Tallahassee Magazine May/June 2007
Admittedly,
it was not an easy decision to make. When the partners of one of the
oldest, continuously operating law firms in Tallahassee recognized
the wisdom in owning a building versus renting, they knew it would
mean moving from downtown.
“It was hard for us to leave,” says Dom Caparello, a partner of Messer, Caparello & Self, PA. Many in the practice felt that a presence downtown is what a lawyer needs in Florida's capital city, and yet they could no longer ignore the value of building equity, better parking and easier access for clients.
The attorneys hit on a compromise: They kept a portion of the offices downtown, but moved the rest of the practice to more spacious and convenient offices in northeast Tallahassee. Messer, Caparello & Self moved into their 20,000 sq. ft. headquarters at Parrish Group’s Regional Center in September of 2006.
“This has worked out well,” Caparello says. In addition to being a good investment, the office building is more accessible to I-10, has plenty of parking and is surrounded by a variety of restaurants, hotels and shops that make long days with clients more manageable.
A bonus, partner Elliott Messer says, is that the new location is closer to home for most of the staff and 15 attorneys who are among the top in their areas of practice, including litigation, administrative law, mediation, real estate, white collar crime/ethics investigations, utilities, and legislative/governmental affairs.
“The firm has been here a long time and will continue to be here a long time,” says partner Floyd Self. “Having this building will allow us to grow.”