Shutts Makes Massive Downtown Miami Relo

MIAMI—It's one of Downtown Miami's relocations in recent years. Shutts & Bowen has moved its Miami offices across the street—and up 25 floors. Shutts becomes the latest in a long string of law firms to take up residence at Miami's Southeast Financial Center at 200 South Biscayne Boulevard.

Shutts' new office digs are night and day different from the quarters it called home since 1983 at the Miami Center at 201 South Biscayne Boulevard. The office space comes equipped with the most advanced features available in legal technology and contingency preparation, complete with a state-of-the-art conference center. 

“This move has been in the works for two years and truly propels our firm into an exciting new chapter as an emerging new generation of firm leadership gradually moves into command,” Bowman Brown, chair of Shutts & Bowen's executive committee, tells GlobeSt.com. “This move is a big step in the firm's evolution.”

Brown is convinced that the firm's longevity and success are partly due to staying ahead of the curve, anticipating the future and acting accordingly. With the new space at Southeast Financial Center, he says the firm is ready to set the pace for generations to come.

“This is part of a firmwide rebranding, reflecting our dedication to providing cutting-edge service to our clients around the world,” firmwide managing partner Michael “Micky” Grindstaff, tells GlobeSt.com. “Over the next year, we will take our IT and connectivity blueprint from our Miami office to all offices around the state, so that we can set a global standard for service from all seven of our offices.”

The moved took almost three days to complete. Now, more than 200 attorneys and staff started are working in the new offices on the 40th to 42nd floors of the Miami office tower.

Francis E. “Frank” Rodriguez, partner in charge of the Miami office and Latin America Practice Group Leader, tells GlobeSt.com the new office has a new look and a new attitude, blending the new with the traditions that have made this firm a success. In preparing for this move, he says the firm aimed to tailor the space for its ever-evolving business and technology.

“Our new conference center is a centerpiece of this,” Rodriguez says. “Although all our offices are in Florida, we now handle clients and issues internationally, and our office is designed to keep us globally connected in all ways. Our firm is preparing for the next 20, 30, even another 100 years.”

At its new Miami headquarters, Shutts  occupies 69,155 square feet in a 15-year, full-service lease. James Hypes, of the interior and architectural firm ASD, headed up the design team. Amicon was the construction company executing the modern design. The Southeast Financial Center is 765 feet tall. When it opened in October 1984, it was named for its anchor tenant, Southeast Bank. It was certified LEED Gold in 2010.

David Preve of Cresa Partners represented Shutts & Bowen. Jones Lang LaSalle represented Southeast Financial Center.