WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (February 14, 2014) – Gunster, one of Florida’s oldest and largest full-service business law firms, looks back on yet another successful year: 2013 was a year of additional growth for the firm, and its activities last year illustrate how attuned Gunster is to individuals and corporations doing business in Florida.
Since 2010, Gunster has been growing its presence in strategic locations throughout the state (Tallahassee, Jacksonville, Tampa and the Florida Keys). In 2013, the firm opened a new office in Orlando, focusing on government affairs, corporate and land use law. This 11th office strategically places the firm in every major commercial market in Florida, and was a natural next step for Gunster, as the I-4 corridor is one of the fastest growing areas in the state and is at the crossroads for business in Florida.
Key lateral hires in 2013 include a former Florida appellate judge (Angel Cortinas) and former ambassador to Panama (Simon Ferro) in the firm’s Miami office; Florida’s deputy secretary for water policy (Gregory Munson) in Tallahassee; and two prominent intellectual property litigators in Martin County (Stephen C. Page, Preethi Sekharan). Additionally, a total of eight new associates joined the firm in 2013.
Gunster continues to seize the momentum in the Miami market by leasing the entire 35th floor of the bustling Brickell World Plaza building, with plans to relocate its Miami office in June of 2014.
In 2013, the firm strengthened its focus on areas of importance to Florida’s business community:
• Economy: Gunster toured its “Economic Forecast 2013” presentations in seven cities throughout Florida in 2013 (Fort Lauderdale, Jacksonville, Miami, Orlando, Stuart, Tampa, West Palm Beach), featuring Gunster Chairman George S. LeMieux and noted economist Dr. Henry H. Fishkind. In addition, Gunster Managing Shareholder Bill Perry was featured in a video produced by the Florida Chamber Foundation about its Six Pillars program that focuses on those aspects that determine a community’s success.
• Health Reform: Gunster labor & employment attorneys presented to clients on President Obama’s second-term agenda for employers, offering practical business strategies for addressing health care reform and the enforcement of employment laws.
• Industry blog: As regulations and compliance issues evolve, Gunster attorneys continue to blog on topics of interest to business executives (TheSecuritiesEdge.com, BoardroomBrief.com, and via e-alerts).
In 2013, Gunster was ranked as one of Florida’s largest law firms by Florida Trend, Daily Business Review and the South Florida Business Journal. The firm also made the National Law Journal’s list of the 350 largest law firms in the nation.
Gunster attorneys received more accolades than in years past:
• 16 Legal Elite honorees – 5 entered into the Legal Elite “Hall of Fame”
• 39 Florida Super Lawyers – 4 on “Top 100” lists
• 60 Best Lawyers – including 3 with “Lawyers of the Year” status
• 22 “Leaders in their Field” honorees by Chambers USA, including a national ranking for Gunster’s immigration practice leader, Sarah Tobocman.
2013 local highlights at a glance
Gunster attorneys continue to engage in their local communities through involvement with industry groups and on topics of interest for their practice and clients:
FORT LAUDERDALE
• Gunster’s tax lead James B. Davis joins the faculty at UM School of Law
• Martin Press is a featured panelist at the IRS Nationwide Tax Forums 2013 in locations including Orlando, Texas, Georgia, Maryland, Louisiana and California.
JACKSONVILLE
• Michael Cavendish is appointed by Gov. Rick Scott to the board of directors of the Florida Humanities Council.
• Real estate attorney Nick Dyal is appointed by Mayor Alvin Brown to the Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville.
MIAMI
• Gunster litigator Jorge Guttman is a founding member of the Venezuelan-American bar association.
• Gunster litigator William Hill is chair of the Florida Grand Opera board of directors.
TALLHASSEE
• Gunster’s Tallahassee office establishes an environmental law scholarship for a third-year FSU law student, which includes a 10-week paid clerkship. Lauren Reynolds was the recipient, as selected by the dean’s office and environmental law faculty at FSU College of Law.
TAMPA
• Real estate and land use attorney Jeffrey T. Shear joins the board of the Tampa Theatre Foundation, and will help in its mission to preserve the theatre as a dynamic cultural institution in the region.
WEST PALM BEACH
• Gunster Managing Shareholder Bill Perry is appointed to the board of trustees to benefit the Levin School of Law at the University of Florida for a five-year term.
• Brian Seymour, leader of Gunster’s environment and land use law practice is reappointed to the Florida Elections Commission by Gov. Scott
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About Gunster
Gunster, Florida’s law firm for business, provides full-service legal counsel to leading organizations and individuals from its 11 offices statewide. Established in 1925, the firm has expanded, diversified and evolved, but always with a singular focus: Florida and its clients’ stake in it. A magnet for business-savvy attorneys who embrace collaboration for the greatest advantage of clients, Gunster’s growth has not been at the expense of personalized service but because of it. The firm serves clients from its offices in Fort Lauderdale, Jacksonville, Miami, Orlando, Palm Beach, Stuart, Tallahassee, Tampa, The Florida Keys, Vero Beach and its headquarters in West Palm Beach. With more than 170 attorneys and 200 committed support staff, Gunster is ranked among the National Law Journal’s list of the 350 largest law firms. More information about its practice areas, offices and insider’s view newsletters is available at www.gunster.com.
Contact:
Jenni Garrison
Director of Marketing & Communications
561-804-4350, [email protected]
