Porter Wright Morris & Arthur LLP is a nationally known business law firm delivering creative solutions for large, mid-size and entrepreneurial businesses. Porter Wright's Naples presence began in 1987 and serves permanent and part year residents and many businesses in southwest Florida. The Firm's Florida attorneys emphasize bankruptcy, workout and creditors' rights, estate planning and probate, estate litigation, real estate, title insurance, change of domicile, personal planning, business and general tax matters, corporate law and securities, green practice, international business and trade, and commercial litigation. These attorneys also work with local businesses and finance law. The firm, which traces its origins to 1846, has offices in Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, and Dayton, Ohio; Washington, D.C.; and Naples, Florida and provides counsel to a worldwide base of clients.

Statement of Practice

Antitrust and Trade Regulation, Appellate and Supreme Court Practice, Banking and Finance, Bankruptcy/Workout/Creditors' Rights, Biotech and Medical Technology, Catastrophic Injuries, Class Actions, Complex Commercial Litigation, Construction, Corporate and Securities, Emergency Proceedings, Employee Benefits, Employment Class and Collective Actions, Employment Discrimination, Entrepreneurial Business, Environmental Law, ERISA, Estate Planning and Wealth Preservation, Executive Compensation and Employment Contracts, Financial Institutions, Government and Regulatory Affairs, Government Contracts, Green Practice, Health Care, Immigration, Information Privacy and Data Security, Insurance and Financial Services, Intellectual Property, International Business and Trade, International Litigation and Arbitration, Labor and Employment, Litigation, Leave/Reasonable Accommodation Administration, Mergers and Acquisitions, Non-Compete Agreements, Nanotechnology, Product Liability, Professional Liability, Public Sector Employment, Real Estate, Reductions-in-Force and Restructuring, Securities Litigation, SEC Investigations and Enforcement Actions, Tax, Technology, Toxic Torts, Trade Secret Protection, Transportation and Logistics, Utilities and Energy, Wage-and-Hour Compliance and Litigation, White Collar Crime and Government Enforcement, Workforce and Management Training, Workplace Privacy, Workplace Safety, Workers' Compensation, Wrongful Discharge Litigation.

Address

9132 Strada Place, 3rd Floor
Naples, FL 34108-2683, (Collier Co.)

Phone

Phone: 239-593-2900; 800-876-7962
Fax: 239-593-2990

Website

http://www.porterwright.com

Firm/Affiliate Offices

(See Professional Biographies Listings at Dayton, Cincinnati, Cleveland and Columbus, Ohio and Washington, D.C. for biographical information on attorneys resident in those offices)

PARTNERS

W. Jeffrey Cecil (Office Partner in Charge) born Wheeling, West Virginia, September 23, 1953; admitted to bar, 1979, Ohio; 1980, U.S. District Court, Southern District of Ohio; 1993, Florida. Education: Ohio Northern University (B.A., with highest honors, 1975); University of Michigan (J.D., cum laude, 1979). Pi Delta Phi; Phi Eta Sigma; Phi Alpha Kappa; Omicron Delta Kappa. Member, 1998-2006 and Chair, 2004-2006, Collier County Affordable Housing Commission. Member: Columbus, Ohio State, Federal and American (Member: Real Property, Trust and Estate Law Section; Forum Committee on Affordable Housing and Community Development Law) Bar Associations; The Florida Bar (Member, Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section); Collier County Bar Association (Member, Real Estate and Probate and Trust Law Sections). Practice Areas: Real Estate; Estate Planning; Title Insurance Law; Title Opinions Law; Finance; Commerce; Financial Institutions.Email: W. Jeffrey Cecil

Mary Beth M. Clary (Partner) born St. Louis, Missouri, March 22, 1958; admitted to bar, 1983, Ohio; 1994, Florida. Education: Xavier University (B.S.B.A., summa cum laude, 1980); St. Louis University School of Law (J.D., cum laude, 1983). Member: Collier County and American (Business Law Section, Publications Board) Bar Associations; The Florida Bar; American Law Institute; American Bar Foundation; Collier County Women's Bar Association (Immediate Past President; Secretary, 2005—); American Business Women's Association. Practice Areas: General Corporate; Securities Offerings; Mergers, Acquisitions and Divestitures; Business and Securities.Email: Mary Beth M. Clary

