The Legal 500

Within Florida: land use and zoning,

Fowler White Boggs P.A.

PRACTICE: With Tampa at its core and strong practices in Tallahassee and Fort Myers, Fowler White Boggs P.A. has a solid presence across much of the state. The firm is well known for its work on DRIs and recently advised Newland Communities on the Bexley Ranch DRI in Pasco County. This 7,000 acre development will include 7,000 homes, 400,000 sq ft of commercial space, and 250,000 sq ft of office space, as well as 206 acres of parks, two elementary schools and one middle school. Another highlight has been representing the Clear Springs on a major long-term planning process to redevelop 18,000 acres of land formerly mined for phosphate.

CLIENTS: Clients include Clear Springs, Newland Communities, Trademark Metals Recycling, Sears Roebuck, Terminix International, Kinder Morgan, Sierra Properties, Terrabrook and TECO.

INDIVIDUALS: Key partners include Ronald Noble, who heads the practice from Tampa and has strong expertise in hazardous and solid waste regulation and wastewater treatment enforcement and permitting. Tallahassee-based Linda Loomis Shelley is recommended and, as former general counsel to the state Governor and Secretary for the Department of Community Affairs, she has an excellent track record working for and with the public sector. Firm CEO Rhea Law is also highly recommended.

Within Florida: transactions and finance,

Fowler White Boggs P.A.

PRACTICE: 2008 saw Fowler White Boggs P.A. build up its presence in Jacksonville with two impressive partner hires: Karl Hanson from Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP, and James Porter from Montecito Property Company and Montecito Medical Investment Company, where he was assistant general counsel. The main hub of the practice is in Tampa, but also has strong teams in Fort Myers, Jacksonville and Tallahassee. The practice’s expertise extends beyond the transactional and development side, into financings, leasing, property management, loan workouts and restructurings. Recently it advised SunTrust Bank on a number of loan modifications and refinancings, and Quick Service Foods on the sale of several restaurant sites.

CLIENTS: The team’s clientbase comes from all corners of the market, and includes Quick Service Foods, SunTrust Bank, Kinsman Hotel Group, Columbia Restaurant Group, Thompson & Company of Tampa and Ryan Companies.

INDIVIDUALS: Real estate head Jeffrey Shannon boasts a diverse Tampa-based practice that covers transactional, development, leasing and financing matters, as well as licensing and franchise agreements. Herbert Boatner is particularly recommended for his public sector work, advising state and local governments, as well as lenders and developers on related issues.

Within Domestic tax: East Coast,

Fowler White Boggs P.A.

PRACTICE: Fowler White Boggs P.A. fields one of Florida’s largest tax practices, which was unaffected by the amicable demerger of the firm’s insurance group. From the numerous expressions of client satisfaction with the service provided, it clearly understands its market. Strong in business tax advice, in planning, transactions and in controversies, it also addresses high-net-worth individuals and estates. Many major clients are headquartered outside the state and instruct in federal tax matters as well as local tax issues. Clients commend the practice as ‘proactive and responsive’ and ‘clearly very thorough and knowledgeable but not running the hours up unnecessarily’. The individual professional relationships established at the Florida Department of Revenue which ‘help in getting cases resolved’ are appreciated.

Recent confidential instructions include assisting an Orlando headquartered technology company with cross-border investment in Latin America. The practice is also advising in the high-profile $1.75bn deal in which the State of Florida will repurchase the environmentally sensitive Everglades from US Sugar.

CLIENTS: Clients include NBC, Vivendi, Citibank, Sprint World Petroleum Cemex, Champion Brands, Compass Bank, Delta Global Services, Lykes Brothers, Phoenix Aviation Managers and Progressive Insurance.

INDIVIDUALS: In Tampa, tax practice leader Mitchell Horowitz, ‘was impressive and easy to deal with in a complex dispute which was masterfully handled’. Also in Tampa, Hunter Brownlee is recommended for both federal and local tax advice and Darren Farfante combines his tax practice with bankruptcy expertise.Tallahassee houses widely experienced William Townsend, the state and local tax practice leader, an expert in a multi-state taxation, and Rex Ware, who ‘is very knowledgeable in sales in land use tax law and skillfully crafts clear and concise letters’.