2013
GRANT FRIDKIN PEARSON, P.A. 5551 Ridgewood Drive, Suite 501, Naples, Florida 34108 | T 239.514.1000 F 239.514.0377 | www.gfpac.com
Spring 2013
Dear Clients and Friends:
This report is provided for the benefit of clients, friends and prof essionals w ith w hom w e have a relationship.
The firm has been in practice for 18 years, having commenced on January 1, 1995. Its founding members, Richard C. Grant, Jeffrey D. Fridkin, William M. Pearson, and G. Helen Athan remain w ith the firm. In August of 2012, the firm shortened its name to Grant Fridkin Pearson, P.A. and developed a new logo.
Seven of our thirteen attorneys have an AV rating from Martindale-Hubbell, the highest rating available. In 2012 and 2013 t he firm w as named among Florida’ s Top Ranked Law Firms by LexisNexis® Martindale Hubbell®, the authoritat ive source for information about U.S. law yers since 1868.
Our practice is active and thrives in the areas that w e practice.
Our law yers and many of our staff are active in community activities to make Southw est Florida a bet ter place.
We stand committed t o serving our clients and the legal needs of our community. Thank you f or your support.
Sincerely,
P a g e
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PERSONNEL
Long time shareholder How ard L. Crow n has moved tow ard eventual retirement by relocating to North Florida. He continues w ith us as of counsel, w ith some limited responsibilities, and is regularly in our office and in daily communication.
Long time shareholder, and one of our founders, Helen Athan, briefly left the firm in the Summer of 2012 to become involved w ith a prominent local real estate brokerage firm. How ever, she decided t hat she missed the practice and rejoined the firm as a shareholder. Law yers in our firm:
Richard C. Grant | Florida Bar Board Cert if ied in Real Est at e
Jeffrey D. Fridkin | Florida Bar Board Cert if ied in Civil Trial and Business Lit igat ion
William M. Pearson | Florida Bar Board Cert if ied in Wills, Trust s & Est at es
G. Helen Athan | Florida Bar Board Cert if ied in Real Est at e
D. Keith Wickenden | Lit igat ion & Disput e Resolut ion Pract ice Group
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GRANT FRIDKIN PEARSON, P.A. 5551 Ridgewood Drive, Suite 501, Naples, Florida 34108 | T 239.514.1000 F 239.514.0377 | www.gfpac.com
CIVIC & COMMUNITY AFFAIRS
Richard C. Grant
Southw est Florida Land Preservation Trust, Inc., Director
One of three Collier County Members of Regional Economic Development Initiative
Jeffrey D. Fridkin
Leadership Collier Foundation, Chairman
William M. Pearson
American Cancer Society:
Nationw ide Gift Planning Advisor Council, Chairman
Florida Division, Board Member
Collier County Unit , Board Member and Past Chairman
Eckerd College Parent Council, Chair
G. Helen Athan
Education Foundation of Collier County, Director
Cheryl L. Hastings
Leadership Collier, Class 2011-2012, Member
Michael T. Traficante
Collier County Bar Association, Young Law yers Section, President Collier County Bar Association, Trial Law yers Section, Member
Jacqueline B. Denton
Collier County Bar Association, Trusts and Estates Section, Member Youth Haven Foundation, Director Lorenzo Walker Institute of Technology Foundation, Direct or
Planned Giving Commit tee, Shelter f or Abused Women & Children of Naples, Member
Kevin W. Pendley
Chairman English Speaking Union
(Naples, FL Branch), Director, Past-President Leadership Collier, Class of 2012
Leadership Collier Foundation, Alumni Advisory Council
Special Olympics of Collier County, Advisory Committee
Charles C. Whittington
Grow ing Associates in Naples (GAIN), Class of 2013
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PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES
Richard C. Grant
Member, Real Estate Certification Committee, The Florida Bar
Emeritus Member, Florida Board of Bar Examiners
Jeffrey D. Fridkin
Member, Florida Bar Grievance Committee for the Tw entieth Judicial Circuit
William M. Pearson
Chair, Wills, Trusts & Estates Certification Committee, The Florida Bar
D. Keith Wickenden
Circuit Representative, Real Property Probate and Trust Law Section, The Florida Bar
Kevin W. Pendley
Member, Education Law Committee, The Florida Bar
ACCOMPLISHMENTS & RECOGNITIONS
Best Law yers in America
G. Helen Athan Jeffrey D. Fridkin
Richard C. Grant - 2013 Fort Myers Area Best Real Estate Law yer
William M. Pearson D. Keith Wickenden
Super Law yers
Jeffrey D. Fridkin Richard C. Grant William M. Pearson
Martindale-Hubbell AV Rating
G. Helen Athan David G. Budd Jeffrey D. Fridkin Richard C. Grant William M. Pearson Kevin W. Pendley D. Keith WickendenCollier County Bar Association Medal
of Honor 2012
Richard C. Grant
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GRANT FRIDKIN PEARSON, P.A. 5551 Ridgewood Drive, Suite 501, Naples, Florida 34108 | T 239.514.1000 F 239.514.0377 | www.gfpac.com
PRACTICE GROUPS
LITIGATION & DISPUTE RESOLUTION
There are six law yers w ho practice in this area, and one w ho pract ices in it and in the transactional area. During 2012 and in early 2013 w e have actively handled a variety of cases in courts in Collier County, Lee County, Hendry County, Palm Beach County, Polk County, and in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida. Our cases involve some of the follow ing subjects: contract disput es, land use entitlements; internal corporate and part nership disput es; legal access issues; real estate disputes; contractual disputes; and claims in estates and trusts.
REAL ESTATE
Despite the dow nturn in the economy to the real estate market as a w hole, in Florida and in Southw est Florida, since 2007 our real estate practice has remained active. We have five law yers w ho pract ice in this group. In 2012 and into 2013 the level and volume of transactions has increased. We regularly and actively represent clients w ho ow n commercial properties. Although many such properties are perf orming satisfactorily, financing and refinancing of those properties, is difficult, if not impossible because of declines in value. Representation of clients in these challenging circumstances is a significant part of our practice. We have often been successful helping clients to achieve a satisfactory restructuring, or the w ork out of a transaction that minimizes and mitigates losses. Creative thinking, planning, and strategizing are required.
BUSINESS TRANSACTIONS & ORGANIZATIONS
Our practice represents clients that ow n and operate a variety of substantial businesses as w ell as some investors w ho acquire businesses. Seven law yers actively practice in this group, one of w hom is experienced in business taxation and has an LL.M. in Taxation. In 2012 and 2013 w e have served a client involved in the sale of a substantial business. We advised and guided others in various organizational and planning activities.
TRUSTS AND ESTATE PLANNING & ADMINISTRATION
There are three law yers in this group. Our attorneys actively assist and guide clients to develop and structure estate plans to serve their objective and needs. This includes estate, gift and generation skipping transfer tax planning, as w ell as advising and guiding clients w ho are fiduciaries administering substant ial estates and trusts, and representing beneficiaries. The Trust s & Estates group currently represents over 75 trusts and estates w ith assets under administration that exceed $200,000,000 in value. We also have an active practice engaged in trusts and estates litigation t hat involve the representation of fiduciaries as w ell as beneficiaries in complex and complicated fact scenarios. The Trusts &
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Estates group regularly w orks closely w ith law yers in the other practice groups of the firm to address the various needs of clients.
