James Williams Jr., 35, became one of the youngest shareholders in the Gunster law firm’s real estate group, focusing primarily on land use planning and zoning. Over the past year and a half, Williams has generated nearly half a million dollars per month from his book of business, spanning large developers, homebuilders and retailers.
He led teams including attorneys, city planners, architects, traffic consultants and economists through public hearings and final approvals. Its clients include Lithia Motors, the largest automotive retailer in the United States by revenue, and Greystar, the nation’s largest apartment manager.
“At this point in my career, being responsible not only for legal work, but also for developing client relationships, building the right teams and developing strategy is what makes this accomplishment meaningful,” Williams said.
Williams led entitlement efforts for Greystar on the redevelopment of a 25-acre portion of the Miami International Mall to allow up to 896 multifamily units. He also led entitlements on a proposed 3.65 million square foot industrial center on 238 acres in Miami-Dade County, and also obtained approval for a 21-story mixed-use building under Florida’s Live Local Act. Williams additionally secured approvals for a religious campus and two charter school campuses.
“Simply put, James is not just participating in the South Florida real estate market,” said H. William Perry, CEO and managing shareholder of Gunster. “James helps determine what will be built, how the region’s most challenging projects will move forward, and how the next generation of real estate professionals will learn to lead.”
Photo courtesy of James Williams Jr.
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