Winston & Strawn Opens Office in Miami—“an Epicenter of Business Activity”

Winston & Strawn recently announced the opening of a new office in Miami—the firm’s largest expansion in five years. The office will open with six partners (including litigators and transactional lawyers), all joining from prestigious law firms operating in South Florida. It is expected that additional partners will arrive soon after.

As the firm expands the Miami office over the next several months, it will focus on serving some of the area’s strongest and fastest-growing sectors, including complex commercial litigation, mergers and acquisitions, financial services, cryptocurrency and blockchain, real estate, energy and infrastructure, bankruptcy, and Latin America.

The office’s managing partner, Enrique (Rick) Martin, sat down with The American Lawyer to discuss the firm’s strategic expansion and partner selection. “We started by focusing on the most accomplished practitioners in this market that can form this core group,” Rick said. “Among the key objectives has been the full integration of the new office into the rest of the firm. Winston doesn’t believe in the concept of satellite offices.”

In an interview with Law360, he said, “From my perspective, if you’re able to open and grow a successful Miami office living in South Florida, with all the benefits of living in South Florida, but tapping into these very successful worldwide practices of Winston, it really is a very interesting opportunity for laterals that are considering either making Miami their home or are here now and looking to expand their practice.” 

When discussing why Winston chose Miami in the firm’s release, Chairman Tom Fitzgerald referenced the port city’s access to both the Southeastern American and Latin American markets. “[Miami] is a dynamic financial hub, an epicenter of business activity spanning numerous industries, and a critical nexus point for banking and international trade with Latin America and other parts of the world.”

According to Rick, “Miami is no longer a gateway to anywhere. Miami is the destination, the way I see it,” he told The American Lawyer. “The arrival of Winston to Miami is really a testament to the market and what Miami has become.”

Read the full press release, as well as The American Lawyer and Law360 articles to learn more.

The expansion was also covered by the following media outlets:

• Wake Up Call: Winston Poaches Six to Launch Miami Office, Bloomberg Law
• Winston & Strawn Targets ‘Dynamic’ Miami with New Office, The Global Legal Post
• Winston & Strawn Joins Large Law Firms Flocking to Miami, Reuters
• Welcome to Miami: Winston Opens in Florida, Legal Business
• Destination Miami: Big Law Follows the Money to South Florida, Bloomberg Law
• Winston & Strawn Hires LatAm Team for New Miami Office, Latin Lawyer
• Winston & Strawn Abre Oficina en Miami Con Socios de Cinco Destacadas Firmas de Abogados, Lider Legal
• Why These Chicago Law Firms Are Hot on Miami, Crain’s Chicago Business
• Winston & Strawn Opens in Miami, Global Arbitration Review
• Winston & Strawn Opens Miami Office, Leaders League