Gainesville
Over the past few years, Dean Mead attorneys have enjoyed an excellent working relationship with Jack Bovay, one of north central Florida’s more prominent tax and estate planning attorneys. The strategic alliance with Mr. Bovay’s law firm was so successful that he decided to formally join Dean Mead on January 1, 2011 when we opened our fourth office in Gainesville. Mr. Bovay now serves as managing shareholder for the Gainesville office, which operates under the name Dean, Mead & Bovay.
Gator Coast Connections
Many of us commonly refer to north central Florida as the Gator Coast. Since several of our lawyers earned their law degrees from the University of Florida Levin College of Law, we were excited by the unique opportunity to go back to our roots and establish the Dean Mead footprint in the Gainesville community.
The firm’s connections with the University of Florida continue to grow every year. A number of our lawyers have served as adjunct professors at the law school. And, just this year we developed a partnership with the University of Florida Levin College of Law and two other law firms to teach a new course aimed at third-year law students with an interest in business law. Using a team-based, interactive approach, students learned how to advise entrepreneurs on the legal complexities of a start-up business.
The university and the business community have done an extraordinary job in paving the way for Florida’s entrepreneurs. Our firm is motivated to support the University of Florida Innovation Hub, the UF Sid Martin Biotechnology Incubator, the Gainesville Area Chamber of Commerce, and CEO to help new companies flourish.
Today, Dean Mead is one of the only law firms in Alachua County strategically positioned to help these companies grow as a result of our full-service, corporate approach to provide legal counsel in practice areas such as finance, mergers and acquisitions, real estate, commercial litigation, tax, estate and succession planning, health law, and employee benefits. The key benefit to our clients is access – to nearly 50 attorneys with unique experience and statewide business relationships.
Giving Back to Our Community
Dean, Mead & Bovay is proud of its commitment and service to the local community through civic organizations and pro bono legal work. Our attorneys not only support charitable organizations within the area, but also take an active role in leadership positions.
One key area of focus for the firm’s outreach involves our continuous support of the University of Florida at various levels. Since 1985, we have donated nearly a quarter million dollars to the College of Law including a gift to establish the Dean Mead Endowed Scholarship, helping 30 students to pursue a law degree. The firm has also provided gifts to the law school to endow a Book Award and to the Calfee Eminent Scholar Chair. Furthermore, President Michael Minton donates legal experience when needed and has served on the UF Levin College of Law’s Board of Trustees since 1994.
Managing Shareholder, Jack Bovay, has lived and worked in Gainesville for many years and is deeply invested in contributing to the success of the local business and academic communities. Presently, he serves on the Board of Trustees for the University of Florida Law Center Association. Earlier this year, he led the firm’s partnership with UF’s College of Law and two other law firms to pioneer a new course aimed at third-year law students with an interest in assisting entrepreneurs to navigate the complex areas of business law.
Recently, Mr. Bovay was elected a Trustee of the Washington and Lee University Alumni Board in Lexington, Virginia. He is also a member of the Southeast Tissue Alliance, an organization that promotes tissue donation and works throughout the community to increase awareness, educate health professionals and further donation-related research. In addition, Mr. Bovay was a past chair of the Gainesville Alliance for Economic Development and the past president of the Gainesville Country Club.
Attorney Richard Withers recently returned to his hometown of Gainesville to support the expansion of the firm’s services throughout north central Florida. This fall he will embark on the year-long community program, Leadership Gainesville. This program is designed to identify, educate and develop leadership skills for all participants. It provides future leaders the opportunity to network and collaborate with individuals in the community that represent business law, religion, civic groups, the arts, minority organizations, education, health care, government, human services and volunteer organizations. In addition, Mr. Withers is on the boards of the Treasure Coast Food Bank and the Justice Teaching Group.
