James Williams Jr., 35, became one of the youngest-ever shareholders in the real estate group at the law firm Gunster, focusing mainly on land use and zoning. Over the last year and a half, Williams has generated close to half a million dollars monthly through his book of business, spanning major developers, homebuilders, and retailers.
He’s led teams including attorneys, planners, architects, traffic consultants, and economists through public hearings and final approvals. His clients include Lithia Motors, the US’s largest automotive retailer by revenue, and Greystar, the country’s largest apartment manager.
“At this stage of my career, being responsible not only for the legal work, but also for developing those client relationships, assembling the right teams, and shaping the strategy is what makes the accomplishment meaningful to me,” Williams said.
Williams has led entitlement efforts for Greystar on the redevelopment of a 25-acre portion of the Miami International Mall to permit up to 896 multifamily units. He has also spearheaded entitlements on a proposed 3.65 million-square-foot industrial hub across 238 acres in Miami-Dade County, as well as secured approval for a 21-story mixed-use building under Florida’s Live Local Act. Williams has further secured approvals for a church campus and two charter school campuses.
“Simply put, James is not merely participating in South Florida’s real estate market,” said H. William Perry, CEO and managing shareholder at Gunster. “James is helping determine what gets built, how the region’s most difficult projects move forward, and how the next generation of real estate professionals learns to lead.”
Photo Courtesy of James Williams Jr.
