Gunster hired Georgetown Unversity grad Jonathan Osborne last year [Photo: Scott Wiseman]

At a time when many law firms aren’t hiring and have canceled summer internship programs, Gunster grew statewide last year, expanding its office in Jacksonville and opening one in Tampa that focuses on real estate, health care litigation and wealth management. “Florida is really turning, and the real estate economy is bouncing back,” says H. William “Bill” Perry, managing shareholder at Gunster. Besides hiring 52 people last year (only half are attorneys), the firm brought on seven summer law school associates in 2011. All were offered jobs. Georgetown University alumnus Jonathan Osborne was hired last year after completing a summer associates program in 2010. The firm recruits from within Florida and at top-tier schools outside of the state. Osborne, who works in business litigation, says he likes the fact that Gunster assigns mentors to newly hired attorneys. “It’s a place that would invest in me professionally,” Osborne says. The firm’s employee turnover rate last year was 5.8%.