Joseph G. Foster (Partner) born Southfield, Michigan; admitted to bar, 1997, Ohio; 1998, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Ohio and U.S. Court of Federal Claims; 2000, Florida; 2001, U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida; 2003, U.S. District Court, Northern and Southern Districts of Florida. Education: University of Michigan (B.A., 1989); Case Western Reserve University (J.D., cum laude, 1997). Member: Collier County and American Bar Associations; The Florida Bar; Thomas S. Biggs American Inns of Court. Practice Areas: Commercial Litigation.Email: Joseph G. Foster

Ellen A. Goldman (Partner) born New York, N.Y., May 2, 1950; admitted to bar, 1982, Florida; 1983, U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida. Education: Boston University (A.B., cum laude, 1971); Boston College Law School; University of Miami School of Law (J.D., cum laude, 1982). President, Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW) Naples/Fort Myers. Steering Committee Member, "Florida Condominium and Community Association Law," (First Edition) published by LexisNexis. Member: Collier County Bar Association; The Florida Bar (Member: Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section; Condominium and Planned Development Committee). Practice Areas: Real Property; Condominium Law; Leasing; Real Estate Development Law; Lender Representation.Email: Ellen A. Goldman

Jeffrey S. Kannensohn (Partner) born Jackson, Michigan, November 6, 1950; admitted to bar, 1977, Florida; 1981, U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida. Education: University of South Florida (B.A., high honors, 1974); University of Florida (J.D., with high honor, 1977). Member: The Florida Bar. Practice Areas: Real Estate; Creditor Rights; Commercial Loan Transactions and Workouts; Finance; Commerce.Email: Jeffrey S. Kannensohn

Dixon F. Miller (Partner) born Columbus, Ohio, March 11, 1948; admitted to bar, 1976, Ohio; 1996, Florida. Education: Wesleyan University (B.A., 1969); Bowling Green State University (M.Ed., 1973); Case Western Reserve University (J.D., 1976). Order of the Coif. Kappa Delta Pi. Member: The Florida Bar; Columbus, Ohio State and American (Antitrust and International Law Sections) Bar Associations. Fellow: American Bar Foundation. (Board Certified International Law Lawyer, Florida Bar Board of Legal Specialization and Education). Languages: German. Practice Areas: International Business(90%); Antitrust and Trade Regulation(10%).Email: Dixon F. Miller

William H. Myers (Partner) born Pleasantville, Iowa, November 1, 1939; admitted to bar, 1964, Iowa; 1976, Florida. Education: University of Iowa (B.B.A., 1961); Drake University Law School (J.D., 1964). Lecturer: "Corporate Trustees, Co-Trustees, Special Trustees and Advisors-Planning Considerations for the Family Business Owner," Attorneys for Family-Held Enterprises, 1996; "Ethical Considerations in Trust Drafting," Florida Bar, 1992; "Ethical Considerations of the Lawyer Acting as a Fiduciary," Florida Bar, 1990. Former Member, Trusts and Estates Magazine Mini-Advisory Editorial Board on the Economics of the Profession. Member: Collier County, Iowa State and American (Member, Sections on: Real Property; Probate; Trust Law) Bar Associations; The Florida Bar (Member: Trust Law Committee; Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Sections); Estate Planning Council of Naples. (Board Certified Wills, Trust and Estates Lawyer, Florida Bar Board of Legal Specialization and Education). Practice Areas: Estate Planning; Estate Administration; Trust Administration; Trusts; Wills; Taxation.Email: William H. Myers

Jean A. Ryan (Partner) born Binghamton, New York, September 21, 1956; admitted to bar, 1990, New York; 1991, Florida. Education: Broome Community College (A.A., 1977); Tulane University (B.A., cum laude, 1979); University of Notre Dame (J.D., 1989). Practice Areas: Commercial Litigation; Commercial Real Estate; Personal Injury; Probate Litigation; Labor and Employment.Email: Jean A. Ryan

