SARASOTA, FL – The law firm of Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick, LLP is pleased to announce that Malcolm J. Pitchford, Partner in the Sarasota office, has been appointed to the Real Estate Certification Committee of the Florida Bar for a three year term.  This committee reviews applications for certification/recertification and prepares and grades the certification examination for lawyers who want to be certified as real estate specialists.

Mr. Pitchford has also joined the Board of Risk Management Association, Sarasota/Manatee Chapter.  The Risk Management Association is a not-for-profit, member association whose sole purpose is to advance the use of sound risk management that focuses on credit risk, market risk and operational risk.

Mr. Pitchford has extensive experience in representing individual and corporate clients in purchasing, selling, leasing and developing residential and commercial properties.  In addition, Mr. Pitchford regularly represents individual and private lenders in connection with residential and commercial acquisition, development and construction loans.  Mr. Pitchford, a Board Certified Real Estate lawyer, is also a Certified Civil Court Mediator and Panelist for the American Arbitration Association.  Mr. Pitchford is AV® Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell.

Mr. Pitchford received his J.D. and B.A. from the University of Florida.

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Founded in 1925, Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick, LLP is a full service law firm with 215 attorneys practicing in Toledo and Columbus, Ohio; Tampa and Sarasota, Florida; and Charlotte, North Carolina.