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Statewide law firms largely sidestepped Southwest Florida during the boom years of the last decade.
But now that the economic recovery is underway, several firms have expanded in Fort Myers and Naples.
For example, Jacksonville-based Rogers Towers has four attorneys in Fort Myers and seeks to double that number, says Douglas Waldorf, a shareholder in the Fort Myers office.
Waldorf says the firm targets lawyers with expertise in estate planning, business, tax and real estate law — areas where it sees opportunities to grow.
“A nice practice mix would put us at eight attorneys in Fort Myers,” says Waldorf, an alumnus of Fort Myers-based Henderson Franklin and SunTrust prior to opening the Rogers Towers office in Fort Myers in 2011.
In addition, Rogers Towers wants to acquire a small practice of one-to-five attorneys in Naples with a similar focus on estate planning, business and tax work. “We've looked at three firms,” says Waldorf. “You have to find the right mix of personalities and skill sets.”
The expansion in Southwest Florida is part of the firm's efforts to diversify statewide. Rogers Towers has been in business in Northeast Florida since 1905.
Other statewide firms growing its Fort Myers and Naples presence include Orlando-based GrayRobinson, which recently opened its 13th office in Fort Myers, led by attorneys Michael Randolph and Derek Rooney.
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