SARASOTA, FL – Two Sarasota attorneys will step into legal leadership roles in a pair of rapidly evolving industries that power large portions of the U.S. economy. Shumaker has named Juan Villaveces Co-Chair of the firm’s Real Estate, Construction and Development Business Sector and Meghan Serrano Co-Chair of the Financial Institutions and Insurance Business Sector.

As partners in Shumaker’s Sarasota office, the two attorneys will guide the legal work in their business sectors for the entire nationwide firm of more than 270 lawyers and advisors.

“We’ve elevated these two tremendous people as we expand Shumaker’s premier position in these business sectors,” Shumaker Chairman Tom Dillon said. “These sectors of the American economy are shifting daily, and Meghan and Juan have the skills and proven records to stay out in front on behalf of our clients.”

A board certified real estate lawyer, Juan Villaveces’s practice focuses on all aspects of residential and commercial real estate law and lender representation, where he offers comprehensive counsel across a broad range of real estate matters. Honored as a 2021 Elite Top Attorney by SRQ Magazine, Juan serves on the Board of Directors for both the Education Foundation of Sarasota County and the Suncoast Communities Blood Bank.

Board certified in business litigation, Meghan Serrano practices in all phases of civil and business litigation—regularly representing businesses, insurers, banks, lenders, and landlords in both state and federal court. Meghan is a contributing author on several publications on the topics of foreclosure and eviction law. Meghan was also named a 2021 Elite Top Attorney by SRQ Magazine and serves as Board Chair for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Sarasota and DeSoto Counties.

• The U.S. real estate industry ranked No. 1 as the industry with the largest GDP in Q1 2021, at more than $4 trillion. That is a 3.4 percent increase from Q1 2020 and reflects in part the massive rebound in housing market activity across the country over the last 12 months.
• Nearly 6.6 million Americans are now employed in the Finance and Insurance sector, which is an increase of 13.3 percent over the past 10 years.

“By organizing into business sector teams and then positioning top-flight lawyers like Juan and Meghan as leaders, we can bring our entire range of experiences from across our 10 offices to bear on any issue any client encounters,” said Shumaker Management Committee Co-Chair Jennifer Compton. “We’re here to make sure our clients succeed, and naming these new leaders is key to that success.”