Broad and Cassel has opened an office in the town of Palm Beach and hired former Akerman partner and veteran estate planning attorney John Raymond as a partner.

A trust and estates lawyer since 1968, Raymond joined his one-lawyer Palm Beach office with Akerman in 2010 after many years with Butzel Long of Detroit. He said the switch to Broad and Cassel, which occurred in April, has meant keeping almost all but his email address the same.

“My clients for the most part are smaller business owners more suited for a local regional firm,” Raymond said.