Winston launches Miami real estate practice with partner hire

(Reuters) – Winston & Strawn said Tuesday that it has launched a real estate practice in its eight-month-old Miami office, hiring a dealmaker from Florida-based midsize firm Shutts & Bowen to start the group.

Rafael Aguilar will be the first member of the Chicago-founded firm’s Miami-based real estate practice. Aguilar said he was drawn to the firm after former colleagues he respected from Shutts & Bowen and Jones Day, where he worked as a partner for almost four years, earlier left to join Winston.

He also said the firm’s international breadth would benefit his practice. Shutts & Bowen has about 275 attorneys working out of eight offices in Florida, while Winston has 10 locations across the United States and offices in Europe, Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Latin America.

Aguilar helps clients acquire, sell and develop buildings or raw land, in addition to helping with joint real estate ventures and real estate funding.

He said more high-networth individuals and corporations have been looking to do business in Miami since the pandemic, in part because of Florida’s tax benefits and comparatively lax business regulations.

Aguilar is the 15th new partner to join the firm in Miami since the office opened in May, according to Winston. Aguilar said he is looking to build out the real estate team with both partners and associates in the near future.

He said he is moving his full practice over to Winston, though he declined to name specific clients.

A representative from Shutts & Bowen did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

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