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Florida In Brief
Florida In Brief
Florida is the fourth largest state in the US in terms of population, and the cities of Jacksonville, Tampa and Miami in particular are all major business hubs for the southeastern US as well as for international business in Latin America.The state’s nominal GDP in 2006 was over $713.5 billion, the fourth largest in the country and among the 20 largest in the world. 34 Fortune 500 companies are headquartered in Florida, and it is home to four of the 100 fastest growing companies in the US. Among the leading Florida based companies based are Publix Supermarkets, the largest employee-owned supermarket chain in the United States with 2006 retail sales of $21.7 billion; IT product distributor Tech Data; AutoNation car dealers; home building company Lennar and Office Depot, which sold $15 billion of products and services in the 2006 fiscal year.
This range of industry and strength of economy is matched by a similar level of legal expertise, and this is reflected in the selection of over 400 leading lawyers in the following pages. Drawn from a range of firms, from boutiques to national and international entities, we have classified these experts under 24 areas of law. The following firms in this introduction stood out from the field for the depth and breadth of the expertise they command in Florida, and should be considered as the leaders in the state.
Editorial
Editorial: Florida
Editorial: Aviation in Florida
The following chapter identifies 21 individuals from 18 firms, all of whom were consistently recommended to researchers for the strength of their aviation practices.
Editorial: Banking in Florida
Florida’s banking market is undergoing changes: as the number of workouts and restructurings increase because of recent turbulent events in the real estate sector, the amount of transactional work has seen a slight decline.
Editorial: Business Crime in Florida
There are 15 individuals from 10 firms featured in this chapter. The number of boutiques included reflects their high standing in the local market. In addition, several of the lawyers have a background in government at the US Department of Justice (DoJ), giving them an inside perspective and enhancing the service they provide for their clients.
Editorial: Capital Markets in Florida
The lawyers listed in this chapter have a proven track record in representing and advising issuers, underwriters, investment banks, funds, REITs and other market participants on all aspects of equity and debt transactions based in Florida and around the world. They can be considered to be experts in their field of capital markets law; advising on IPOs (domestic, international and global), secondary offerings including rights issues, placements and open offers, PIPEs and other equity issuances. In addition, these practitioners may also have extensive experience in investment-grade and high-yield debt offerings, structured products, repackagings, derivatives and securitisations involving the full range of asset classes.
Editorial: Commercial Arbitration in Florida
Commercial arbitration is firmly established as a popular method for dispute resolution, and has been recognised for some years as a viable alternative to the court system in the United States. This chapter identifies 15 individuals who are leaders in their specific field, and are highly proficient as neutral, panellist or counsel.
Profiled Firms
Firm Profiles: Florida
Holland & Knight LLP
Holland & Knight LLP can trace its roots back to 1889, when Peter Knight established his practice in Tampa. In 1968 Knight Jones Whitaker & Germany merged with Holland Bevis Smith Kibler & Hall to form Holland & Knight and with this the firm established itself as one of the largest in the state.
Kenny Nachwalter PA
This highly successful 23-lawyer litigation boutique operates from Miami. One respondent to our survey said its lawyers are “some of the best in the state” – six of them appear in our line-up of Florida’s top practitioners.
Squire Sanders & Dempsey LLP
Squire Sanders & Dempsey LLP is an 800-lawyer international firm with a formidable presence in Florida thanks to its recent merger with Steel Hector & Davis. It now boasts four offices in the state and benefits from its close links with Latin America. Six of the firm’s lawyers make an appearance in our line-up of Florida’s top practitioners, appearing in seven separate practice areas.
Trenam Kemker Scharf Barkin Frye O'Neill & Mullis PA
Florida firm Trenam Kemker was founded in 1970 and has grown to house 80 lawyers between offices in Tampa and St Petersburg. The firm’s client base is drawn from a range of industries including retail, food services, banking, gaming, manufacturing and technology and these comprise both large and small organisations, publicly traded and listed corporations as well as large private companies and emerging businesses. The firm boasts ten nominations on the following pages divided between six of the 22 featured practice areas.
White & Case LLP
White & Case LLP was founded in New York in 1901 and with lawyers in the US, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia the firm offers its clients a truly international platform. Its Miami office was opened in 1987 and is the centre of White & Case’s dynamic Florida and Latin American practices. The firm’s lawyers feature 10 times in this publication in eight of the 22 chapters.
Focus On Corporate Counsel
Corporate Counsel Q&A: Florida
Florida Corporate Counsel: David Vetter
Senior vice president, general counsel and secretary, Tech Data Corporation
Tech Data Corporation was founded in 1974 and began expanding rapidly in 1983, developing its target markets and redirecting its efforts toward servicing microcomputer resellers as a wholesale distributor. The company has emerged as a leading global provider of IT products, logistics management and other value-added services. Based in Clearwater, Florida, Tech Data and its subsidiaries operate in 26 fulfilment centres in the US, Canada, Latin America, Europe and the Middle East. With more than 90,000 customers in over 100 countries, Tech Data generated $21.4 billion in sales for its fiscal year ended 31 January 2007.