General Information

Year founded: 1953
This is the year the firm (or its earliest predecessor entity) was founded.
Logo for Icard, Merrill, Cullis, Timm, Furen & Ginsburg, P.A.

Overview

Content is provided by the firm.

Icard Merrill is a full-service law firm based in Sarasota, Florida, delivering innovative and effective legal solutions through dedicated and caring professionals. Since 1953, Icard Merrill has offered clients comprehensive legal experience in multiple practice areas, including business and corporate, community association law, construction, bankruptcy, employment, estate planning, family law, government and administrative, immigration, intellectual property, land use and zoning, litigation, mobile home and manufactured housing, real estate, tax, and mediation services.

Icard Merrill’s attorneys are leaders in their respective fields, providing experienced and knowledgeable advice to businesses and individuals throughout the Suncoast. Our attorneys combine a commitment to exemplary client service with the latest innovations in the practice of law to provide quality advice in a wide range of legal disciplines. Our dedicated practice groups work both independently and cooperatively to ensure a high level of comprehensive representation.

The cornerstone of Icard Merrill is an enduring commitment to excellence, integrity, teamwork, and the community. More information is available at icardmerrill.com.

Rankings

Icard, Merrill, Cullis, Timm, Furen & Ginsburg, P.A. is metro ranked in 7 practice areas. Best Law Firms rankings are based on a rigorous evaluation process.

Read how Best Law Firms ranks firms

Metro Rankings

Sarasota
Tier 1 for Construction Law
Tier 1 for Family Law
Tier 1 for Land Use and Zoning Law
Tier 1 for Real Estate Law
Tier 2 for Litigation - Land Use and Zoning

Highlighted Client Comments

All client comments represent the opinions of the people who provided them. All potential clients are urged to remember that no two cases are ever completely alike and that the result in one case does not guarantee a similar result in another case.
Land Use and Zoning Law
I was extremely pleased with my experience with Icard, Merrill, Cullis, Timm, Furen & Ginsburg and Mike Furen. They were knowledgeable and professional in guiding me through a challenging case. All the people we worked with in the firm did a great job. I would recommend for sure!
Joe McNamara
Administrative / Regulatory Law
They seem to be the most respected and knowledgeable commercial real estate and zoning firm in the area.
Paxton Kinol – Belpointe Multifamily Partners, LLC
Land Use and Zoning Law
One of the best law firms in the country, it is highly responsive to clients' needs.
Cyrus Ansary, International Lawyer & Financier – ISICO LLC
Real Estate Law
With regard to Icard, Merrill, Cullis, Timm, Furen & Ginsburg, they have assisted us with numerous real estate matters in Florida. Jeff Pflugner has been magnificent not simply in resolving certain extremely unusual title matters but also in providing advice on how to structure numerous types of transactions, including property purchases and sales, long term leases, and property financing's. Mr. Pflugner has made himself available on short notice and has even worked extensively when away from his office in order to meet a time line not of his own creation. His explanations of title issues have been easy for laymen to understand and appreciate particular problems and have thus greatly reduced the time required to close extremely complicated real estate transactions.
Administrative / Regulatory Law
Icard, Merrill, Cullis, Timm, Furen & Ginsburg has represented me for over 20 years and is truly the top professional legal firm in Sarasota.
James Gabbert – Gabbert Investments, LLC
Land Use and Zoning Law
I have worked with Icard, Merrill, Cullis, Timm, Furen & Ginsburg on land use issues since 1980. They are creative, knowledgeable, well connected, and have always produced the best possible results.
Administrative / Regulatory Law
Bill Merrill of Icard, Merrill, Cullis, Timm, Furen & Ginsburg is one of the best land use lawyers I've ever worked with. Amazing attention to detail and insight, highly recommended.
Administrative / Regulatory Law
Bill Merrill's judgement on the real estate matters we engaged him to handle is impeccable. Trustability is key ingredient (to me) in any successful professional relationship. Bill has proven, time and time again, to a very trustworthy lawyer. Being one who, over my professional career, has dealt mostly with legal professionals from larger, national law firms, finding a very competent, likeable real estate lawyer in a smaller community like Sarasota has made a fairly complicated real estate transaction, manageable. I highly recommend Bill Merrill and the Icard, Merrill, Cullis, Timm, Furen & Ginsburg law firm. More importantly, I trust his judgement.
Jim Cater – The Glenridge
Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law
My company has used Icard, Merrill for 10 years now and my company has never had a legal issue that the firm could not handle. They successfully won the only trial we have been directly involved in (in this case as the plaintiff).
Land Use and Zoning Law
Bill Merrill with Icard, Merrill, Cullis, Timm, Furen & Ginsburg is as respected and knowledgeable as they come in land use and zoning matters in my experience in both Sarasota and Manatee counties. My association with him goes back over 20 years. He is honorable and effective.
Corporate Law
I have been dealing with Icard Merrill for nearly 10 years and find them to be one of the best, all-encompassing law firms that I have had the pleasure to deal with over my 25-year career banking. The firm does an excellent job hiring and retaining knowledgeable lawyers to ensure that my legal needs in both business or personal matters are well taken care of. I refer personal and company business to them on a regular basis.
Real Estate Law
This firm not only understands the law today but completely understands the value in helping to shape it for their clients in the future. Hands down, there is no better.
JD Porter – Wiregrass Ranch, Inc.
Litigation - Land Use and Zoning
We have used this firm on our family's legacy project for several years now. Wiregrass Ranch is broadly believed to be the most complex and successful development in the state, and Icard Merrill has done an amazing job to help us take our project not only to the next level, but to the forefront of cutting edge thinking.
JD Porter – Wiregrass Ranch, Inc.

