Garey F. Butler

Garey focuses on commercial and residential real estate, general corporate advice, and probate matters. In his real estate practice, he represents clients across industries – retail, healthcare, banking, hospitality, and others – in all aspects of commercial and residential real estate. He guides businesses and individuals through the purchase and sale of land and buildings and other property rights such as easements and restrictive covenants. He counsels landlords and tenants in commercial lease negotiations. And he advises lenders and borrowers on construction and permanent financing arrangements. Garey is an authorized title agent for several national underwriters.

Corporate clients look to Garey for practical advice on a wide range of operating and transactional issues and regularly ask him to serve as their outside general counsel. They know that he is committed to protecting their interests, in particular by helping them develop systems to proactively avoid litigation and by structuring tax-efficient transactions (he has an LL.M. in taxation). He has helped entrepreneurs and startups establish and run companies in Florida throughout his career, including a business that has grown into a national franchise system with 900 locations.

Garey guides his probate clients through the Florida probate process to ensure proper distribution and clearing of title for real estate and other assets.

Services

• Real Estate
• Commercial Leasing
• Real Estate Development
• Real Estate Finance
• Corporate Governance
• Probate & Trust Administration
• Qualified Opportunity Zones

Industries

• Real Estate Industry

1. University of Florida Levin College of Law, LL.M., Taxation
2. University of Oregon School of Law, J.D.
3. Emory University, B.A.

Bar Admissions

1. Florida
2. Georgia
3. Oregon

Court Admissions

1. U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida

• AV^® Preeminent™ rating from Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory
• Named to The Best Lawyers in America® for Real Estate Law (2011-2023)

Professional Affiliations

• The Florida Bar, Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section; Business Law Section; Taxation Section
• Lee County Bar Association
• Real Estate Investment Society
• United States Law Firm Group, Real Estate Committee Past Representative

Community Affiliations

• Caloosa River Citizens Association (a.k.a. Riverwatch)
• Calusa Nature Center and Planetarium, Former Director and Past President 
• Home Ownership Resource Council
• Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southwest Florida, Inc., Past President, Board of Directors, and Recipient of President’s Leadership Award