William J. "Bill" Schifino, Jr.

William J. "Bill" Schifino, Jr.


Gunster, Yoakley & Stewart, P.A.

Recognized since 2008

Tampa, Florida

Practice Areas

Arbitration

Commercial Litigation

Legal Malpractice Law - Defendants

Litigation - Securities

Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2025 - Arbitration
Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2025 - Arbitration Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2023 - Arbitration Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2022 - Legal Malpractice Law - Defendants Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2021 - Arbitration Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2016 - Litigation - Securities Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2013 - Litigation - Securities
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Bill serves on the firm’s board of directors. He is a board certified specialist in the area of business litigation. His practice focuses on business litigation and trial practice, including securities litigation and arbitration, professional malpractice litigation, director and officer litigation, employment litigation, restrictive covenant litigation and intellectual property litigation.

Bill served as President of the Florida Bar for the 2016-2017 term. He is also a member of the board of trustees for the University of Florida Levin College of Law. Bill was selected by Senate President Joe Negron to serve on the Florida Constitution Revision Commission as one of 37 commissioners responsible for studying, researching and making recommendations for revising Florida’s Constitution. Presently, Bill is a member of the State of Florida Judicial Qualifications Commission.

Bill previously served eight years as a member of the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit Judicial Nominating Commission, appointed by both Governors Jeb Bush and Charlie Crist, and served as its chairman.

Bill is a frequent speaker and lecturer on a number of litigation and trial topics, including deposition strategies and techniques, expert witness procedures and discovery, and trial issues in Florida.

After law school, Bill worked for Taub & Williams, P.A., subsequently establishing Williams, Schifino, Mangione & Steady, P.A. in 1991, where he was a founding shareholder, president and then managing director before the firm combined with Alabama-based Burr & Forman in 2012. In 2018, Bill joined Gunster and assumed the role of managing shareholder of the firm’s Tampa office until 2022.

In addition to his law practice, Bill serves on the board of directors for Quantum Capital Partners, a Tampa based venture capital firm, FLMIC, a mutual insurance company serving the legal profession and the advisory board of Plutus Capital Partners, a Tampa based investment firm.

Contact & Links
Location
  • 401 East Jackson Street, Suite 1500
    Tampa, FL 33602
Education
  • University of Florida, J.D., graduated 1985
  • Tulane University, BA, graduated 1982
Bar Admissions
  • Florida, The Florida Bar
Affiliations
  • American Bar Association - Member
  • Florida Bar - Member, Business Law Section
  • Florida Bar - Member, Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section
  • Florida Bar - Member, Trial Lawyer Section
  • Florida Bar - President, 2016-17
  • Florida Bar - Thirteenth Judicial Circuit, Board of Governors, 2008-18
  • Florida Bar Foundation - Fellow
  • Florida Constitution Revision Commission - Commissioner, 2017-18
  • Florida Judicial Qualifications Commission - Member
  • Florida Justice Association - Fellow
  • Hillsborough County Bar Association - President, 2004-05
  • Hillsborough County Bar Foundation - President, 2014-15
  • University of Florida Levin College of Law - Board of Trustees

Gunster, Yoakley & Stewart, P.A.

Tampa, Florida

2 The Best Lawyers in America® awards

1 Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America award

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Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2025 - Arbitration Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2023 - Arbitration Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2022 - Legal Malpractice Law - Defendants Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2021 - Arbitration Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2016 - Litigation - Securities Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2013 - Litigation - Securities
Named "Lawyer of the Year" by Best Lawyers® for:
  • Arbitration, Tampa (2025)
  • Arbitration, Tampa (2023)
  • Legal Malpractice Law - Defendants, Tampa (2022)
  • Arbitration, Tampa (2021)
  • Litigation - Securities, Tampa (2016)
  • Litigation - Securities, Tampa (2013)
Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2025 for work in:
  • Arbitration
  • Commercial Litigation
  • Legal Malpractice Law - Defendants
  • Litigation - Securities
Special Focus:
  • Business Litigation
  • Employment
  • Intellectual Property Litigation
  • Professional Liability & Legal Malpractice Defense
Awards:
  • The Best Lawyers in America, Legal Malpractice Law - Defendants "Lawyer of the Year" in Tampa, 2022; Arbitration "Lawyer of the Year" in Tampa, 2021
  • The Best Lawyers in America; Arbitration, Commercial Litigation, Securities Litigation, 2008-17, 2020-22; Litigation-Securities Law "Lawyer of the Year" in Tampa, 2014, 2016; Legal Malpractice Law-Defendants, 2022
  • Hillsborough County Bar Association, Outstanding Lawyer, 2014; Chambers & Partners, "Leaders in Their Field, Litigation: General Commercial, 2016-22
  • AV Preeminent rating as independently determined by Martindale-Hubbell
  • Florida Trend Legal Elite; Hall of Fame 2020-22; Commercial Litigation 2006-10, 2013, 2015-16, 2019-20, 2022; Business Law 2016, 2018
  • Florida Super Lawyers, Securities Litigation 2006-21; Business Litigation, 2022

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In the News Florida: Tampa Edition 2017


by Compiled by Nathaniel Barr

Newsworthy highlights featuring listed lawyers from the Tampa Bay area.

In the News Florida: Tampa Edition 2017

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