Jesse L. Skipper

Thomas B. Smith is a part of the Johnson Pope Health Care Team, and has been involved with the health care industry for more than thirty-five years. Tom is Board Certified in Health Law by The Florida Bar. After receiving his Master in Business Administration specializing in hospital administration, he served in senior administrative positions with several hospitals in Florida for seven years, including serving as Assistant Director for a major 600 bed teaching hospital. He then received his ...

Bob served as a Law Clerk to Honorable William Terrell Hodges, United States District Judge, U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida from 1982 – 1984. From 1988 to 1998 he handled catastrophic child and infant injury cases throughout the United States and Canada. While clerking he learned of Johnson Pope’s well-known reputation for quality legal work and ended up joining the firm in April 1999. He is the author of “The Primary Carrier Caught in the Middle with Bad Fa...

Ben Diamond serves as the managing partner at The Diamond Law Firm PA, situated in St. Petersburg, Florida. He focuses his legal practice on estate planning, estate and trust administration, and fiduciary litigation. Clients recognize Ben for his meticulous attention to detail, thorough preparation, and adeptness in addressing complex challenges. Ben is well-versed in all areas of fiduciary litigation and has been involved in numerous cases, defending against will contests and breach of fiduc...

Nicholas joined Johnson Pope in 2014. Nicholas represents individuals and families with respect to estate planning, wealth preservation issues, business succession planning, state and local tax issues, the formation of businesses, and the purchases and sales of businesses. Nicholas also represents fiduciaries (personal representatives and trustees) and beneficiaries in the administration of probate estates and trusts.

William B. McQueen is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law and Trusts and Estates. William B., who practices law in St. Petersburg, Florida, has been recognized since 2019. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which William B. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Serving as of-counsel, Joseph W. Gaynor, joined the firm Johnson, Pope, Bokor, Ruppel & Burns, LLP in January 2008. Joseph W. Gaynor, P.A. (1995 – present), was the successor to Jacobs, Robbins and Gaynor, P.A. and its successors by merger (1971-1995) specializing in real estate; acquisition, financing and conversion of manufactured home communities and apartments; development of shopping centers, office buildings, apartment complexes, condominiums and planned unit developments, inc...

PRACTICE AREAS Real property law Estate planning Probate General commercial law Corporate law Commercial loans Real estate DISTINCTIONS AND MEMBERSHIPS Admitted to The Florida Bar – Admitted 1973 St. Petersburg Bar Association 1973, Florida, U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida and U.S. Court of Appeals, 11th Circuit The Best Lawyers in America® for Real Estate Law, Since 2009 EDUCATION Stetson University, J.D. Harvard University, A.B. BIOGRAPHY Member, Editorial Board, S...

Brandon D. Bellew is a partner at Johnson Pope Bokor Ruppel & Burns LLP in Clearwater, Florida. His practice focuses on Litigation – Trusts and Estates, including trust, estate, and guardianship litigation . Brandon represents individuals, families, fiduciaries, and beneficiaries throughout Florida in contested trust, probate, and guardianship matters, including disputes involving incapacity, fiduciary duties, inheritance rights, and estate administration. Throughout his career, Bra...

Michael G. Little is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Trusts and Estates. Michael G., who practices law in Clearwater, Florida, has been recognized since 2014. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Michael G. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Will handles a broad range of complex commercial real estate and corporate issues for his clients throughout Florida and the entire Southeast. His clients include developers, investors institutional private equity funds, EB-5 developers and funds, as well as high net worth individuals and their associated family offices. He also regularly counsels clients on corporate securities and financing related matters. Representative engagements include serving as lead counsel on the development of a 1...