Five attorneys jump ship for rival firm

TAMPA — Five attorneys have left the Tampa office of law firm of Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick to join Trenam Law, also based in the Tampa Bay region.

Attorneys C. Graham Carothers Jr., Timothy Hughes, Gregory-Scott Haney and Cate Wells join Trenam as shareholders, while Mathew Poling comes aboard as an associate, according to a press release. The five lawyers specialize in real estate and land use; three of them — Carothers, Hughes and Haney — will work at Trenam’s St. Petersburg office, the release states, with Wells splitting time between Tampa and St. Pete.

“We are very pleased to have Graham, Tim, Gregory, Cate and Matt join team Trenam,” states Marie Tomassi, Trenam’s managing shareholder, in the release. “The Tampa Bay area real estate and development markets are booming. These attorneys, who have extensive experience in these practice areas and excellent reputations in the community, will add to our existing group of talented attorneys who practice in real estate, development and land use and zoning. They also bring a new, highly relevant practice area to Trenam — a solar law practice.”

Carothers states in the release that choosing to leave Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick “was not an easy decision to make.” He adds, “We have practiced at Shumaker for many years and have formed many great relationships there. I am confident, however, that my colleagues and I will be happy at Trenam, and that our clients will be, as well.”