Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney

Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney has added four lawyers to its Tampa office, pulling from a corporate law boutique in the area.

The lawyers made the switch over the course of the last month, adding to three different practice areas at Buchanan Ingersoll. Partner Leslie Wager Hudock joined the corporate section, partner Steven Pratico joined the litigation section and partner Leonard Johnson joined the real estate section, along with senior attorney Sheada Madani.

Their prior firm, Barnett, Bolt, Kirkwood, Long & Koche, started as a tax boutique in 1975. It now has a couple of dozen lawyers.

The partners said Buchanan Ingersoll collaboration between practice groups, geographic breadth and greater number of practice areas were all part of their decision to make the move. Buchanan Ingersoll is the largest firm any of them have worked at.

“Our clients have gotten so much more sophisticated in the services they need, it becomes more difficult to provide them on a smaller platform,” Hudock said.

“When we were looking for an alternative to our prior firm, Buchanan was at the top of the list,” Pratico said.

Hudock's practice is focused on complex business transactions. Many of her clients are car dealers, she said, but she also works in the real estate, hospitality and tourism industries, and with startup companies.

Johnson represents banks, borrowers and small to midsize businesses in real estate transactions, construction matters, business planning, land use and development, as well as sales and acquisitions of small companies.

Pratico, a litigator, handles business torts, breach of contract cases, lender-borrower disputes, real estate litigation and construction disputes.

“We have been strategically focused on finding just the right fit for our office in these key areas and we're thrilled to welcome Leslie, Len, Steve and Sheada,” Hala Sandridge, co-head of Buchanan Ingersoll's Tampa office, said in a statement. “They are well-known for handling complicated matters across their practices and each brings extensive experience to add significant value to our clients in Tampa and surrounding areas.”

Buchanan Ingersoll's Tampa office, its third largest, has 40 lawyers. Johnson said all four lawyers have been able to bring their clients with them, and that their client base largely complements Buchanan Ingersoll's Tampa practices.

“It's a net plus,” Johnson said.

Leadership from Barnett Bolt did not respond to a request for comment Tuesday.