Shutts & Bowen
A Florida-based full-service law firm founded in 1910, with offices across the state.
Last updated August 24, 2026
AI crawler reads
No AI crawler has read this profile since Oct 28, 2026.
Overview
Shutts & Bowen LLP is a Florida law firm with roots reaching back to the early twentieth-century development of Miami. Frank B. Shutts arrived in Miami in 1909 and became legal counsel to Henry Flagler and the Florida East Coast Railway Company, linking the firm’s origins to the transportation, infrastructure, and commercial expansion that shaped South Florida. In 1910, Shutts formed a professional association with Henry F. Atkinson. Shutts was also involved in the creation of the Miami Herald Publishing Company in that year, serving as its president and principal stockholder. Crate D. Bowen joined the practice in 1912, and the firm adopted the Shutts and Bowen name in 1919. The partnership subsequently developed into a broad-based Florida practice rather than a narrowly specialized local office. Its work has been associated with a range of legal disciplines, including corporate and business law, commercial litigation, real estate, tax, labor and employment, regulatory matters, and other services for companies, public-sector entities, and individuals. The firm’s full-service model allows it to support transactions, disputes, and regulatory or operational issues through different practice groups. Shutts & Bowen maintains eight Florida offices in Jacksonville, Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Orlando, Sarasota, Tallahassee, Tampa, and West Palm Beach. Reference material describes the firm as having approximately 270 attorneys and identifies it as one of the larger law firms in the United States by attorney and revenue rankings. Its geographic concentration gives it a particularly strong Florida identity while its practice breadth supports work involving national and interstate clients. The firm remains privately held and is not publicly traded. The firm’s historical alumni include attorneys who later entered public life or the judiciary. Sherman Minton, who later served as an associate justice of the United States Supreme Court, worked at Shutts & Bowen before beginning his political and judicial career. Robert Wexler, a former partner in the West Palm Beach office, later served in the Florida Senate and was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1996. Jonathan Gerber, another former West Palm Beach partner, became a Palm Beach County judge, then a circuit judge, and was appointed to Florida’s Fourth District Court of Appeal in 2009. In 2023, the firm announced that former Florida Supreme Court Justice Ricky Polston would join it. The appointment underscored the firm’s continuing engagement with senior Florida legal and judicial talent. Shutts & Bowen’s present profile is therefore that of an active, multi-office Florida law firm combining a long institutional history with broad commercial, litigation, and regulatory capabilities.
History
Shutts & Bowen originated during Miami’s early twentieth-century growth. Frank B. Shutts came to Miami in 1909 and became the legal representative of Henry Flagler and the Florida East Coast Railway Company. His work placed him close to the transportation and development interests that were central to the expansion of South Florida. In 1910, Shutts formed a professional association with Henry F. Atkinson, establishing the foundation of the law practice that later became Shutts & Bowen. Shutts was also active in the region’s business and media community. In 1910, he organized the Miami Herald Publishing Company and served as its president and principal stockholder. Crate D. Bowen joined the legal practice in 1912. The firm settled on the Shutts and Bowen name in 1919, marking the formal emergence of the identity it continues to use. Over the following decades, the practice developed into a broad Florida law firm. Rather than operating as a single-specialty boutique, Shutts & Bowen built capabilities across business law, litigation, real estate, taxation, and related legal fields. Its growth produced a network of offices in Jacksonville, Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Orlando, Sarasota, Tallahassee, Tampa, and West Palm Beach. This statewide footprint allowed the firm to maintain a strong Florida presence while handling matters involving commercial enterprises, institutions, property interests, disputes, and regulatory questions. The firm’s professional history also includes attorneys who later achieved prominence in public service. Sherman Minton worked at Shutts & Bowen before pursuing a political and judicial career that eventually led to the United States Supreme Court. Robert Wexler was a former partner in the West Palm Beach office before serving in the Florida Senate and later being elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1996. Jonathan Gerber, also associated with the West Palm Beach office, became a Palm Beach County Court judge from 2002 to 2004, a circuit judge from 2004 to 2009, and a judge of Florida’s Fourth District Court of Appeal after his appointment by Governor Charlie Crist in 2009. By the 2010s, Shutts & Bowen was described as one of the larger law firms in the United States. American Lawyer statistics cited for 2015 reported revenue of $147 million and average profits per partner of $740,000; those figures relate specifically to 2015 and should not be treated as current financial information. The firm was also described as having approximately 270 attorneys and eight Florida offices. In 2023, Shutts & Bowen announced the addition of former Florida Supreme Court Justice Ricky Polston. His arrival represented a notable expansion of the firm’s senior legal bench and reinforced its connection to Florida’s legal and judicial community. Shutts & Bowen remains an active privately held law firm organized around a statewide Florida platform and a full range of legal services.
- 2023
Ricky Polston joins the firm
[1]Shutts & Bowen announced the addition of former Florida Supreme Court Justice Ricky Polston.
- 2015
Reported financial results
[1]American Lawyer statistics cited revenue of $147 million and average profits per partner of $740,000 for the year.
- 2009
Jonathan Gerber appointed to Florida’s Fourth District Court of Appeal
[1]Former partner Jonathan Gerber was appointed to the appellate court by Florida Governor Charlie Crist.
- 1919
Shutts and Bowen name adopted
[1]The practice settled on the Shutts and Bowen name.
- 1912
Crate D. Bowen joins the practice
[1]Crate D. Bowen joined the firm, contributing the surname that later became part of its enduring name.
- 1910
Professional association established
[1]Frank B. Shutts formed a professional association with Henry F. Atkinson, creating the foundation of the firm.
- 1909
Frank B. Shutts arrives in Miami
[1]Frank B. Shutts came to Miami and became legal counsel to Henry Flagler and the Florida East Coast Railway Company.
Products and positioning
A long-established, full-service Florida law firm serving businesses, institutions, and individuals through a statewide office network.
Legal services
Corporate and business law
Counsel for companies and institutions on business organization, commercial activity, transactions, governance, and related operational matters. The practice forms part of the firm’s broader full-service offering.
Legal services
Commercial litigation
Representation in business disputes and other contested matters. The firm’s litigation capability complements its transactional practices and supports clients facing commercial, contractual, and related legal conflicts.
Legal services
Real estate law
Legal advice connected with property ownership, development, transactions, and other real-estate-related matters, reflecting the importance of property and development work in Florida’s economy.
Legal services
Tax law
Tax-related advice integrated with the firm’s business and transaction services. Specific sub-specialties and current service descriptions are not detailed in the supplied reference material.
Legal services
Regulatory and public-sector counsel
Advice for clients dealing with regulatory, governmental, and public-sector legal issues. The firm’s Florida network and public-service alumni are consistent with this statewide orientation.
Brand decisions
2023
Add former Florida Supreme Court Justice Ricky PolstonStrategyBackground
The firm announced the addition of Ricky Polston after his service as a justice of the Florida Supreme Court.
Action taken
Shutts & Bowen brought Polston into the firm, adding senior Florida judicial experience to its professional platform.
Aftermath
The appointment strengthened the firm’s connection with Florida’s legal and judicial community; further commercial effects are not specified in the reference material.
Sources2 sources
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/shutts-and-bowen · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled