Jacksonville, Fla., Jan. 11, 2016 - Burr & Forman announces today the opening of an office in Jacksonville, Fla., located in the Bank of America Tower, 50 North Laura Street, Suite 3000. As part of Burr & Forman's entry into Northeast Florida, three attorneys join as partners: Adrian Rust, J. Ellsworth Summers, Jr. and Michael Waskiewicz. The Jacksonville office is a continuation of Burr & Forman's expansion in Florida, and a direct result of clients' increasing legal needs throughout the state. With these additions, Burr & Forman now has nearly 90 lawyers licensed to practice in Florida, and nearly 300 attorneys firmwide across 10 offices in five Southeastern states.

"As Florida continues to experience steady economic growth, this new office and the depth of talent brought by this group allow us to better serve our growing client base throughout the state," said William "Lee" Thuston, managing partner of Burr & Forman. "Their client service philosophy reflects the qualities we pursue, making their additions an excellent fit not only from a geographic perspective, but also from a cultural standpoint. Our Southeastern footprint now includes deep coverage across Florida, with offices in Fort Lauderdale, Jacksonville, Orlando and Tampa, and we are looking to grow in each of these cities."

Rust, who will serve as Burr & Forman's Jacksonville office managing partner, boosts the firm's Lending and Financial Services Litigation practice, and Summers and Waskiewicz become members of the Creditors' Rights and Bankruptcy practice. The group joins Burr & Forman from the Jacksonville law firm Rogers Towers.

"The opportunity to open a local office of an Am Law 200 firm is exciting, as is the opportunity to build on our long-standing relationships with many of the Burr & Forman partners," said Rust. "Joining the firm allows us to offer our clients full-service legal support with a wider geographic market presence, and we look forward to bringing to Jacksonville the quality of service for which this Southeastern powerhouse is known."

Rust counsels lenders in all aspects of commercial loan litigation, mortgage foreclosures, lender liability defense, and other matters related to defaulted loan workouts and collections. He has trial experience in both state and federal courts, and is one of only three attorneys consistently named for the last three years among leading banking and financial services practitioners by Florida Trend. He earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Florida and his law degree from Stetson University.

Summers represents secured and unsecured creditors and committees in bankruptcy and commercial litigation matters. His practice focuses on workouts and other business reorganizations. He earned his undergraduate degree from Hampden-Sydney College and his law degree from Stetson University. After law school, Summers clerked for the Hon. Stephen C. St. John, chief bankruptcy judge for the Eastern District of Virginia.

Waskiewicz is a commercial litigator with an emphasis on bankruptcy and creditors' rights. He represents secured and unsecured lenders in all aspects of bankruptcy law, and also has extensive experience representing bankruptcy trustees and debtors. He earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Buffalo and his law degree from Widener University School of Law.

Additional Coverage:
The American Lawyer, "McGuireWoods' Hiring Spree Continues, Plus More Lateral Moves"

ABA Journal, "Burr & Forman opens Jacksonville office, expects more growth in Florida"

Atlanta Patch, "Burr & Forman Bolsters Florida Presence and Opens Jacksonville with Three Partners"

Birmingham Business Journal, "Burr Forman expands into Jacksonville, adds three new partners"

Bradenton Patch, "Burr & Forman Bolsters Florida Presence and Opens Jacksonville with Three Partners"

Citybizlist Atlanta, "Burr & Forman Bolsters Florida Presence and Opens Jacksonville with Three Partners"

Citybizlist South Florida, "Burr & Forman Bolsters Florida Presence and Opens Jacksonville with Three Partners"

Jacksonville Business Journal, "New law firm in Jacksonville plans to hire about 20 attorneys"

Law360, "Burr & Forman Opens in Jacksonville With Rogers Towers Trio"

South Tampa Patch, "Burr & Forman Bolsters Florida Presence and Opens Jacksonville with Three Partners"

Nashville Post, "Law firms Burr, Butler Snow start year with new offices"

WJCT, "Birmingham-Based Law Firm Opens Branch in Jacksonville's Bank of America Tower"

Jacksonville Business Journal, "New law firm in Jacksonville plans to hire about 20 attorneys"

Stetson Alumni Today, "Stetson University in the News, Jan 8-14, 2016"

Florida Times Union, "Career Track: What's new with Jacksonville business professionals"

The Deal, "Movers & shakers Jan. 21"

Florida Times-Union, "Sunday Business Notebook:"

Burr & Forman's experienced legal team serves clients with local, national, and international legal needs. With particular industry strengths in the financial institutions, health care and manufacturing sectors, the firm's attorneys draw from a diverse range of backgrounds and experience to serve as trusted business advisors and legal counsel to help clients achieve their goals. Burr & Forman is a Southeast, regional firm with nearly 300 attorneys and 10 offices in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, and Tennessee. For more information, visit the firm's website at www.burr.com.