Edgel C. "Ed" Lester, Jr.

J.D. is a business litigation attorney and trial lawyer who represents companies and individuals in a wide variety of high-stakes commercial disputes across state and federal courts in Florida. His litigation practice focuses on breach of contract claims, business torts, non-compete and restrictive covenant enforcement, trade secret misappropriation and intellectual property matters, partnership and shareholder disputes, class actions, and administrative or regulatory issues. With experience ...

Steve is a commercial litigator with more than 20 years of experience prosecuting and defending complex business disputes on behalf of his clients. His practice focuses on multi-million-dollar business torts, breach of contract matters, real estate litigation and construction disputes. Steve’s list of clients includes global pharmaceutical companies, Florida’s largest real estate developers, and mid-to-large scale corporations operating in a host of other industries. Steve employs...

Kelly Holbrook is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation, Employment Law - Individuals, Employment Law - Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment. Kelly, who practices law in Tampa, Florida, has been recognized since 2023. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Kelly is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Jeffrey Gad focuses his practice on representing individuals, with an emphasis on estate planning, probate and trust administration, probate litigation and business planning. His practice integrates the personal and estate tax planning concerns of individuals with tax and business planning for their closely held businesses. As part of his corporate practice, Jeffrey assists businesses with choice-of-entity planning, the formation of business entities, business contracts, such as the preparati...

Justin Zinzow is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Litigation - Real Estate. Justin, who practices law in Tampa, Florida, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Justin is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Alicia Schumacher is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation, Employment Law - Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment. Alicia, who practices law in Tampa, Florida, has been recognized since 2022. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Alicia is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Scott H. Jackman, a partner in our Tampa office, is a member of the firm’s Community Association Group and focuses on litigation defense of claims against condominium, homeowner and community associations and their officers and directors, to include civil and administrative claims based on the governing statutes, employment and housing discrimination claims, actions for breach of vendor contracts, as well as personal injury and other common law claims. Mr. Jackman also handles malpracti...

Chad Callahan’s practice is primarily devoted to estate planning, estate, gift and generation-skipping transfers, tax planning, business succession planning, charitable planning, tax controversy matters against the IRS and matters involving the administration of trusts and estates. He is board certified in Wills, Trusts & Estates by the Florida Bar. Chad enjoys working with families to achieve their various estate planning goals, including succession planning for closely held busine...

Throughout his career, Harley E. Riedel has represented debtors in possession and other significant constituencies in numerous large Chapter 11 cases filed in Florida. He has also been appointed by the United States District Court to serve as Special Master in complex litigation involving extensive farming operations in Florida and Michigan. In addition, Mr. Riedel maintains an active mediation practice in bankruptcy, state, and federal court matters, assisting parties in resolving disputes e...

Joseph H. Varner III is a partner in Holland & Knight's Tampa office and serves on the firm's Directors Committee. Mr. Varner is experienced in complex commercial litigation, business torts, securities litigation, professional negligence, and personal injury and wrongful death litigation. Mr. Varner has litigated complex liability and medical issues ranging from corporate shareholder disputes to wrongful death arising from medical malpractice. He has obtained significant jury verdicts and...