William R. Paul, Shareholder

Downtown Office
Tel: (813) 276-1920

EDUCATION:
Brooklyn Law School, J.D., 1973
University of Pennsylvania, Wharton School, B.S. in Economics, 1964

PRACTICE AREAS:
Corporate & Securities
Mergers and Acquisitions
Commercial Transactions

Bill Paul has a practice that spans a wide variety of business transactions, including the representation of public and closely held companies, securities issuers, underwriters, broker-dealers and venture capital investors in securities offerings, compliance activities, and administrative, licensing and enforcement proceedings. His practice includes mergers, acquisitions, takeovers, business combinations, business sales, executive employment and separation agreements, and dispute resolutions. He has represented buyers, sellers, lenders and investment bankers in various business financing and sale transactions, manufacturers and distributors in a wide range of distribution agreements, and franchisees and franchisee associations in organization and operation matters and in dealing with franchisors.

In over 33 years of private practice, Bill has represented clients in a wide range of industries, including computer hardware and software; healthcare and medical products; developing technologies; real estate syndications; casino cruises; heavy and light manufacturing; radio broadcasting; food processing and distribution; mortgage lending, brokerage and banking; commercial banking; investment banking; securities brokerage; real estate brokerage; franchise transactions; insurance; cellular tower leasing; and professional and tax exempt organizations involved in financing and real estate.

Bill practiced law in New York City for 3 years prior to moving to Tampa, Florida in 1979. He has been a partner in both national and Florida firms during his years in Tampa and has an AV rating by Martindale-Hubbell. He is a member of the American Bar Association (and its Business Law Section), The Florida Bar (and its Business Law Section), the District of Columbia Bar, and the Hillsborough County Bar Association. Bill was President of the Tampa Bay Chapter of the Association For Corporate Growth for two years and a Director from 1998 to 2010. He was a founding member of the Real Estate Investment Council, Inc. ("REIC") in 1983; served as its President for two years, and has been a Director since 1983.

Prior to entering private law practice, Bill was a Senior Staff Attorney with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in Washington, D.C., where he was a member of the Staff of the Division of Corporation Finance for 3 1/2 years. He is a former arbitrator for the American Arbitration Association, The New York Stock Exchange, and the NASD (now FINRA) and currently is a member of the FINRA Mediator Roster.

Bill earned a B.S. in Economics from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in 1964 where he was a member of the Varsity Football Team from 1960 through 1963. He earned a J.D. from Brooklyn Law School in 1973 and completed several tax law courses in the graduate program at Georgetown University Law School in 1974 and 1975 while working as a Senior Staff Attorney at the SEC.