Overview
Richard Grant is an active real estate and business transactional and organization lawyer with five decades of very diverse and in-depth experience representing clients in transactional matters in Florida. During this time Florida has grown from a population in the lower half of all states to become the nation's third-largest state. He has actively participated in helping clients to navigate the opportunities and challenges this growth has presented. He knows Florida well – particularly Southwest Florida.
Richard is part of a team of five lawyers in the Naples office who represent clients engaged in sophisticated transactions and matters involving real estate development, construction, residential and commercial real estate, hotel and resort operations, and a variety of service sector businesses in general. He handles acquisitions and dispositions. He creates and documents organizational structures for business organizations and projects, as well as for complex urban residential, commercial and mixed-use projects.
Richard guides clients through dealing with acquisitions, development, construction and permanent real estate financing and commercial, corporate and mezzanine finance. In his many years of practice, he has handled some of the largest and most sophisticated business and real estate transactions in the region, as well as representing major businesses and organizations throughout Southwest Florida. Richard has served as outside regular counsel to several substantial business entities during his years in practice.
Richard has been board certified in real estate since the inception of the program in 1987. He has twice served on and as chair of the Real Estate Certification Committee of the entire statewide Florida Bar.
Richard joined Gunster in 2023, when the Naples firm he and others established nearly three decades before merged with Gunster. He has practiced law in Florida since 1973, first with a large downtown Miami firm and in Southwest Florida since 1979. Prior to attending law school, Richard served as a U.S. Army infantry officer. He holds the Bronze Star and Combat Infantryman Badge.
Experience
- Complex commercial, residential and mixed-use development project land acquisitions, project structuring/documentation and dispositions
- Corporate, partnership and limited liability company formations, mergers, and structuring and governance matters
- Business asset and stock acquisitions and dispositions
- Commercial, residential and mixed-use construction contracting
- Project, development, construction, permanent and mezzanine financing
- Real property titles and land use matters, including zoning
Honors
- AV rating as independently determined by Martindale-Hubbell
- Florida Super Lawyers, 2006-24
- Florida Trend, "Legal Elite"
- The Best Lawyers in America®
- Real Estate Law "Lawyer of the Year" in Fort Myers, 2009, 2013, 2016, 2018, 2024
- Corporate Law "Lawyer of the Year" in Fort Myers, 2011, 2015
- Construction Law "Lawyer of the Year" in Fort Myers, 2021, 2025
- The Best Lawyers in America®
- Business Organizations (including LLC's and Partnerships), 2017-24
- Construction Law, 2008-24
- Corporate Law, 2011-24
- Real Estate Law, 2007-24
- Naples Illustrated, “Top Lawyers,” Real Estate Law, 2023-24
- "Lion of the Law" as recognized by the judges in Collier County, 2018
- Collier County Citizen of the Year, 2014
- Medal of Honor by the Collier County Bar Association, 2012
- Silver Beaver Award by Southwest Florida Council Boy Scouts of America
News & Insights
- Past speaker at Florida Bar seminars
- Past speaker at University of Miami Condominium Institute
- Past speaker at Collier County Bar Association seminars
- Co-Author, Chapter 9, Mixed-Use Communities and Mixed-Use Buildings, Florida Bar Real Property Complex Transactions, 8th, 9th, 10th and 11th Editions (2016, 2018, 2020 and 2022 editions)
Involvement
Professional Associations & Memberships
- American College of Real Estate Lawyers (ACREL)
- Fellow, 2024
- Florida Bar Real Estate
- Certification Committee, 1999-04, 2009-15
- Chair, 2002-03, 2014-15
- Florida Board of Bar Examiners, former Member
- 20th Judicial Circuit Grievance Committee
- Former Member
- Former Chair
- American Bar Association Subcommittees on Time Shares and Easements, former Chair
- Collier County Bar Association, Real Estate Attorneys Section
- Former Director
- Chair
- University of Florida College of Law Center Association, former Trustee
- Lawyers Abstract Services, Inc., a bar member-owned service organization
- Former Director
- President
Civic & Community Service
- Southwest Florida Alliance for Economic Development, Alliance, Inc., former Director
- Economic Incubators, Inc.
- Former Director
- Chair
- Economic Development Council of Collier County
- Former Director
- Chair
- Conservancy of Southwest Florida
- Former Director
- Chair
- Southwest Florida Land Preservation Trust
- Director
- Former President
- Boy Scouts of America, Southwest Florida Council
- Former Director
- Scoutmaster
- Forum Club of Collier County, former Director
- Fine Arts Society of Collier County (now United Arts Council)
- Former Director
- Former President
- The Moorings Park Institute, Incorporated., Director, 2017-present
Practices
Education
- University of Florida, J.D., with honors, 1972
- Member of the UF Law Review Board of Editors
- University of Florida, B.A., 1965
Admissions
- Florida, 1973
- Board Certified, Real Estate, 1987
- Real Property
- Probate & Trust Law
- Business Law
- Environmental Law & Land Use Sections
