Burr & Forman Enters Tampa Market Through Combination With Williams Schifino

TAMPA, Fla., Sept. 28, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Burr & Forman LLP announced today, effective October 1, that it will combine with Tampa law firm Williams Schifino Mangione & Steady, P.A. The combination marks Burr & Forman's entrance into the Tampa market, following the addition of a Fort Lauderdale office in April, and complements the firm's growing presence in Orlando. With the addition of 23 attorneys from Williams Schifino, Burr & Forman now has a total of 55 attorneys across Florida, and 277 firmwide across nine offices in five Southeastern states.  

"It is always our practice to listen to our clients' needs, and the launches of each of our offices throughout the Southeast have been a direct result of feedback from clients," explained William Lee Thuston, managing partner of Burr & Forman. "This combination with Williams Schifino is no exception; strategically, expansion into the Tampa market is the perfect solution for our banking and financial institutions clients who desire local legal counsel. Williams Schifino is in its prime: the firm is fiscally sound, and this combination provides a number of mutual benefits for both firms' clients. Burr & Forman's Southeastern footprint now includes deep coverage across Florida, with offices in Fort Lauderdale, Orlando and Tampa, and we look forward to continued growth in these markets."

All 46 employees, including 23 attorneys, from Williams Schifino combine with Burr & Forman today. The Tampa office's many practices complement Burr & Forman's existing business and litigation services.

"Our entire firm is excited about the opportunities this combination provides us," said William J. Schifino, Jr., who becomes Burr & Forman's Tampa office managing partner and previously served as managing director of Williams Schifino. "After discussions with our clients, we determined that they would best be served if we joined forces with a Southeastern powerhouse that offers full-service legal support with a wider geographic market presence."

"Williams Schifino enjoys a long-standing legacy in the Tampa community, including a commitment to the legal profession as well as charitable and civic organizations," added Thuston. "The attorneys' leadership and enthusiasm around these causes are qualities we embody at Burr & Forman, making this combination attractive from a cultural standpoint as well as a client-service perspective."

Through the combination, Burr & Forman adds the following Tampa-based attorneys:

Partners

• John J. Agliano
• Scott Brown
• Daniel P. Dietrich
• Robin P. Keener
• Ralph P. Mangione
• R. Marshall Rainey
• John D. Russell
• John A. Schifino
• William J. Schifino, Jr.
• William J. Schifino, Sr.
• Scott I. Steady
• Robert M. Stoler
• Shane B. Vogt
• Robert V. Williams

Of Counsel

• Dennis E. Manelli

Associates

• Jeffrey E. Appleang
• Amy Burns Baruch
• Dara A. Cooley
• Alex Haddad
• Joseph T. King
• Joel R. Mohorter
• Nicole Soto
• Catherine M. Verona

About Burr & Forman LLP

For over a century, Burr & Forman LLP's experienced legal team has served clients with local, national, and international interests in numerous industry and practice areas, ranging from commercial litigation and class actions to corporate transactions, including bankruptcy and restructurings. A Southeast regional firm with over 275 attorneys and offices in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, and Tennessee, Burr & Forman attorneys draw from a diverse range of resources to help clients achieve their goals and address their complex legal needs. For more information, visit the firm's website at www.burr.com.

SOURCE Burr & Forman LLP