Dudley Goodlette will retire from firm he co-founded in 1996

J. Dudley Goodlette and Kevin Coleman have announced plans going forward for Goodlette, Coleman, Johnson, Yovanovich & Koester, P.A., the Naples-based law firm they founded in January 1996. Specifically, effective July 1:

• Mr. Goodlette will retire from the firm and from the active practice of law in Naples in favor of remaining chief of staff of the Office of the Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives;

• The firm, with 13 attorneys under the leadership of Mr. Coleman as managing partner and existing full equity partners Richard Yovanovich and Edmond Koester, will be renamed Coleman, Yovanovich & Koester, P.A.;

• Partner and co-founder Kenneth Johnson will retire from full-time practice while remaining Of Counsel to the firm;

• Attorneys William Burke, Gregory Urbancic and Matthew Grabinski will become full equity partners in the firm.

"It is impossible to adequately express our appreciation for Dudley's contributions to this firm and this community," Mr. Coleman said. "But we truly respect his desire to pursue his public service career. We intend to honor him by sustaining this firm's commitment to community service."

As he moves into the public arena, Mr. Goodlette said, "I would not be where I am today without the support of my law partners. They have encouraged me every step of the way… In many ways, they are family, and it will be my privilege to refer business to them and to celebrate their continued success."

Mr. Goodlette has received numerous community service awards and has served on the Twentieth Circuit Judicial Nominating Commission and as president of the Collier County Bar Association, governor of the Florida Bar and fellow of the American Bar Foundation, among many professional roles. He served as state representative for District 76 in Southwest Florida from November 1998 through November 2006.

Headquartered at 4001 N. Tamiami Trail, Coleman Yovanovich & Koester can be reached by calling 435-3535 or by visiting www.gcjlaw.com.