R. Alan Higbee, a partner in Shutts & Bowen LLP’s Tampa office, a member of the Corporate Practice Group and member of the firm’s Executive Committee, was recently featured in an article by the Business Observer discussing his passion for woodworking, a hobby that provides balance and inspiration outside the demanding world of law.
Alan, who has more than three decades of experience in business and corporate law, including contract negotiation, mergers and acquisitions, assisting Federal Government contractors, franchising and more, explains that woodworking has been his refuge from the rigors of legal practice. Growing up next to his father’s workshop in Stuart, Florida, Alan was exposed to carpentry at a young age and made his first pieces as a child. Today, he applies that same spirit of creativity to furniture and decorative items in his own workshop.
Following the destruction of Alan’s dedicated workshop by Hurricane Helene in September 2024, he bought a piece of land 84 feet above sea level and expanded his new woodworking space by 3,500 square feet, allowing him to accommodate expanded tooling and materials. Alan does not sell his work, but treasures the opportunity to make custom pieces for friends and colleagues, from whimsical animal figures to restored heirloom furniture. Looking ahead, he plans to support local animal welfare causes and other organizations by donating handcrafted pieces for fundraising events.
Alan emphasizes the importance of starting small for anyone curious about woodworking. “If you’ve got a hammer, a chisel and a saw, you can do a lot,” he says. “Learn the basics, and it becomes a natural progression.”
While Alan prioritizes woodworking, he mingles his other hobbies, such as fishing, through his creative outlet as well. As an example, the wooden fishing tackle box pictured in the Business Observer article is a replica of the wooden fishing tackle boxes that Alan’s father made and sold in South Florida in the 1950’s.
To read the Business Observer article, click here.
About R. Alan Higbee
R. Alan Higbee is a partner in the Tampa office of Shutts & Bowen LLP where he is a member of the Corporate Practice Group and a member of the firm’s Executive Committee. Alan represents public and private domestic and international companies and entrepreneurs in all facets of general business, corporate and securities matters, including public and private equity and debt offerings, mergers and acquisitions, business contracts, business transactions, joint ventures, corporate governance, and franchise matters. He has significant experience in the restaurant and hospitality, auto dealership, defense, homeland security, fertilizer, agricultural products, chemicals, metals, mining and manufacturing industries.