Shutts & Bowen LLP announces that J. Thomas Cookson has joined the firm’s Miami office as a Partner in its Corporate Practice Group.

Mr. Cookson concentrates his practice in structuring and negotiating complex business transactions, mergers and acquisitions, leveraged buyouts, recapitalizations, debt and equity financings, and securities offerings.

“We are pleased that Tom has become part of our corporate team,” said Francis E. Rodriguez, Managing Partner of the Miami office and Co-chair of the Tax and International Law Practice Group. “We are delighted that Tom has joined Shutts to handle the type of complex cases that our firm routinely undertakes for an array of public and private organizations in Miami.”

Prior to joining Shutts & Bowen, Mr. Cookson was Of Counsel with Akerman in Miami.

“My experience helps me to understand more fully and respond to the needs of our corporate clients,” Mr. Cookson explained. “I look forward to working with the corporate group and all of the other excellent lawyers at Shutts.”

Mr. Cookson has been consistently recognized by The Best Lawyers in America (2009 -2017); Super Lawyers (2006-2016) for securities and corporate finance, business/corporate, and mergers and acquisitions; Florida Trend’s Legal Elite (2006, 2009, 2010); South Florida Legal Guide – Top Lawyer (2009); and South Florida Business Journal – Best of the Bar (2005).

He received his B.A. from the University of Virginia, with honors and distinction, and his J.D. from the College of William & Mary School of Law, Order of the Coif.

Mr. Cookson resides in Coral Gables. He is a member of the Disciplinary Board of the Episcopal Diocese of Southeast Florida; Vice Chair of the St. Philip’s Episcopal Foundation; a Past Chairman of the Southeast Florida Episcopal Foundation; and a Past Chair of the Coral Gables Community Foundation.

About Shutts & Bowen LLP: Established in 1910, Shutts & Bowen is a full-service business law firm with more than 260 lawyers in offices in Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Orlando, Sarasota, Tallahassee, Tampa and West Palm Beach. Learn more about Shutts & Bowen at www.shutts.com.