Nine Attorneys Ranked by Peers in Practice
TAMPA, FLA. – Foley & Lardner LLP announced today that nine attorneys have been named 2007 Florida “Super Lawyers” by Law & Politics Media, Inc.
The Foley attorneys named and their primary practices as classified by Law & Politics are: Michael D. Annis, tax; Stephen A. Crane, business/corporate; W. Keith Fendrick, bankruptcy & creditor/debtor rights; James M. Landis, antitrust litigation; Thomas F. Munro II, construction litigation; Fred S. Ridley, real estate; Debra K. Smietanski, estate planning and probate; Stephen J. Szabo III, real estate; and Mark J. Wolfson, bankruptcy & creditor/debtor rights.
To compile the annual list, Law & Politics surveyed more than 44,000 lawyers across Florida, asking them to vote for the best lawyers they have personally observed in action. The final list features the top five percent of Florida attorneys in more than 60 areas of practice.
Michael D. Annis is managing partner of the firm’s Tampa office. As a member of the Tax & Employee Benefits and Estates & Trusts Practices, he focuses his practice in the areas of corporate taxation, tax litigation, estate planning and trusts and probate.
Stephen A. Crane chairs the firm’s Commercial Transactions & Business Counseling Practice and is a member of the Transactional & Securities Practice. The primary focus of Crane’s practice is business and corporate law with an emphasis in counseling business owners and negotiation and documentation of a broad range of commercial transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, roll-ups, venture capital transactions, joint ventures and equity financings.
W. Keith Fendrick is a member of the Business Reorganizations Practice. He focuses on bankruptcy and creditors’ rights, corporate reorganizations and restructurings and commercial litigation. Fendrick has represented financial institutions, corporations, insurance companies, and creditor groups in numerous large Chapter 11 cases around the country.
James M. Landis is a retired partner with the firm. As a member of the Antitrust Practice, he represented business clients in several states in all forms of commercial litigation. His experience includes litigation arising from claims of antitrust and securities violations and unfair competition as well as copyright, trademark, service mark, franchising, and trade secret challenges and protection.
Thomas F. “Chip” Munro II is chair of the firm’s Litigation Department in Tampa, litigation partner and a member and former chair of the firm’s Construction Practice. He is also a member of the firm’s General Commercial Litigation Practice and the Golf & Resort Industry Team. During his years of practice, Munro has concentrated in general commercial litigation with an emphasis on construction matters and product liability issues, both personal injury and commercial products disputes.
Fred S. Ridley is co-chair of the Golf & Resort Industry Team and national vice chair of the firm’s Real Estate Practice Group. His practice is focused in the areas of commercial and planned unit real estate development and finance, golf and recreational amenity and resort development, and multifamily/condominium developments.
Debra K. Smietanski is special counsel in the firm’s Tax & Individual Planning and Estates & Trusts Practices. She is board-certified by The Florida Bar in wills, trusts and estates. A licensed certified public accountant, Smietanski is a member of the Florida Institute of Certified Public Accountants.
Stephen J. Szabo III is a member of the firm’s Real Estate Practice and its Golf & Resort Industry Team. He focuses his practice in the areas of commercial real estate, golf course, marina, recreation, and resort development law; leasing and finance; commercial lending and state taxation.
Mark J. Wolfson is the former chair of the firm’s Litigation Department in Tampa and the leader of the firm’s Business Reorganizations Practice for the Southeast region. He has extensive experience in bankruptcy cases, primarily representing secured creditors, creditors committees, buyers of assets in Chapter 11, shareholders and parties to contracts, such as landlords and franchisers.
Foley & Lardner LLP provides the full range of corporate legal counsel. Our attorneys understand today’s most complex business issues, including corporate governance, securities enforcement, litigation, mergers and acquisitions, intellectual property counseling and litigation, outsourcing and information technology, labor and employment, and tax. The firm offers total solutions in the automotive, emerging technologies, energy, entertainment and media, financial services, food, golf and resort services, insurance, health care, life sciences, nanotechnology, and sports industries.