Michael P. Shuster (Partner) born Cleveland, Ohio, May 6, 1967; admitted to bar, 1992, Indiana; 1995, Ohio; 2007, New York; 2008, Florida. Education: University of Notre Dame (B.B.A., with honors, 1989); The Ohio State University Law School (J.D., with honors, 1992). Co-Author: "Deciphering Conflicts of Interest in Bankruptcy Representation: An Update," Commercial Law Journal, Vol. 105, No. 2, Summer 2000. Certified in Businees Bankruptcy. Practice Areas: Bankruptcy; Corporate and Securities; Financial Institutions; Real Estate.Email: Michael P. Shuster

Robert J. Stommel (Partner) born St. Clair, Michigan, May 31, 1948; admitted to bar, 1991, Florida and Michigan; U.S. Tax Court. Education: University of Michigan, Dearborn (B.B.A., 1970); The Thomas M. Cooley Law School (J.D., cum laude, 1991). Recipient: American Jurisprudence Awards for Contracts and Research and Writing; Certificate of Merit Awards for Estate and Gift Taxation, Business Planning and Computer Assisted Legal Research. Author: "Deductibility of S Corporation Losses Often is Needlessly Restricted," Taxation for Lawyers, Vol. 18, No. 5, March/April, 1990. Co-Author: "Planning to Maximize the 2013 Credit", 72 Florida Bar Journal 66, January 1998. Member, EP Council of Naples. Designated "Florida Super Lawyer" 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009. Designated one of the "Best Lawyers in America" 2007, 2008, 2009. Member: The Florida Bar; State Bar of Michigan; American Bar Association (Member, Section on: Real Property; Probate; Trust Law); The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants; Florida Institute of Certified Public Accountants; The Michigan Association of Certified Public Accountants. (Board Certified Wills, Trust and Estates Lawyer, Florida Bar Board of Legal Specialization and Education). Practice Areas: Wills; Trusts and Estates; Probate.Email: Robert J. Stommel

Gary K. Wilson (Partner) born Erie, Pennsylvania, October 10, 1951; admitted to bar, 1980, Florida. Education: Florida State University (B.A., 1972; M.S., 1974); Loyola University (J.D., 1980). Chairman, Southwest Florida Advisory Council, Trust for Public Land. Past President, Naples on the Gulf Kiwanis Club. Member: Collier County Bar Association; The Florida Bar. Practice Areas: Real Property Law(50%); Corporate Law(15%); Wills and Probate(15%); Condominium Law(10%); Business; Securities; Trusts and Estates(10%).Email: Gary K. Wilson

RESIDENT ASSOCIATES

Joshua M. Bialek (Associate) born Bronx, New York, August 4, 1974; admitted to bar, 1999, Florida; U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida. Education: State University of New York at Albany (B.A., 1996); University of Miami (J.D., 1999). Member: Collier County Bar Association; State Bar of Florida. Practice Areas: Real Estate; Business; Litigation.Email: Joshua M. Bialek

Shaun Malvin (Associate) admitted to bar, 2008, Florida; 2009, U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida. Education: University of Florida (B.A., cum laude, 2005); University of Florida College of Law (J.D., cum laude, 2008). Member: The Florida Bar; American Bar Association (Member, Sections on: Business; Litigation; Dispute Resolution; Science and Technology; Taxation; Trust and Estate Law). Practice Areas: Corporate and Securities; Entrepreneurial Business; Estate Planning and Wealth Preservation; Real Estate.Email: Shaun Malvin

Linda R. Minck (Associate) born Indiana, 1960; admitted to bar, 1990, Ohio; 2000, Florida. Education: Columbus Technical Institute, (A.A., cum laude, 1983); Franklin University (B.S., 1986); Capital University (J.D., 1990). Member: Columbus, Collier County and Ohio State Bar Associations; The Florida Bar; Collier County Womens Bar Association; American Health Lawyers Association. [Ohio Air National Guard, 1979-1985]. Practice Areas: Business; Labor and Employment; Health Care.Email: Linda R. Minck

