Baker Donelson opens office in Florida's capital
Baker Donelson added to its Florida capabilities by launching a third office in the Sunshine State.
In a Wednesday statement, the firm announced the opening of its Tallahassee office. According to the firm, the Tallahassee venture marks Baker Donelson’s third foray into Florida in the last three years. The firm initially entered the state in November 2011 when it merged with Orlando firm of Litchford & Christopher. Last August, the firm added a location in Fort Lauderdale.
“As a full-service law firm with a well-established footprint across the Southeast, having a strong presence in Florida makes sense for Baker Donelson,” said Ben Adams, the firm’s chairman and CEO, in a statement. “Tallahassee is the next step in expanding our presence in the state and strengthens our ability to meet the needs of our clients who do business in Florida.”
To lead the new office, Baker Donelson has added three Tallahassee-based lawyers to its ranks. Kelly Overstreet Johnson, a former president of the Florida Bar, will serve as managing partner. Johnson, who was previously a mediation partner at Broad and Cassel, told the Tallahassee Democrat that the office is in growth mode and is looking to add lawyers. “We are pretty much going to be full service,” she said. Joining her at the new office will be Dena Sokolow, a labor and employment partner from Allen, Norton & Blue, and Russell Buchanan, a litigation associate from Broad and Cassel.
