One of Miami's most dynamic and prolific real estate attorneys, Greenberg Traurig senior chairman Matt Gorson became a lawyer largely because of people he never really got to know.

Gorson's father and grandfather had been high-profile lawyers in Atlantic City, New Jersey, but both died by the time Gorson turned 10. Awed by his mother's stories of them, Gorson always assumed he'd become a lawyer, too. Perhaps losing his father at an early age was what made him see his future bosses as mentors.

Right out of law school, Gorson joined Greenberg Traurig in 1973, becoming among the first dozen attorneys hired by the founders. His long career there gives him particular insight into how the firm, which turns 50 this year, evolved into one of the 100 largest firms in the world and highlights its role in shaping Miami's skyline and legal market. As the firm grew, Gorson played a role in revitalizing downtown Miami, the Brickell Financial District, Miami Beach and Sunny Isles Beach.