Lama Alqasemi

A firm member since 1977, Bruce has extensive experience in planning for the sale and purchases of businesses. He also developed a special expertise in complex estate planning, purchases and sales of businesses and tax controversy matters. His clientele includes successful businesspersons, professionals, closely–held businesses, charitable organizations and individuals with special tax planning or estate planning needs. Bruce is a former chairman of The Florida Bar Tax Section and a for...

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...

Chuck has been a member of the Florida Bar since 1981 and has a diverse commercial and business litigation practice. Those areas include real estate litigation, special asset work, employment disputes, probate litigation, construction litigation, personal injury, and a wide range of civil and business related litigation matters. He was previously employed at Harper, Kynes, Geller and Buford, P.A. and joined Johnson Pope in 2007. He is board certified by the Florida Bar in business litigation....

Hamden was born in Clearwater, Florida, and is a third-generation lawyer. Hamden attended Florida State University, where he obtained his Bachelors of Science degree in 1976, followed by his Master’s Degree in Criminology in 1979. Hamden attended Oklahoma City University Law School, and graduated with Honors, in 1983, and after serving as a staff attorney, to the Honorable Patricia Robinson, First District Court of Appeal, he attended the University of Florida, where he obtained his Mas...

Joan M. Vecchioli joined Johnson Pope in 1986 upon graduating with honors from Stetson University College of Law, where she was a member of the Law Review and competed on the Moot Court Board. She received her bachelor’s degree in economics from the College of William and Mary. Since joining the firm, Joan has gained experience in the areas of commercial litigation, commercial real estate transactions, education, and labor and employment law. Currently, her practice focuses on labor and...

Before joining Johnson Pope, Mary Jo Carney was a founding partner of a boutique law firm in St. Petersburg, Florida which enjoyed 34 years of providing legal services to many local and out-of-state clients. Mary Jo is a real estate transactional attorney specializing in commercial retail projects. Throughout her 40-year career, Mary Jo has represented clients in the acquisition, financing, leasing, development, re-development and sale of numerous grocery-anchored, build-to-suit and mixed use...

Colleen joined Johnson Pope in 2002 after practicing for five years in Chicago. Colleen practices in the areas of labor and employment law, public sector law and commercial litigation. In addition to representing employers in all aspects of employment litigation, Colleen advises clients on day to day employment and personnel policy issues. Colleen has extensive experience defending property owners from Title III ADA access cases. She also represents governmental entities not only in employmen...

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 ...

Mike Magidson is Board Certified in Health Law by The Florida Bar. Board certification is the highest evaluation of an attorney’s competence and experience comprising only 5% of Florida’s lawyers. Fewer than 130 lawyers in Florida are Board Certified in Health Law. Mike is a transactional lawyer specializing in the representation of health care providers and health care companies in their regulatory, compliance and health care business matters. He also provides counsel to business...

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.