Shutts Partners Named Among Florida Trend’s 2026 Legal Elite NOTABLE Managing Partners

Shutts & Bowen LLP is pleased to announce that Jack McElroy, Amanda B. Buffinton, Matthew R. Chait, Benjamin J. Gibson and Aliette DelPozo Rodz were recognized as honorees in Florida Trend’s 2026 Legal Elite NOTABLE Managing Partners.

The Legal Elite NOTABLE Managing Partners list, which is published in the July edition of Florida Trend, recognizes managing partners who demonstrate exceptional leadership in guiding their firms' strategic direction, business operations, client development and talent management while maintaining a distinguished reputation for excellence in their legal practice.

The Florida Trend editorial review team has vetted and selected these individual managing partners, who qualified for inclusion by meeting and exceeding specific methodology and criteria parameters that were put in place for this nomination process.

To see Florida Trend’s 2026 Legal Elite NOTABLE Managing Partners, click here.

 

About Jack McElroy

Jack McElroy is the firmwide Managing Partner of Shutts & Bowen LLP.  He also serves on the firm’s Executive Committee. Jack is a commercial litigator with more than 30 years of experience representing clients in a wide variety of business disputes.  His representative clients include large, national financial institutions; one of the world’s largest entertainment companies; a statewide health care organization; national and statewide property management companies; and numerous closely held entities. 

About Amanda B. Buffinton

Amanda B. Buffinton is the Managing Partner of the Tampa office of Shutts & Bowen LLP, where she is a member of the Construction Litigation Practice Group. A Martindale Hubbell AV® Preeminent™ rated attorney, Amanda is also Board Certified in Construction Law by The Florida Bar. She has been rated in Chambers USA for her expertise in construction law since 2020. Amanda specializes in the litigation and arbitration of complex construction claims including representing clients in jury and non-jury trials.

About Matthew R. Chait

Matt Chait is the Managing Partner of the West Palm Beach office of Shutts & Bowen LLP, where he is a member of the Business Litigation Practice Group. His statewide practice focuses on commercial real estate and land use litigation, commercial foreclosure and loan guaranty matters, and general business litigation, including partnership and LLC disputes, franchising, healthcare, fraud, deceptive trade practices, and complex judgment domestication issues. A Martindale-Hubbell AV® Preeminent™ rated commercial litigator, Matt has been recognized by a variety of publications for his legal work.

About Benjamin J. Gibson

Benjamin Gibson advises businesses, political and nonprofit organizations, and governmental entities on some of Florida’s most complex legal, regulatory, and governmental challenges. He serves as Managing Partner of the Tallahassee office of Shutts & Bowen LLP, Chair of the firm’s Political Law Section and Education Section, and a member of the Governmental Law Practice Group.

About Aliette DelPozo Rodz

Aliette DelPozo Rodz is the Managing Partner of Shutts & Bowen LLP's Miami office, where she chairs the International Litigation and Arbitration Practice Group and the Cuba Task Force. Aliette serves as lead trial counsel for companies in disputes before state and federal courts, in arbitration, and before administrative agencies. She handles all aspects of litigation, including preliminary and permanent injunction hearings, evidentiary hearings, bench trials, arbitrations, and jury trials.