Javier A. Pacheco (Associate) born Lima, Peru, February 17, 1982; admitted to bar, 2005, Ohio; 2008, Florida; U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit; U.S. District Court, Northern District of Ohio; U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida. Education: The Ohio State University (B.A., 2002); Case Western Reserve University (J.D., 2005). Mr. Pacheco has represented clients in a wide range of commercial disputes involving creditor' rights, products liability, employment, insurance coverage, employee benefits, landlord/tenant, and intentional tort litigation in federal and state trial and appellate courts in both Ohio and Florida. Mr. Pacheco also represents financial institutions in complex creditor's rights matters. Mr. Pacheco has assisted manufacturers, financial institutions, and individuals resolve disputes in Latin America, including Colombia, Costa Rica, Mexico, and Peru. He has also counseled bio-technological companies, cemeteries, and nonprofit agencies in various corporate governance and contract matters. Additionally, Mr. Pacheco has written and presented on litigation tactics, legal ethics, and international law topics for the American Bar Association, the Cleveland Bar Association, and the Thomas S. Biggs Inns of Court. Member: Collier County and American Bar Associations. Languages: Spanish. Practice Areas: Litigation.Email: Javier A. Pacheco

David J. Slenn (Associate) born Cleveland, Ohio; admitted to bar, 2007, Florida. Education: The Ohio State University (B.S.B.A., 1999); Capital University (J.D., 2002); University of Washington (LL.M., Taxation, 2003). Member: The Florida Bar; Jacksonville and American Bar Associations. Practice Areas: Trusts and Estates; Taxation.Email: David J. Slenn

RESIDENT OF COUNSEL

Harry L. Henning (Of Counsel) born Washington, D.C.; admitted to bar, 1971, Ohio; 1994, Florida. Education: University of Notre Dame (B.B.A., cum laude, 1960; J.D., magna cum laude, 1971). Articles Editor, Notre Dame Lawyer, 1970-1971. Adjunct Professor of Law, Capital University Law School, 1972-1984. Coauthor: Ohio Limited Liability Company Forms and Practice Manual, Data Trace Publishers, 1994—. Best Lawyers in America, Corporate Law. Member: Ohio State Bar Association. [Pilot, U.S. Air Force, 1960-1965; Pilot, Rhode Island National Guard, 1967-1969]. (Retired). Practice Areas: Financial Consulting(90%); Strategy Consulting(10%).Email: Harry L. Henning

Patrick G. White (Of Counsel) born Buffalo, New York; admitted to bar, 1989, Florida. Education: State University of New York at Buffalo (B.A., Environmental Design and Biology, 1976); Stetson University College of Law (J.D., 1989). Phi Alpha Delta (Chapter Justice). Member: Civil Practice Clinic; Trial Advocacy Society. President, Environmental Law Society. Member, City of Cape Coral Contractor Regulatory Board, 2001-2004. Co-Chair, Flight 93 National Memorial Task Force. Vice President, Families of Flight 93, Inc. Member: Collier County Bar Association (Member, Real Estate Section); The Florida Bar (Member, Sections on: Environmental and Land Use Law; Real Property and Probate Trust Law; City, County, Local Government Law). (Board Certified City, County and Local Government Lawyer, Florida Bar Board of Legal Specialization and Education). Practice Areas: Acquisition and Development; Affordable Housing; Regulatory Representation; Environmental Law; Brownfields Redevelopment; Environmental Permitting; Underground Storage Tanks; Government Contracts; Contract Negotiations; Government Affairs; Agency Liaison; Lobbying; Litigation; Construction; Government Enforcement; Real Estate; Architect/Contractor Agreements; Commercial Leasing; Fair Housing; Industrial Revenue Bonds; Oil, Gas and Minerals.Email: Patrick G. White