Practice Areas & Industries: Gunster, Yoakley & Stewart, P.A.

Practice/Industry Group Overview

South Florida is a leading international business and financial center. Its professional advisors and counselors must be skilled in addressing the global needs of companies, their investors and their workforces. For decades, Gunster Yoakley has guided clients in all industries through every stage of development. From the creation of a start-up venture through the public offering of an established enterprise, and every legal matter in between, our attorneys offer solid, proactive business-oriented legal advice. As business continues to evolve and change, today's companies and their executives are under intense pressure. We help direct clients through the ever-changing landscape, myriad decisions and complex issues they face, enabling them to capitalize upon opportunities. Our attorneys first and foremost are business specialists. Many trained on Wall Street and hold MBA degrees, CPA certificates or LLMs in Tax that complement their legal training and provide added insight into the complexities of the marketplace. Members of Gunster Yoakley's Corporate Department seek to ensure every option is evaluated and every deal gets done the "right" way.

Services Available

• Business Organization and Operation
• Mergers and Acquisitions
• Partnerships
• Joint Ventures
• Intellectual Property
• Securities Offerings
• Internet Law
• Asset Financing and Venture Capital
• Employment Law and Executive Compensation
• ERISA
• Corporate Governance
• Immigration
• Tax Controversies
• Tax-Exempt Organizations and Financing
• State and Foreign Taxation
• Franchising and Distribution
• Sports and Entertainment Law
• Communications
• Estate Planning and Business Succession

Representative Matters

• Successfully guided the merger of JW Charles Financial and Corporate Management Group, including the issuance of preferred stock rights and registration as a NASDAQ listed company. The combined company has become the largest NYSE member firm in South Florida.

• Represented Eckes Properties, Inc. majority shareholders in various ancillary transactions, including shareholder disputes, related to the $250 million purchase and sale to Canandaigua Brands, Inc. of all Franciscan Vineyards, Inc. stock, as well as that of other wineries in Napa and Sonoma, California.

• Expedited the transfer of intellectual property, sales contracts and other major assets in record time, allowing FTD.com to close on the purchase of $8.6 million in National Flora/Gerald Stevens assets. Given a two-day timetable by the bankruptcy court, the Firm's acquisition team documented, negotiated and closed the transfer and was able to meet the court-imposed deadline.

Clients:
Arvida/JMB Partners, AutoNation, Inc., Bank of America, N.A., Bankrate, Inc., Boca Raton Resort and Club, Capital City Bank Group, Inc., Chiquita International, Inc., Citrix Systems, Inc., Flagler Development Corporation, Florida East Coast Industries, Inc., FTD, Inc., GE Capital, Gill Hotels Company, Inc., Innkeepers Hospitality , J.P. Morgan Chase & Co., Jupiter Island Club, Lee Munder Capital Group, Levenger Company, Lykes Bros., Inc., Murray Goodman Company, Park Avenue BBQ Restaurants, Pegasus Corporation of America, Pioneer Corporation, Pratt & Whitney, Ranger Construction Industries, Inc., Republic Services, Inc., Rybovich Spencer, SBA Communications Corporation, Seven Springs Golf Club, Smiths Industries PLC, Sonesta Hotels & Resorts, The St. Joe Company, Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Teva Pharmaceutical, Trump International Golf Club , Trump National Golf Club, U.S. Sugar Corporation, U.S. Trust Company , United Technologies Corporation, WCI Communities, Inc.