Shutts and Bowen

History

Shutts & Bowen LLP traces its roots to 1910 when Frank B. Shutts, a young lawyer from Indiana, opened a practice in the frontier town of Miami. The firm quickly grew alongside the city, and in 1919 Crate D. Bowen joined, leading to the name Shutts & Bowen. Frank Shutts was deeply involved in civic development: he helped found The Miami Herald, served as a key figure in building Bayfront Park and the Tamiami Trail, and shaped the legal infrastructure of early Miami. The firm’s centennial history, documented in PDF form, recounts its evolution from a small local practice to a Florida legal powerhouse.

Practice Areas and Market Position

Today, Shutts & Bowen is a full-service business law firm with approximately 280 attorneys distributed across eight Florida offices: Fort Lauderdale, Jacksonville, Miami, Orlando, Sarasota, Tallahassee, Tampa, and West Palm Beach. Its practice areas cover business litigation, corporate and securities, real estate, banking and financial services, public finance, intellectual property, tax, employment, and government relations. The financial services practice is a particular strength, handling mergers and acquisitions, federal and state regulatory compliance, and cross-border transactions. The public finance group serves as bond counsel and advisor for infrastructure and public-private partnerships, a niche that differentiates the firm. Shutts & Bowen consistently appears in the Am Law 200 and is regularly listed among the top ten law firms by Florida headcount in the Daily Business Review.

Financial Performance

In the 2025 Am Law 200 rankings, Shutts & Bowen recorded gross revenue at No. 170, Revenue Per Lawyer of $821,000, and Profits Per Equity Partner exceeding $1.1 million. The firm’s Profits Per Lawyer ranking improved to No. 115, outperforming the Am Law Second 100 average by about five percent. These results are attributed to disciplined strategic growth, successful lateral partner integration, and ongoing investment in advanced legal technology. The firm’s profitability metrics, including a PPL of $352,000 in the subsequent 2026 ranking, reflect sustained financial health.

Leadership and Culture

Shutts & Bowen operates as a partnership governed by an elected Executive Committee and a Firmwide Managing Partner. Current leadership includes Jack C. McElroy as Firmwide Managing Partner, Francis E. "Frank" Rodriguez as Chair of the Executive Committee, Jonathan Gomez as Chief Financial Officer, and Mark Rosenwasser as Chief Operating Officer. The firm invests in professional development and client-centric service, supported by a dedicated marketing and business development team. Shutts & Bowen also maintains a robust pro bono program and continues a tradition of community involvement that dates back to its founding.