A Snapshot of the Tampa Legal Landscape
Tampa, the county seat of Hillsborough County, boasts a rich and varied legal landscape that has evolved over the past century into a dynamic hub for various specialties. The legal scene in Tampa is not only a reflection of the city’s steady growth but also its status as a flourishing economic and cultural center in Florida. Historically, Tampa has been significant as a strategic commercial port, and it has continued to expand its importance in recent decades as a major center for banking, technology, healthcare, and tourism. The continual influx of new residents and businesses has pushed the legal sector to grow in tandem, resulting in a variety of firms that cater to the city’s unique legal needs.
In recent years, Tampa’s legal community has attracted large law firms from other regions who have chosen to expand their presence into the Tampa Bay area. This trend reflects the larger economic developments in the state , as Florida has outperformed the rest of the U.S. economy on various key fronts like job and revenue growth, and the state’s legal market has similarly expanded in terms of total demand growth. The need for specialized legal expertise has also led to the establishment of boutique firms, small to mid-sized organizations that specialize in one or multiple areas of law. Firms like these bring their experience to Tampa and help to shape the legal landscape.
The top law firms in Tampa offer a wide range of services, including corporate, litigation, real estate, employment, environmental, health law, and international law. The growing number of large-firm lawyers could allow Tampa to become an even more important part of the overall Florida legal market.
What Makes Law Firms Rankable?
While there is no shortage of sources that publish annual "largest law firms" lists, we have chosen to focus on a few important criteria that provide a better sense of the true players in the market. There are no perfect comparisons that get at the right information on the largest group of firms in this area, and we also know that different stakeholders look for different things in a law firm. We want to strike a balance between showing the number of attorneys (headcount), attorney revenue, size of office(s), and reputation and influence in the field.
Firms do not need to be located in Tampa to be included on this list. Some of our criteria may favor out-of-state firms with Tampa offices, but have a very strong presence in the Tampa Bay legal community. We then cross-referenced our data sources with reputable local sources to get a sense as to whether firms were appropriately ranked, whether we considered them to be well-respected, and of course, whether they actually had a presence in the Tampa Bay area.
Tampa’s 10 Largest Law Firms
- Akerman: With 800 employees, Akerman is the largest law firm in Tampa and the Sunshine State. Its downtown office opened in 1996, primarily focusing on commercial litigation. Akerman has been ranked as one of the top firms in the region and contributes to a variety of local charities.
- Carlton Fields: In March 2012, Carlton Fields opened its newest office in Tampa. The firms roots in Tampa Bay go back to 1901 when it was Montgomery, McLellan, and Stackhouse. Today, the firm has 900 employees, who offer a wide range of services.
- Baker & Hostetler: At the inception of the current Baker & Hostetler firm back in 1970, all 35 of the firm’s lawyers practiced in the Central Florida region. Today, there are 950 employees, and the firm has a presence in 14 major cities. Baker & Hostetler has four offices in the state of Florida, in or near Orlando, Miami, West Palm Beach and in Tampa.
- Shook, Hardy & Bacon: This international law firm employs 900+ employees across 13 cities in the world, including Tampa. The firm has six key sectors that fill out their areas of practice: Energy & Environment, Intellectual Property, Cybersecurity & Data Privacy, Pharmaceutical & Medical Devices, Class Action & Complex Litigation, Commercial, Financial & Competition, and Employment, Labor & Higher Education. They have played a large role in many significant cases, including the BP Oil Spill and the Volkswagen emissions cheating scandal.
- Gray Robinson: This law firm has its Tampa roots as its beginnings back in 1923 when George Edgecomb, William Robinson and Abner Harris formed the firm. That original firm, known as Edgecomb, Robinson & Proctor used to be known as Gray-Robinson has grown to 270 employees today.
- Bilzin Sumberg: This is the fifth largest Florida-based law firm, with 230 employees. It specializes in real estate and construction.
- Proskauer Rose: Originally named for Augustus all the way back in 1875, Proskauer is one of the largest full-service law firms in the United States. Their Tampa branch has over 130 lawyers.
