On November 1, 2026, The Florida Bar reported a sweeping wave of lateral moves, promotions, and judicial appointments across the state’s legal landscape, reshaping firms from Miami to Tallahassee.
The latest updates capture a bustling period for Florida jurisprudence. In Miami, Michael J. Byrne and Théo de Sá-Kaye joined LashGoldberg as associates, while Lucas J. McCormick, Yasmine M. Sadaka, and Jordan A. Basit stepped up as associates at Kubicki Draper. Further south, Carter Bess joined Ball Janik in Tampa, and Daniel Trescastro took a position with the firm in Miami.
Corporate footprints expanded simultaneously. Allison Oasis Kahn joined Greenberg Traurig as a shareholder, stepping into the role of chair for the firm’s West Palm Beach Labor & Employment Practice. Down the hall in the broader South Florida market, Ava M. Gruener and Jon Concepción arrived at Podhurst Orseck, and Anthony Dominguez signed on with Leesfield & Partners.
Kubicki Draper saw additional growth across multiple offices. Amanda Lorenzo and Hassan A. Hamade earned promotions to associates in Ft. Lauderdale, matching a similar slate in West Palm Beach where Amanda A. Ramos, Anisa G. Zwolinski, Esther Alsina, Priscilla N. Hernandez, and Stephanie N. Posse also moved up to associates. Robin L. Jones joined the firm’s Jacksonville office, Ried J. Arnold stepped into the Orlando branch, and Ivan Zylberberg alongside Broderick E. Schwinghammer reinforced the Miami team.
Judicial and public sector appointments shifted key personnel as well. Benjamin F. Reaveley took the oath as clerk of the Third District Court of Appeal.
Meanwhile, regional firms absorbed new talent to meet shifting caseloads. Henderson, Franklin, Starnes & Holt welcomed Joseph “JD” Bootka, Kate McQuagge, and Quinten Zak. Kimberlee A. Martin anchored herself at Ball Janik in Orlando, and Garrett Land crossed state lines to join Law Firm GC in Atlanta as counsel.
Kluger, Kaplan, Silverman, Katzen & Levine added three practitioners: Roselvin S. Edelman, Manoach Deliscar, and Patrick C. Furman, with Edelman taking on an of counsel role. Stearns Weaver Miller strengthened its Coral Gables office with Stephanie Hines, even as Ferran Arimon, Alexandra Briesemeister, and Ryan Wolis earned promotions to shareholders across the firm’s Miami and Ft. Lauderdale branches. In a parallel expansion at Bilzin Sumberg, Mauricio Rivero and Adriana Ortiz joined the Miami team, with Rivero stepping in as a partner.
Practice relocations and targeted acquisitions rounded out the docket. Kweku A. Darfoor shifted the Darfoor Law Firm—practicing as The Injury Advocates—to 300 S. Pine Island Road, Suite 315, in Plantation. Deepika Sathe integrated into Hahn Loeser & Parks in Tampa, and Carlos M. Rodriguez joined Cozen O’Connor in Miami as a member. Hunton Andrews Kurth elevated Forrest Murphy to counsel in Miami.
Naples saw notable consolidation when Joel Threlkeld, T. Hunter Stahl, and Davis House moved their practice from Threlkeld, Stahl, & Johnson into Bond, Schoeneck & King. In Tallahassee, Adam Blalock stepped into a senior advisor role at Arrow Group. Spirit Law Partners established a footprint by opening new offices in both Tallahassee at 201 South Monroe Street, and Boca Raton at 7050 W Palmetto Park Rd.
Additional arrivals filled regional rosters across the peninsula. Daniel F. Rouse launched The Rouse Law Office, Lillian J. Lesser joined Lesser, Landy, Smith & Siegel, and Olivia C. Polimeni attached to LSN Law. At mctlaw, Tamara J. Spires earned a promotion to partner. Zumpano Patricios brought in Jonathan Zwibel as of counsel alongside associate Alexa Guerra, while David E. Kaye reinforced Kubicki Draper’s Tampa office.
Leadership roles also shifted. Steven J. Rothman stepped up as chair of the Complex Trial Team at Jones Foster. ShuffieldLowman brought in Sandra Ferrin and Albert T. Franson as senior counsel, and Rafaela Castells secured a partnership at Jones Walker in Miami. Bret E. Dubbert accepted a role as special counsel at Marshall Dennehey in Orlando.
Rounding out the updates, Stephen A. Luongo joined GrayRobinson as a shareholder in Pensacola, accompanied by Alexa Joy Kleinberg in Boca Raton. Deborah A. Stewart signed on with McLaughlin & Stern in Naples as a partner, and Chezare Palacios joined Winderweedle, Haines, Ward & Woodman in Winter Park. Jason Blum and Jackson Woolworth arrived at Stearns Weaver Miller in Miami, while Lennore S. Turcotte transitioned in-house as director of Legal, Risk, and Compliance for Harmony United Psychiatric Care.
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