When Gary Rosen joined Becker & Poliakoff as lawyer number 17 back in 1982, he probably never thought he’d be managing shareholder of the Fort Lauderdale-based law firm.
Rosen has grown as an attorney along with the firm, which now boasts more than 145 lawyers and lobbyists in 13 offices throughout Florida, and in New York, New Jersey and Washington, D.C.
“As my interests grew, the firm expanded and added new and interesting practice areas,” says Rosen, who began his term as managing shareholder, the firm’s chief executive officer, this month. “When something is a good fit, you just know.”
Board Certified in Business Litigation by the Florida Bar, Rosen has served as part of the firm’s Management Committee since its inception and chaired its Business Litigation Practice Group for many years.
In his role on the Management Committee, he has played a leading role in the recruitment, marketing and overall operations of the firm. He chaired the firm’s strategic visioning initiative and led the reorganization of Becker & Poliakoff’s practices into several clearly defined and structured groups.
In addition, he was instrumental in opening the firm’s New York City and New Jersey offices, which focus on corporate and securities law and recently added condo and homeowner association law — a core practice area — in New Jersey.
Alan Becker, the firm’s former managing shareholder, will stay active in the business and civic communities. This year, Becker is chairman of the Beacon Council, Miami- Dade County’s economic development agency and continues to serve on the board of Enterprise Florida.
Becker says, “Gary is one of the most talented trial lawyers I have worked with. I am confident that his legal skills as a ‘bet-the-company’ litigator and his strong business acumen will serve him and the firm well in the future.”
The firm recently hired a new chief operating officer (COO), George Burgess, whose eight years of experience as Miami-Dade’s County Manager presents a wealth of expertise in managing people and marshalling resources to promote progress and innovation in large organizations. “We’re thrilled to have George on board, and it’s really made my decision to take on the role of managing shareholder much easier. Having George’s leadership over administrative aspects will free me up to look at the issues necessary to grow and expand the firm,” Rosen says.
Offering clients increased value is high on Rosen’s list of priorities. He plans to build upon the firm’s outreach initiatives, including the Client CARE Center, which responds to all client inquiries within 24 hours. In addition, Rosen will continue fostering the firm’s tradition of teamwork and collaboration among attorneys and staff.
“Becker & Poliakoff is not merely a collection of lawyers engaging in their individual practices,” Rosen says. “Rather, we are a team of professionals interested in helping each other grow their practice because we know that when we help each other succeed and help our clients succeed, we succeed as a firm.”