Gunster strengthens immigration real estate and business litigation practices with the addition of four experienced attorneys across Florida offices

Florida – One of Florida’s long-established law firms is expanding its legal bench with the arrival of four new attorneys, a move the firm says will strengthen several of its key practice areas across the state.

Gunster announced that attorneys Jordan H. Blumenthal, Laura Buck, William A. O’Leary, and Emma Shapiro have joined the firm. Their addition supports the firm’s Real Estate, Immigration, and Business Litigation practices, with new talent now working from the firm’s offices in West Palm Beach, Miami, and Jacksonville.

The announcement marks another step for the firm as it continues to expand its services across Florida, responding to growing demand in areas such as development law, corporate disputes, and immigration matters affecting businesses and individuals.

Among the new hires is Jordan H. Blumenthal, who joins the firm’s Real Estate practice in West Palm Beach. Blumenthal brings more than ten years of experience working in federal government roles, a background that gives him insight into the regulatory environment that developers and property owners must navigate.

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His legal work centers on land use and zoning issues—two areas that can make or break real estate projects in rapidly growing communities. Developers frequently face complex rules involving local approvals, environmental considerations, and municipal regulations. Blumenthal’s role will involve guiding clients through these processes and helping them move projects forward while complying with legal requirements.

Blumenthal earned his law degree from Georgetown University Law Center. Before that, he attended Florida State University, where he graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor’s degree and later completed a Master of Applied American Politics and Policy.

Immigration law is another area receiving a boost from the firm’s new hires. Laura Buck has joined the Immigration practice in the Miami office, where she will assist companies navigating the complex landscape of U.S. immigration regulations.

Businesses across industries often rely on immigration attorneys to help them hire international talent or move employees across borders. Buck focuses primarily on employment-based immigration petitions as well as petitions for temporary nonimmigrant workers. Her experience includes advising clients in sectors such as education, healthcare, government, and technology.

Buck completed both her undergraduate and legal studies at Tulane University. She earned her law degree cum laude and previously graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor’s degree.

Meanwhile, the firm’s litigation practice in Jacksonville is gaining another attorney with experience in high-stakes commercial disputes.

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William A. O’Leary has joined Gunster’s Business Litigation team, bringing experience from a large national law firm where he represented major corporations in complex legal battles. His work included cases involving breach of contract claims, allegations of fraud, and disputes over tortious interference with business relationships.

O’Leary has also handled matters related to civil RICO statutes and other complicated commercial issues that often involve extensive financial stakes and intricate legal arguments.

Before joining Gunster, he worked on cases involving significant financial exposure for major companies, including several Fortune 100 businesses.

He earned his law degree magna cum laude from the University of Florida Levin College of Law and received his undergraduate degree magna cum laude from The Catholic University of America.

The firm’s Miami office is also welcoming another addition to its Immigration practice with the arrival of Emma Shapiro.

Shapiro works on both family-based and employment-based immigration matters, helping clients navigate the detailed application and petition processes required by U.S. immigration law. Her responsibilities include preparing and filing petitions for both immigrant and nonimmigrant visas.

Her practice includes assisting clients seeking investor visas, extraordinary ability visas, and other immigration pathways that often require detailed documentation and legal analysis. She also advises on consular processing matters for individuals pursuing visas through U.S. embassies or consulates abroad.

Shapiro earned her law degree from the University of Miami School of Law. She previously graduated cum laude from Florida State University with a bachelor’s degree in science.

Together, the four attorneys bring a mix of backgrounds—from government service and immigration law to high-level commercial litigation and real estate regulation. Firm leaders say this combination strengthens their ability to handle a broad range of legal matters for clients across Florida.

For a firm with deep roots in the state’s legal community, the expansion reflects how the legal landscape continues to evolve alongside Florida’s growth. Population increases, real estate development, and expanding international business connections have all created rising demand for attorneys experienced in regulatory issues, immigration policy, and complex commercial disputes.

With offices across the state and a growing roster of attorneys, Gunster appears to be positioning itself to meet those demands while broadening the range of services available to its clients.