TAMPA, FL – The law firm of Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick, LLP is pleased to announce that Benjamin R. Hanan, partner in the Sarasota office, Gregory C. Yadley and Julio C. Esquivel, partners in the Tampa office, presented “Recent M&A Trends and Developments” at the Second Annual Association of Corporate Counsel – West Central Florida Chapter (“ACC-WCFL”) Symposium at Longboat Key Club August 19-21, 2011.

Mr. Esquivel focuses his practice in corporate, securities, franchise and general business matters. He has significant experience with a wide variety of transaction structures across a broad range of industries, including handling matters for entrepreneurs, start up companies, established private companies, and public companies. Mr. Esquivel’s experience includes advising public and private companies in connection with corporate governance matters and ’34 Act reporting obligations, including compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, as well as advising clients on matters relating to the formation of new businesses (structure, governance and related issues), with extensive experience representing start-up and growth stage enterprises. Mr. Esquivel received his J.D. from the University of California, Berkeley, and his B.S. from the University of Florida.

Mr. Hanan offers comprehensive advice to his business and individual clients. On the business side, Mr. Hanan counsels his clients including physicians, private businesses and international corporations, from formation and capitalization, through financing transactions, complex operations and mergers and acquisitions to ultimate liquidity events. With respect to individual planning, Mr. Hanan counsels his clients through myriad wealth accumulation and asset preservation strategies that offer opportunities to mitigate taxes and preserve estate values; the tax implications of protecting and transferring personal and business assets to heirs and beneficiaries; philanthropic planning; family-business management succession; the establishment of complex trusts and estates designed to provide future care for dependents, incapacitated children or elderly family members; Medicaid qualification and the protection of assets from the cost of nursing home care. Mr. Hanan received his J.D., with highest honors, from George Washington University, his M.P.A. and his B.B.A. from the University of Texas at Austin.

Mr. Yadley has extensive experience representing business entities of all sizes, including closely-held and family businesses and large and small public companies. He regularly represents these clients in financing transactions, mergers and acquisitions, contract negotiations and disputes, strategic planning, legal compliance and general corporate matters. He also has extensive experience in securities matters, including advising clients with regard to their private and public offerings of securities (including initial public offerings) and their ongoing disclosure obligations. He is an adjunct professor at the University of Florida Levin College of Law, a frequent lecturer and contributor to legal periodicals, Co-Editor of The Florida Bar Florida Corporate Practice Manual, Co-Director of the annual Federal Securities Institute and a Moderator for the SEC Government-Business Forum on Small Business Capital Formation. Mr. Yadley was also named to Florida Legal Elite©, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005 and 2004 Florida Trend Magazine (top 1.6% of Florida lawyers); The Best Lawyers in America®, Corporate Law, 2005 – 2011; Florida Super Lawyer, and Florida Top 100 Lawyer, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006; Tampa Bay's Best Lawyers, 2011, 2010, 2009 and 2008; and 20 Most Influential Lawyers in Tampa Bay 2005, Tampa Bay Business Journal. Mr. Yadley is AV® Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell. He is incoming Chairman of the American Bar Association’s Middle Market and Small Business Committee. Mr. Yadley received his J.D., with honors, from George Washington University and his B.A. cum laude from Dartmouth College.

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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.