- Stichter, Riedel, Blain & Postler P.A.: Tampa’s sixth largest law firm focuses on bankruptcy and creditors’ rights law. It has approximately 50 members.
- Cole, Scott & Kissane: Founded in 1984, CSK is a Tallahassee-based firm with seven offices in Florida, including Tampa. It has roughly 300 employees and provides services to both commercial and personal clients.
- Owen, Stuart, House, Shulman, Mulligan & Twohig: Owen & Stuart was formed in the early 1970s and is known for its strong emphasis on insurance law. It has approximately 60 lawyers.
Why Size Matters: The Benefits of a Large Tampa Law Firm
With their broad scope of services, deep talent pools, and extensive industry networks, large law firms offer distinct advantages that smaller counterparts can’t always promise. In particular, they excel in:
A wide range of legal and business services. Large and boutique law firms often offer extensive expertise across many disciplines. Large law firms usually offer that same range, but often at much deeper levels of experience. Extensive resources. They boast considerable manpower to handle any size case and have the financial strength to invest more heavily in technology. Sometimes, that allows them to extend credit to clients, offering services that a smaller firm may need the funds for upfront. That can include everything from a simple subscription to industry publications to the cost of expensive eDiscovery software. Skilled litigation teams. Large law firms offer senior litigators and top-ranked litigators with decades of experience. Many clients prefer to have a senior litigator on a case, even if he or she doesn’t do all the work , because of the level of insight into the case as it progresses. Nullification of geographical barriers. Big law firms also can work remotely from a strong regional or even international presence. While it is often desirable to work with local lawyers, such firms provide ways to extend the firm’s reach to clients who have needs outside of market areas where the firm has a presence. Large firm clients often receive the same or similar experience to what would be provided at a smaller law firm for the same or lower rate. A large firm, of course, employs a larger number of lawyers of all experience levels and can staff most cases with partners or senior associates while still offering the services that clients require. The predominance of partners in large firms allows the firm to charge competitive rates because clients pay for "top" lawyers. Senior associates can run substantial portions of client matters under the supervision of the partner, while allowing the partner to continue to practice law.
Choosing the Right Tampa Law Firm For Your Business
When it comes to selecting the right law firm for your needs, there are a few key factors that potential clients need to keep in mind. First and foremost, a law firm’s expertise is crucial. Potential clients should ask themselves whether the firm has experience and a proven track record in handling cases similar to theirs. An experienced firm with a strong understanding of the law is well-equipped to navigate the potential complexities of any given issue.
In addition to experience, client reviews and testimonials play a significant role in evaluating a law firm. Online reviews and case results can provide insight into the quality of service provided by the firm, its responsiveness, and the level of client satisfaction. Having an understanding of how a firm is perceived in the market can certainly help you make your decision.
Finally, when choosing the right law firm for your needs, it’s essential to consider a firm’s overall reputation in the local legal community. A firm with a strong reputation often has plenty of resources on hand to better serve its clients, not to mention that such a reputation creates trust with clients that the firm can deal with their issues effectively.
Upcoming Trends in the Tampa Law Market
Several trends are likely to have an impact on the largest law firms in Tampa and beyond in the coming months and years. Technological innovation continues to reshape the way legal work is done, as more firms utilize cloud-based solutions, big data analytics, and artificial intelligence across their practices. This technology is assisting lawyers with everything from due diligence procedures to e-discovery in litigation matters. Outside counsel and law firms who are resistant to change in these areas are at a serious disadvantage to those who are willing to embrace the latest solutions.
Firms are also focusing on specialization as another way to differentiate themselves. By carving out specific niches or practice areas, firms can better position themselves in a crowded marketplace . We may see that reflected in the law firm rankings, as well as further consolidation in the form of merger activity as firms look to expand their service offerings, reach different geographies, and attract the best legal talent.
Changes in regulations will also directly affect the future of the largest law firms in Tampa and beyond. Firms must keep a close eye on rules coming from the Florida Supreme Court and other governing bodies throughout the state. Certain regulations change to a new focus on expert witness involvement, which could, in turn, affect the types of cases received and the work done by a firm. Thus, new regulations could open up untapped business opportunities or create compliance issues for the largest law firms.