Spencer Fane LLP is pleased to announce the opening of a new office in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, reinforcing the firm’s long-standing commitment to make a full range of legal services available to local and national clients in the markets where they live and do business.
Spencer Fane now has 20 offices located throughout the United States.
Located in the southeast part of Florida and a short distance from Miami, the new office gives Spencer Fane the ability to better serve the legal needs of clients throughout the state. Shawn Whitney — a partner, Co-Chair of the firm’s Real Estate Practice Group and head of the Tax Credit Finance and Opportunity Zones team — will relocate from the firm’s Springfield, MO office to lead the office in Ft. Lauderdale. Emily Wehr, an of counsel attorney with a practice focused on real estate, will join the office transitioning from the firm’s Tampa, FL office.
“Spencer Fane remains committed to Florida and our clients who have a presence there or have considered expansion into the state,” Whitney said. “Complex legal issues involving real estate continue to be a priority, and understanding that need, we have taken proactive steps to be responsive to that demand for efficient and effective service in that area.”
Over the past two decades, Whitney has built a respected national practice dedicated to the structuring of low-income housing, historic rehabilitation, new markets tax credit and opportunity zone transactions. He represents developers, lenders, QALICB’s, CDE’s, and tax credit syndicators/investors utilizing these programs along with other incentives such as tax abatements/exemptions, TIF, and similar programs. Many of his deals require raising private equity and layering these incentives. Whitney also has extensive experience in representing developers in the development of large scale continuum of care facilities and P3 projects.
Wehr combines her experience in real estate law and litigation to help clients efficiently close transactions and avoid unnecessary and potentially costly litigation. She passionately represents her clients’ interests, working diligently to analyze case merits, minimize risk, and propel positive resolutions to complex legal matters. As the previous in-house counsel for numerous companies within a multitier organization, Emily led complex real estate negotiations and has proven success negotiating leases and real estate acquisitions/dispositions.
