Florida Powerhouse: Holland & Knight
Holland & Knight was recognized as a Florida Powerhouse firm on Law360's 2024 Regional Powerhouses list. This accolade reflects the seamless teamwork facilitated by the firm's presence in seven regional offices, borne from a deep understanding of the local landscape and market demands. Chair and CEO Robert Grammig shared insights into the firm's strategic approach to overcoming Florida's unique geographic challenges and the benefits of early adoption of a multi-office operational model. He explained how the Holland & Knight's evolution alongside the state has led to a more sophisticated practice.
"Florida itself doesn't really have a single center. Early on, we had to learn how to knit together Tampa and Miami and Jacksonville and Tallahassee. We had to learn the multi-office concept earlier than other firms that might be based in New York or Chicago," he said.
Deputy Managing Partner Tiffani Lee underscored the critical role of a positive firm culture in driving employee engagement and, ultimately, the firm's success. She highlighted how collaboration and trust among attorneys are not just beneficial but essential for leveraging their collective talent and reaching the firm's full potential.
"In my mind, if you don't have a positive culture, then it impacts employee engagement, productivity and innovation, which impacts client service, which impacts overall firm strength and profitability. You can have 30 really skilled lawyers, but if they're not working together and trusting each other, then you don't get the benefit of all of that talent across the platform. It's just a necessity if we want to reach our potential as a law firm," she said.
The article continues with litigation Partner Jason Baruch describing a recent notable win for Fertilizantes Tocantins SA (FTO) that illustrates Holland & Knight's innovative legal tactics. The groundbreaking ruling involved a contract negotiated over WhatsApp and showcased nuanced legal challenges in today's tech-savvy world. Mr. Baruch, who led the team representing FTO, said the case also highlighted how the firm's forward-thinking approach allowed for a significant legal victory.
"Usually, there's no dispute about whether there was a contract formed; it's whether a term was breached. This was special to me because it was a trial on whether a contract was even formed. You spend a lot of time on that in law school but don't get to litigate it very much," he said.