Jonathan Osborne, Managing Shareholder, Greater Fort Lauderdale, Gunster
In an interview with Invest:, Jonathan Kent Osborne, managing shareholder at Gunster in Greater Fort Lauderdale, discussed the law firm’s milestones, collaborative approach, community engagement, and priorities for growth as it celebrates its 100th year serving Florida’s evolving business landscape.
What milestones did the firm achieve over the past year?
The biggest milestone for our firm is that we are entering our 100th year as a law firm in Florida, a state we’ve been committed to since the beginning. As the leader of our Fort Lauderdale office, I’m especially excited about the growth of the city and the surrounding Greater Fort Lauderdale area, as well as the growth of our firm within this region. When I think about our role as a law firm, we are broadly a firm for businesses, but more specifically, we’ve always been — and continue to be — Florida’s law firm for leaders. As part of our 100th-year celebration, we are recommitting to our core values. It’s like restating our vows to Florida: serving our community, representing our clients with excellence and envisioning a future where our firm continues to play an integral role in the state’s growth and success.
Which practice areas have seen the highest demand recently, and what are the fundamentals driving that growth?
Over the last five to 10 years, we’ve seen significant growth in our litigation practice. This includes traditional litigation — lawyers in court speaking to juries and judges — but also the expansion of our elite electronic discovery practice, which is among the Country’s best. Our growth is principled, and embraces change. I believe innovation is essential to strengthening our foundation for another century of excellence.
What trends or shifts are you observing in the Greater Fort Lauderdale market?
It’s an exciting time for Fort Lauderdale. The growth here is remarkable. When I look out my window, I see numerous buildings that didn’t exist just a few years ago. Las Olas is booming. Companies are relocating to the Greater Fort Lauderdale area, and young professionals, fresh out of college and graduate school, are moving here as well. For businesses like mine, this growth is incredibly promising. Beyond the beautiful weather and beaches, our thriving business community is a compelling reason to move to South Florida. While Miami has been a hub for some time, we’re now seeing that momentum moving northward into Broward County.
Having grown up in Miami, as a kid I saw a distinct separation between Miami and Fort Lauderdale. Now, especially with the Brightline, Brickell and Las Olas are increasingly interconnected. The blend of collaboration with distinctiveness and is what makes our region so special.
How does your firm’s collaborative approach help address complex client needs, and how can clients benefit from it?
Our goal is to achieve client success with uncompromising professionalism. To that end, we staff matters based on expertise, price, and personality knowing that technology allows us to work seamlessly across the state. Beyond the legal team, our success relies every day on our finance, marketing, human resources, and professional staff. And in the Gunster of the future, we are all leaders. We know no single person is more important than the team, and the team can’t succeed without everyone committed to servant leadership. Collaboration naturally results when there’s a shared commitment to excellence, a mentorship-driven culture, humility and a shared vision for the future of the firm.
How are you engaging with the local community and contributing to the broader business economy?
We engage with the community in many ways. During the holidays, our team organizes two toy drives. One is through the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree Program, and the generosity of our team always amazes me. The second initiative is deeply personal. Every Christmas, our team wraps gifts donated by employees to the children of a local preschool. Our team features Santa Claus, played by one of our firm’s greatest trial lawyers, complemented by our team of elves. Seeing the joy on the childrens ’ faces is the highlight of our year. Beyond the holidays, we are engaged with the community through bar associations, nonprofit service, and initiatives like the Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance and local Chambers.
What are the firm’s priorities for the next few years, particularly in the Greater Fort Lauderdale region?
The future. The future. The future. We are committed to recruiting, hiring, and training the best and brightest team members at every level of our Office. We are committed to being the best option for leading businesses already in the region and those moving here tomorrow. We will double down on our servant leadership ethos and commitments to mentoring not only our young professionals but also the future lawyers of Florida through the Gunster Leadership Training Academy. I began my career hear and I believe that, with our investments in the future we can secure a legendary future — not just for our firm, but for Florida. By serving we lead, and the best is yet to come.
