Evolution: The legal landscape

Evolution:

The legal landscape is evolving, with new laws on the books related to texting and taxes, and marijuana still front and center

The legal sector in Tampa Bay enjoyed a busy year in 2019 that continued into the new decade, although COVID-19 slowed down activity in the first months of 2020, as in all segments of the economy. Lawyers in the region, which hosts Florida’s oldest law school and one of the state’s oldest firms, are tackling some of the toughest legal issues of the day, including the ongoing tension arising from Florida’s attempts to regulate its medical marijuana industry and marijuana’s ongoing illegality under federal law, as well as the thorny issue of gun control in a state that has endured numerous highprofile mass shootings in recent years.

Lawyers are also continuing to grapple with the evolution of the tax landscape under the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, both as far as their own tax liability is concerned in addition to that of their clients. Firms and individual attorneys are still understanding how they are taxed under the Act, while the Opportunity Zones legislation continues to offer a fascinating prospect for real estate lawyers and their clients, albeit a difficult one to really get off the ground.In addition to navigating new legislation, attorneys in the Tampa region are advancing initiatives to enhance diversity and inclusion within the region’s legal market, following and building on earlier efforts by the Florida Bar. History The history of legal practice and legal services in Tampa Bay is long, and is intertwined with the history of Tampa Bay – and the State of Florida – in general. Tampa is home to the state’s first law school, Stetson University College of Law, which opened its doors on Oct. 2, 1900, to a class of five students. Today, the law school has grown in terms of people and prestige, with a student body of over 1,000 and some of the nation’s highest ranked LL.M. programs in advocacy, elder law and international law.

Predating Stetson’s establishment is the founding of Florida’s oldest law firm, Macfarlane Ferguson & McMullen (MFM), opened by Hugh Macfarlane in Tampa in 1884. Chester Ferguson joined upon graduating law school in 1930. The firm also has a Clearwater office, founded by J. Tweed McMullen in 1946, that merged with the Tampa office in 1993. The Clearwater office has been heavily involved in the development of the Pinellas County community, both before and after the merger. The firm and its partners were instrumental in helping to develop the West Tampa cigar industry as well as expanding the Florida state university system. There is also a rich history of charitable donation that has helped to fund the performing arts and other cultural landmarks throughout the region. ( )