Joshua Rader, Managing Partner, Citrin Cooperman
Invest: spoke with Joshua Rader, managing partner at Citrin Cooperman, about the firm’s expanding footprint in South Florida, the opportunities driven by migration and industry growth, and how technology is reshaping accounting and advisory work. With offices in Coral Gables, Fort Lauderdale, and Sunrise, the firm is supporting a diverse client base as the region evolves. “It frees us up to really be advisers to our clients, and that’s probably where we’re going to do best: focusing on where we can add value,” he said.
How has Citrin Cooperman contributed to the Miami and South Florida business community over the past few years?
Citrin Cooperman established a physical presence in South Florida in March 2022 and has grown alongside the region’s broader post-pandemic expansion. With the influx of financial services professionals and the migration of talent from markets like New York, Chicago, and California, we’ve been able to participate in that momentum. Our three offices — Coral Gables, Fort Lauderdale, and Sunrise — give us full regional coverage and allow us to serve a wide range of industries.
We work with real estate firms, financial services companies, manufacturing and distribution businesses, and not-for-profit organizations. Our Fort Lauderdale practice is especially strong in government and not-for-profit work. What’s been most rewarding is seeing how deeply the firm has taken root locally. We’re supporting the growth of South Florida’s business community while also partnering with organizations doing important work on the civic side. Balancing commercial impact with community involvement is central to how we operate here.
What accounting and advisory trends are shaping the opportunity landscape in Miami today?
Technology is driving many of the most significant opportunities. Across professional services — accounting, legal, consulting — artificial intelligence is the dominant topic. Everyone is trying to understand what AI will look like in practice, how it will reshape service models, and what it means for the next generation entering the field.
We expect more change in the next three to five years than we’ve seen in the last 15 to 20. AI is poised to influence everything from how tax returns are prepared to how audits are executed and how internal processes are managed. Firms that invest early and strategically will be positioned to serve clients more efficiently and effectively. The exact applications and timeline are still evolving, but the direction is clear: AI will be one of the biggest forces shaping the future of accounting and advisory work in Miami and beyond.
How are client expectations evolving, and where do you see the greatest demand for value-added service?
We’re seeing a clear shift in what clients expect. For those looking only for a compliance document — providing information so a tax return can be prepared — AI and automation will make that process increasingly routine. The value proposition for firms like ours isn’t in basic compliance.
Advisory is where we deliver the most impact. Clients are coming to us for robust tax planning, strategic discussions, and forward-looking insights. As the year ends, there’s still planning to be done, but much of our focus is already on 2026 and 2027. Automation and AI will reduce the time spent on historical, compliance-driven tasks. It frees us up to really be advisers to our clients, and that’s probably where we’re going to do best: focusing on where we can add value.
Which advisory areas are seeing the most momentum for Citrin Cooperman in South Florida?
Several areas stand out. Our M&A practice is extremely active, aligning with South Florida’s continued growth in financial services and the volume of private equity activity and roll-up transactions in the region. We support clients on both the buy-side and sell-side, providing due diligence, quality-of-earnings reports, and valuation support.
Digital advisory is another major growth area. We’re helping clients strengthen cybersecurity, implement new ERP and CRM systems, and navigate broader digital transformations. Many middle-market companies are growing quickly and need more sophisticated tools and infrastructure. Helping them integrate their systems and bridge data gaps is a significant part of our work. One advantage of Citrin Cooperman is our ability to support clients as they scale from $5–10 million operations to $100 million or even $1 billion enterprises without needing to switch providers.
How is Citrin Cooperman leveraging technology to better equip your teams and deliver for clients?
Technology is embedded in virtually everything we do. On the tax side, we’ve invested in advanced software and OCR tools to streamline data capture. In audit, we’re using automation and data-snipping tools to strengthen testing and analysis.
We’re also incorporating AI directly into our audit processes, particularly for risk assessment and evaluation. These tools help us identify key issues more efficiently and focus on higher-value work. As a result, our professionals spend less time on manual data tasks and more time analyzing the quality of the output and engaging directly with clients. The technology improves accuracy, increases efficiency, and enables deeper advisory conversations. We use it every day across our engagements.
In what ways does the firm partner with other organizations and the community to enhance its impact?
Our partnerships fall into three main categories. First, we maintain strong relationships with technology providers, such as NetSuite and other systems vendors, which support our advisory and implementation work.
Second, we collaborate extensively with peer professionals, including law firms and specialized service providers. These partnerships support real estate funds, M&A transactions, cost segregation studies, and other complex engagements where multidisciplinary expertise is essential.
Third, we are deeply involved in the community. Our teams participate in board service, charity events, school supply drives, food donation efforts, and other civic initiatives. One of our partners serves on the FIU Foundation Board, and many of our staff are active across local organizations. Community engagement is part of our culture across all three South Florida offices.
What makes doing business in Miami and South Florida distinct and exciting?
Miami is a true melting pot, drawing people from across the country and around the world. That diversity makes doing business here uniquely dynamic. Instead of working with only long-established local families and businesses, you’re interacting with people who bring different experiences, cultures, and perspectives.
That constant flow of new talent, ideas, and investment, combined with sustained economic growth, creates an energy that’s difficult to replicate elsewhere. It’s one of the reasons Miami remains so attractive as a place to live, work, and build a business.
Looking ahead three to five years, where do you see the greatest drivers of growth for Citrin Cooperman in Miami?
We expect continued growth in the sectors where we already have strong market positions, especially financial services and real estate. Financial services continues to expand rapidly in South Florida, and we’re well positioned to support that. Real estate will also remain a major driver, and we plan to deepen our capabilities in that space.
Our focus on the lower middle market will remain central. These entrepreneurial, founder-led companies are scaling quickly and need more sophisticated support. As South Florida evolves, we’re committed to maintaining the industry specializations and resources required to serve them effectively.
The region’s role as a bridge to Latin America is another significant growth driver. Our international tax client base is already a major segment of our practice, and there’s no reason to believe that Miami’s position as the business capital of Central and Latin America will diminish. As long as South Florida remains a key gateway for international activity, we see strong opportunities for continued growth.