Rankings

Metro Rankings

Sarasota
Tier 1 for Construction Law
Tier 1 for Family Law
Tier 1 for Land Use and Zoning Law
Tier 1 for Real Estate Law
Tier 2 for Litigation - Land Use and Zoning
Tier 2 for Litigation - Real Estate
Tier 2 for Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs

Practice Areas

The below are areas of legal specialty volunteered by the firm and do not designate a specialty in which a Best Law Firms ranking is held.
  • Administrative
  • Alternative Dispute Resolution
  • Arbitration
  • Banking and Finance Law
  • Business Disputes
  • Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law
  • Commercial
  • Commercial Development
  • Commercial Litigation
  • Community Association Law
  • Complex Disputes
  • Condominiums
  • Construction
  • Construction Disputes
  • Construction Law
  • Contract Review and Negotiation
  • Corporate Governance and Compliance Law
  • Elder Law
  • Employment Law - Individuals
  • Employment Law - Management
  • Environmental
  • Environmental Law
  • Family Law
  • Family Law Arbitration
  • Family Law Mediation
  • Financial Services Regulation Law
  • Information Technology Law
  • Land Use
  • Land Use and Zoning Law
  • Litigation
  • Litigation - Banking and Finance
  • Litigation - Bankruptcy
  • Litigation - Construction
  • Litigation - Labor and Employment
  • Litigation - Land Use and Zoning
  • Litigation - Securities
  • Mediation
  • Mergers and Acquisitions Law
  • Municipal Law
  • Mutual Funds Law
  • Personal Injury
  • Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants
  • Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs
  • Planning
  • Product Liability Litigation - Defendants
  • Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs
  • Professional Malpractice Law - Defendants
  • Professional Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs
  • Real Estate
  • Real Estate Law
  • Securities
  • Securities / Capital Markets Law
  • Securities Regulation
  • Tax Law
  • Trademark Law
  • Transactions
  • Trusts and Estates
  • Utilities Law
  • Water Law
  • Workers' Compensation Law - Claimants
  • Workers' Compensation Law - Employers
  • Wrongful Death
  • Zoning

Individuals Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America®

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Client Comments

All client comments represent the opinions of the people who provided them. All potential clients are urged to remember that no two cases are ever completely alike and that the result in one case does not guarantee a similar result in another case.
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Awards

Awards are self-reported by firms and are not verified by the Best Law Firms rankings.
  • 2019 Best Law Firms
  • 2020 Best Law Firms
  • 2021 Best Law Firm
  • 2022 Best Law Firm
  • 2023 Best Law Firm
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