity and Inclusion Committee of the Florida Bar Association, having been first selected to the committee in 2014. And in 2016, Sprayberry was selected from among U.S., Canadian law firms for the board of directors of the National Association for Law Placement.
See also Gunster's size and diversity rankings for 2016.
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