Shutts & Bowen LLP is proud to announce that 119 of the firm's attorneys were recognized by their peers for inclusion in the 2026 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America® and The Best Lawyers in America: Ones to Watch. Among them are several partners who were also selected as a “Lawyer of the Year” in their respective fields: Brendan Aloysius Barry (Real Estate Law), John H. Dannecker (Construction Law), Jack C. McElroy (Litigation – Banking and Finance), Olga M. Pina (Corporate Compliance Law), Woodrow “Woody” H. Pollack (Copyright Law), Patricia A. Leonard (Litigation – Banking and Finance).

For more than 30 years, Best Lawyers has assisted those in need of legal services to identify the attorneys best qualified to represent them in distinct jurisdictions or unfamiliar specialties. Best Lawyers lists are published in leading local, regional, and national publications across the globe.

The following is a list of the Shutts attorneys named and the areas in which they are recognized.

Fort Lauderdale

Best Lawyers

• Vincent F. Alexander: Bankruptcy and Creditor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
• Brendan Aloysius Barry: Real Estate Law
• David O. Batista: Commercial Litigation
• Joseph M. Goldstein: Administrative/Regulatory Law
• Scott A. Marcus: Real Estate Law
• Philip C. Rosen: Real Estate Law
• Sandra E. Krumbein: Real Estate Law

Ones to Watch

• Alamea Deedee Bitran: Commercial Litigation; Litigation – Labor and Employment; Labor and Employment Law – Management

Jacksonville

Best Lawyers

• C. Ryan Maloney: Commercial Litigation; Construction Law; Litigation - Construction

Ones to Watch

• Shane P. Fitzsimmons: Litigation – Construction

Miami

Best Lawyers

• Bowman Brown: Banking and Finance Law; Corporate Law; Insurance Law; International Trade and Finance Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law
• Robert Cheng: Commercial Finance Law; Real Estate Law
• Gary J. Cohen: Tax Law
• J. Thomas Cookson: Banking and Finance Law; Corporate Law; Securities/Capital Markets Law
• Luis A. de Armas: Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships); Corporate Law; International Mergers & Acquisitions; International Trade and Finance Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law
• Eduardo J. De la Peña Bernal: International Arbitration – Commercial; International Arbitration – Governmental
• Steven M. Ebner: Commercial Litigation
• Roland A. Gallor: Real Estate Law
• Stephen B. Gillman: Commercial Litigation; Litigation - Banking and Finance; Litigation – Securities
• Florentino L. Gonzalez: Real Estate Law
• Rene J. Gonzalez-Llorens: Employment Law – Management; Labor Law – Management; Litigation – Labor and Employment
• Harris J. Koroglu: Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law; Litigation – Bankruptcy
• Douglas Kramer: Commercial Litigation
• Jeffrey M. Landau: Insurance Law
• Patrick J. Lannon: Trusts and Estates
• Peter H. Levitt: Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law; Commercial Litigation; Litigation – Bankruptcy
• Lee D. Mackson: Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law; Litigation – Bankruptcy
• William G. McCullough: Banking and Finance Law; Corporate Law
• John E. Meagher: Insurance Law
• Francis E. Rodriguez: Corporate Law; Trusts and Estates
• Julissa Rodriguez: Appellate Practice
• Aliette DelPozo Rodz: Arbitration; International Arbitration – Commercial; Litigation – Construction; Litigation – Real Estate
• Margaret A. Rolando: Real Estate Law
• Scott H. Silver: Commercial Litigation; Litigation – Banking and Finance; Litigation – Bankruptcy
• Alfred G. Smith: Corporate Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law; Securities / Capital Markets
• J. Donald Wasil: Real Estate Law
• Bryan S. Wells: Banking and Finance Law
• Frank A. Zacherl: Litigation – Insurance

Ones to Watch

• Robert N. Cardenas: Banking and Finance Law; Corporate Law
• Martha M. Ferral: Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships); Commercial Litigation
• Eduardo Rivero: Insurance Law
• Ivane Sargent: Insurance Law

Orlando

Best Lawyers

• Charles B. Costar III: Banking and Finance Law; Land Use and Zoning Law; Real Estate Law
• Donald J. Curotto: Litigation - Real Estate; Real Estate Law
• John H. Dannecker: Construction Law; Litigation – Construction; Litigation – Real Estate
• Jeffrey S. Elkins: Commercial Litigation; Litigation – Construction
• Michael L. Gore: Commercial Litigation; Litigation - Banking and Finance
• Michael J. Grindstaff: Litigation - Real Estate; Real Estate Law
• Jason W. Hill: Construction Law
• Russell P. Hintze: Mergers and Acquisitions Law; Tax Law; Corporate Law
• Mary Ruth Houston: Employment Law – Individuals; Employment Law – Management; Labor Law – Management; Litigation - Labor and Employment
• J. Gregory Humphries: Corporate Governance Law; Corporate Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law
• Juli Simas James: Environmental Law; Land Use and Zoning Law; Real Estate Law
• James F. Johnston: Government Relations Practice; Real Estate Law
• Roderick N. Jones: Banking and Finance Law
• Todd F. Kobrin: Commercial Litigation; Litigation – Construction
• Jack C. McElroy: Commercial Litigation; Litigation - Banking and Finance
• Daniel T. O'Keefe: Real Estate Law
• Brett Renton: Commercial Litigation
• Sarah Donini Rodriguez: Construction Law
• Paul J. Scheck: Employment Law – Management; Labor Law – Management; Litigation – Labor and Employment
• Jennifer Sommerville: Appellate Practice
• Erik F. Szabo: Litigation – Construction
• Jennifer Slone Tobin: Litigation – Real Estate; Real Estate Law
• Derrick M. Valkenburg: Construction Law; Litigation - Construction
• James G. Willard: Real Estate Law

