Law firm to move, expand within downtown Tampa
By Ashley Gurbal Kritzer
Tampa Bay Business Journal
Published: Mar 30, 2023

One of Tampa Bay's largest law firms will relocate and expand within the central business district this fall.

Johnson Pope Bokor Ruppel & Burns LLP has signed a lease for the top two floors — 33,175 square feet — in Rivergate Tower. It will vacate a full floor, or 20,025 square feet, in Truist Place.

The law firm will move 68 employees, 42 of whom are attorneys, to Rivergate Tower in October. Johnson Pope is the sixth largest law firm in the Tampa Bay region, according to Tampa Bay Business Journal data.

Johnson Pope's expansion runs counter to a trend of downsizing that's taken place in the Tampa Bay office market and nationwide. Some businesses — including the Tampa office of GrayRobinson, which is also moving within downtown Tampa and downsizing its office — are finding they need less space in the wake of remote and hybrid work culture.

"We have strong roots in Tampa Bay and with our new space at Rivergate, we will expand our presence and continue to serve the needs of our clients and our community while enjoying some of the best views in town,” said Darryl Richards, Johnson Pope managing partner, in a statement.

CBRE Group Inc.'s Roxanne Kemph and Kelley Matheson represented the landlord, Banyan Street Capital, in the lease. Johnson Pope was represented by Chris Butler, Ryan McCurdy and Lorenzo Gonzalez of Franklin Street.

“Employers are searching for ways to refresh their office environment as they continue to entice employees to return to the office. As the only office tower in downtown Tampa located along the Riverwalk, Rivergate Tower provides unmatched amenities," Kemph said in a statement.

Banyan Street is one of downtown Tampa's biggest office landlords and has invested millions in repositioning the city's skyline-defining office towers. The Miami-based firm bought Rivergate Tower in 2015 and also owns Tampa City Center and Bank of America Plaza.