Shutts & Bowen LLP opens Sarasota office, combining with Livingston, Patterson, Strickland & Siegel

SARASOTA, Fla. - Oct. 31, 2013 - PRLog -- MIAMI — Oct. 31, 2013 —

Shutts & Bowen announced today that, effective November 1, 2013, it will combine with attorneys from the prominent Sarasota-based law firm of Livingston, Patterson, Strickland & Siegel, P.A. to further strengthen its presence on Florida’s West Coast.  Through this combination, Shutts & Bowen will establish a Sarasota office that will include Livingston Patterson co-founder, John Patterson, as well as partner Michael Siegel and associate John Ervin.  Livingston Patterson partner John Strickland will continue his current matrimonial law practice as the separate law firm of John M. Strickland, P.A.

John Patterson said, “We are truly delighted to have the opportunity to be a part of a firm like Shutts & Bowen that, while providing us with the strength of nearly 250 Florida lawyers in almost every area of business law, also shares our deeply-held core values of providing high quality, personalized, legal services to our clients.  Being a part of Shutts & Bowen will allow us to offer our clients legal services in a substantially expanded number of specialized practice areas on a statewide basis and allow us to help Shutts & Bowen better serve its existing client base in this area.”

Shutts & Bowen Chairman Bowman Brown said “We are excited to have this accomplished group of attorneys join us in establishing a new Sarasota office.  While our firm has long had the pleasure and good fortune of providing services to clients in the Sarasota/Manatee market, we are extremely pleased to have this opportunity to more firmly establish our presence in the community in partnership with such a knowledgeable and well-respected group of lawyers.”

“We have had the privilege of knowing and working with the attorneys of the Livingston Patterson firm for a very long time – they are outstanding - and the nearly identical culture and chemistry of the two firms makes this an ideal combination,” adds Alan Higbee, Shutts & Bowen’s Tampa Office Managing Partner.

As a part of Shutts & Bowen, John Patterson, will continue his practice which focuses on business, real estate and banking law, as well as commercial litigation.  Mr. Patterson is the current President of The Florida Bar Foundation and is a former President of the Sarasota County Bar Association. Mr. Patterson has held many leadership positions in the Sarasota community and The Florida Bar, and recently served three years on the Second District Court of Appeal Nominating Commission.

Michael Siegel will continue his practice, which includes business, real estate, health care and employment law, in addition to both commercial litigation and controversy mediation.  Mr. Siegel has served as a member of the Twelfth Circuit Judicial Nominating Committee and the Twelfth Circuit Grievance Committee.

John Ervin focuses his practice on tax law, business law, estate planning and charitable organizations.

Shutts & Bowen’s new Sarasota office will be located at Livingston Patterson’s existing downtown location at 46 North Washington, Blvd., Suite 1, Sarasota, FL 34236, at 941-365-0550.

Shutts & Bowen, established in 1910, is a full-service business law firm with nearly 250 lawyers in offices in Ft. Lauderdale, Miami, Orlando, Sarasota, Tallahassee, Tampa and West Palm Beach.

Learn more about Shutts & Bowen atwww.shutts.com.

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Distributed By:

WRAGG & CASAS Public Relations, Inc.

1221 Brickell Avenue, Suite 730

Miami, Florida 33131

Mark Sell

Phone: (305) 372‑1234

Cell: (305) 206-5397

msell@wraggcasas.com

For information contact:

Caroline Berger,

Bowman Brown

Shutts & Bowen LLP/Miami

(305) 358-6300

or

Alan Higbee

Shutts & Bowen LLP/Tampa

(813) 227-8131

or

John Patterson

Shutts & Bowen/LLP/Sarasota

(941) 365-0550

Cell: (941) 350-9065