For nearly 50 years, Stearns Weaver Miller Weissler Alhadeff & Sitterson, P.A. has been serving clients throughout the state of Florida. This Chamber member since 1979 represents a diverse range of clients from start-ups to multi-national corporations. The Harvard Law School graduate who played a key role in establishing the firm in Tampa in 1979 was Ronald L. Weaver.
Fast forward 44-years, the Tampa office that started as a two-person team now employes more than 50 people and Weaver is about to retire. “He leaves the practice of law having made enormous contributions to the world around him, to the community and to the firm that will continue to proudly bear his name,” said Eugene Stearns, Chairman of the firm. “In good times and challenging times, Ron never wavered from his core values of integrity and concern for others,” said Stearns.
Why the nostalgia? Given the opportunity to spotlight the firm’s accomplishments in our 2023 Member Spotlight Series, firm leaders chose to shine that light on Mr. Weaver, instead. For over four decades, he has represented landowners, development companies and local governments in environmental, land use and property rights law; real estate acquisition; and financing matters.
Notable projects include the conversion of the 1905 federal courthouse in Downtown Tampa into the 4-Star Le Méridien Hotel and all the legal hurdles that came with that. Weaver was also the lead attorney during the development of 5,000 acres in the Trinity Communities in Pasco County, as well as five regional malls, four high-rises in Downtown Tampa and four mid-rises in Westshore and Rocky Point in Hillsborough County. All told, the firm estimates that Weaver has played a key role in the acquisition and development of over $6 billion worth of Florida properties in 32 counties and 62 cities.
Weaver retires as one of the preeminent land use attorneys in the state of Florida. It’s a recognition earned over the course of 49 years. He and his wife Jackie arrived in 1974 in Tampa, where he started at a local law firm as a real estate attorney. Family and friends tell the story of how Weaver’s clients, early on, frequently asked him if he practiced land use law, and lamented they were unable to find a reputable local land use attorney. Weaver seized the opportunity and the rest, as they say, is history! Today, the firm has a Land Development, Zoning and Environmental group of more than 30 professionals statewide and is ranked Band 1, the highest given, by Chambers USA – which is the leading independent professional legal research company ranking the world’s leading lawyers and law firms.
“Ron has been a leader, mentor, colleague and friend,” noted Stearns. His involvement in philanthropic organizations and initiatives matched his commitment to the law. Weaver has held leadership roles with the American Heart Association, Children Cancer Center, Junior Achievement, Baycare Health System, The Children's Home and St. Joseph's-Baptist Hospital as well as co-founded a local parents' support group to support public schools.
Among the many legacies Weaver is admired for across an impressive number of generations of attorneys is CareerRebound, formerly known as Real Estate Lives. In 2008, Weaver founded the volunteer non-profit organization to help unemployed and underemployed professionals find a new job or even career during the Great Recession. Fifteen years later, the non-profit is still hard at work providing job seekers emotional support, job search training, networking opportunities and an online job board. To date, Weaver’s brainchild has helped more than 4,300 unemployed residents in Tampa Bay’s real estate and related industries.
The list of community engagement and professional mentoring Weaver has given his time, treasures and talents could fill a library. He’s a community advocate for affordable housing and transportation initiatives. He’s a philanthropist, and a sought-after speaker. He’s a published author of 200+ articles in national, local and regional law journals and more.
You’d be hard pressed to describe Weaver in a way that can fit in a headline or a business card. In 2021, the Junior League of Tampa tried to find just one word to describe Weaver. They succeeded by calling him a “Luminary”! This one word, comprised of 8 letters, captures the essence and community impact of the inimitable Ronald L. Weaver.