Ones to Watch

• Kyle H. Jones: Real Estate Law
• J. Cameron Katz: Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships); Corporate Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law
• Adriana L. Pfeiffer: Commercial Litigation
• Patrick B. Salmon: Real Estate Law

Sarasota

Best Lawyers

• Charla M. Burchett: Trusts and Estates
• John Patterson: Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships); Corporate Law; Real Estate Law
• E. Zachary Rans: Real Estate Law
• Michael E. Siegel: Commercial Litigation; Corporate Law; Real Estate Law

Tallahassee

Best Lawyers

• Benjamin J. Gibson: Administrative / Regulatory Law; Government Relations Practice
• Daniel E. Nordby: Administrative / Regulatory Law; Appellate Practice; Government Relations Practice
• Tara R. Price: Appellate Practice; Government Relations Practice

Tampa

Best Lawyers

• Eric S. Adams: Commercial Litigation; Litigation – Real Estate; Litigation – Banking and Finance
• Matthew Blackshear: Litigation – Real Estate; Mortgage Banking Foreclosure Law; Real Estate Law
• Amanda B. Buffinton: Construction Law; Litigation – Construction; Litigation - Insurance
• Tirso M. Carreja, Jr.: Commercial Litigation; Communications Law; Litigation – Real Estate; Real Estate Law
• Meredith S. Delcamp: Commercial Litigation; Construction Law; Land Use and Zoning Law; Litigation – Land Use and Zoning; Litigation – Real Estate; Real Estate Law
• Meredith A. Freeman: Commercial Litigation; Construction Law; Litigation – Construction; Litigation - Real Estate
• R. Alan Higbee: Agriculture Law; Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships); Corporate Compliance Law; Corporate Governance Law; Corporate Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law; Securities/Capital Markets Law; Project Finance Law
• Jordan G. Lee: Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law; Litigation – Trusts and Estates; Tax Law; Trusts and Estates
• Erik R. Matheney: Commercial Litigation; Criminal Defense: White-Collar; Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions – Defendants; Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
• Andrew W. McLaughlin: Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law; Employment Law – Management
• Matthew J. Meyer: Commercial Litigation; Litigation – Real Estate
• Lee E. Nelson: Banking and Finance Law; Real Estate Law
• Eric E. Page: Commercial Litigation; Land Use and Zoning Law; Litigation – Land Use and Zoning; Litigation – Real Estate
• Olga M. Pina: Corporate Governance Law; Corporate Compliance Law; Corporate Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law
• Woodrow “Woody” H. Pollack: Copyright Law; Information Technology Law; Litigation - Intellectual Property; Litigation – Patent; Patent Law; Trademark Law
• Ryan C. Reinert: Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law; Commercial Litigation; Litigation – Bankruptcy; Mortgage Banking Foreclosure Law
• Ella A. Shenhav: Commercial Litigation; Litigation – Labor and Employment
• Michael P. Silver: Appellate Practice; Commercial Litigation; Litigation – Banking and Finance
• Lonnie L. Simpson: Commercial Litigation; Litigation – Securities
• Susan K. Spurgeon: Litigation – Real Estate; Real Estate Law
• James P. Terpening III: Construction Law; Litigation – Construction
• Frederick S. Werdine: Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law
• Adam S. Woodruff: Banking and Finance Law; Commercial Transactions/UCC Law; Corporate Law; Real Estate Law; Mergers and Acquisition Law; Mortgage Banking Foreclosure Law
• Timothy D. Woodward: Commercial Litigation; Construction Law; Litigation – Construction; Litigation – Real Estate

Ones to Watch

• Ashlyn Robinson Banks: Commercial Litigation; Litigation – Real Estate
• Alyssa L. Cory: Appellate Practice
• Elise M. Engle: Appellate Practice; Government Relations Practice
• S. Elizabeth King: Commercial Litigation
• Brian Paul: Intellectual Property Law; Litigation – Intellectual Property; Patent Law

West Palm Beach

Best Lawyers

• Rikki Lober Bagatell: Real Estate Law
• Joseph W. Bain: Litigation – Patent; Patent Law
• Matthew Chait: Commercial Litigation
• Eric C. Christu: Commercial Litigation
• Patricia M. Flanagan: Trade Secrets Law
• Elizabeth M. Jones: Real Estate Law
• Brian D. Kennedy: Trusts and Estates
• Patricia A. Leonard: Commercial Litigation; Litigation - Banking and Finance; Litigation – Labor and Employment
• Arthur J. Menor: Real Estate Law
• Harvey E. Oyer III: Land Use and Zoning Law; Real Estate Law
• Matthew S. Sackel: Commercial Litigation

Ones to Watch

• Eric Mattison: Corporate Law
• Michael A. Munoz: Commercial Litigation

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About Shutts & Bowen LLP

Shutts & Bowen LLP, established in 1910, is a full-service business law firm with approximately 280 lawyers in offices in Fort Lauderdale, Jacksonville, Miami, Orlando, Sarasota, Tallahassee, Tampa and West Palm Beach.  Learn more about Shutts & Bowen at www.shutts.com.