Family Law

• Guardianship

Business and Corporate Law

• Corporate Law
  His services include drafting and negotiating transaction documents such as asset purchase agreements, stock purchase agreements, operating, partnership and shareholder agreements; structuring and effectuating the sale and purchase of businesses, assets or divisions and joint ventures; as well as representing health care entities.
• Mergers and Acquisitions
  Jenifer represents clients in all aspects of business and corporate transactions, including entity selection, formation, operating, partnership and shareholder agreements, joint ventures, mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance and general corporate matters. One of Jenifer’s primary areas of practice is business succession planning, specifically with family owned businesses. Jenifer focuses on working with the families over time to meet their business goals, tailoring their operative business documents and often times their estate planning documents to achieve their business and family goals. In addition, Jenifer represents many charitable organizations, assisting with formation, IRS qualification, corporate governance, joint ventures, acquisitions and general corporate matters.
• Business Formation
  Melanie practices in the area of general business and corporate law. She has extensive experience in counseling clients in a variety of business transactional areas including, business formation and governance issues, purchases and sales of businesses, employment and consulting arrangements, non-competition and non-solicitation covenants, promissory notes, pledge and security agreements, licensing agreements, trademark and other general business matters.
• Business Disputes
  PRESS RELEASE: SARASOTA-BRADENTON, FL, January 2, 2024 ––The law firm of Blalock Walters, P.A. is pleased to welcome attorney Matthew F. Liebert to its business litigation law practice group. Liebert’s practice involves the litigation of business disputes, real estate...
• Business Transactions
  Hayes Rule practices in the firm’s business & corporate and health care law departments. His practice includes counseling clients regarding entity formation, business governance issues, business transactions and health care transactional and regulatory matters.
• Limited Liability Companies
• Construction Contracts
  The complexities surrounding the residential and commercial construction industry require knowledge of construction contracts, construction liens, surety bonds, building codes, financing, insurance, construction defects, delays and disruptions, regulations such as OSHA and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), wage and hours laws, permitting and land use. We provide legal services in resolving disputes concerning construction law including mediation, arbitration, and trial.
• Trade Secrets
• Antitrust

Employment Law

• Wrongful Termination
• Employment Discrimination
  Chuck Johnson is the firm’s Business Litigation practice area leader. He concentrates primarily in the areas of commercial litigation and probate litigation. Chuck’s trial experience includes matters involving real estate, mortgage foreclosures, construction, probate and trust administration, inheritance disputes, employment compensation disputes, employment discrimination and non-competition covenants, and commercial collections. Chuck has achieved an “AV” Rating through Martindale-Hubbell representing his commitment to excellence in his field and the highest ethical standards. Actively involved in the community, he has served on a number of Boards including Manatee Education Foundation, Manatee County Family YMCA, Home Builders Association Manatee-Sarasota and United Way of Manatee County.
• Employment Contract
  Anne Willis Chapman is Board Certified by the Florida Bar in Labor and Employment law which is a distinction conferred upon less than two hundred lawyers in the Florida. She is a principal in the firm’s Labor & Employment and Business Litigation practice areas. Her practice focuses on representing clients in a wide range of employment law issues including defending public and private sector employers in discrimination, harassment, retaliation and wage-hour litigation in state and federal court and before administrative agencies. Her practice also involves providing companies with advice and counsel concerning day-to-day employee relations issues, employment agreements and legal compliance. Anne received her J.D. at the University of Miami College of Law, magna cum laude.
• Employment Litigation
  Matthew Liebert is an associate attorney in the firm’s Litigation practice area. His practice involves the litigation of business disputes, real estate disputes, probate disputes, estate and trust disputes, employment disputes, and health law related controversies. Matthew represents individuals, developers, builders, retail stores, non-profit organizations, title companies, and other businesses. He has experience in mediation, arbitration, and trials.
• Non-compete Agreement
  FTC Issues Final Rule Barring Non-Compete Agreements Nationwide After publishing its proposed rule last year, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issued a Final Rule banning employee covenants not to compete in a 3-2 vote on April 23, 2024. The Rule requires employers to provide notice to employees that the employer will not enforce any non-compete

Property Law

• Real Estate Litigation
  The law firm of Blalock Walters, P.A. is pleased to announce that attorney William C. Robinson, Jr. has earned board recertification in Real Estate Law from The Florida Bar. Robinson has been board certified since 2013 and is one of only 450 attorneys certified in real estate law in Florida.
• Construction Litigation
  Represented the School District on construction contracts for a variety of education facility projects, including several multi-million dollar school facilities.
• Real Estate Transactions
  Our real estate team provides the particular knowledge and ability to manage complex projects, including multiple property portfolios. From contract negotiations up through closing, our attorneys counsel clients in all aspects of their real estate transactions, ensuring that any due diligence, title, and financing concerns are addressed in a timely and effective manner. We offer expertise in structuring complicated matters in order to minimize transaction-related costs and tax liabilities, including arranging 1031 tax-deferred exchanges, loan defeasances, loan assumptions, and public finance bonds. Our attorneys are especially knowledgeable in dealing with the purchase, sale, financing, and leasing of shopping centers, apartment buildings, commercial office projects, hotels, agricultural land, and mobile home parks.
• Eminent Domain
  Eminent domain, zoning and subdivision laws, environmental law, conservation easements and economic development planning and promotion
• Easement
• Land Use and Zoning
  Our land use attorneys provide comprehensive legal services to a broad base of clients on land use issues and regulations before federal, regional, state and local administrative agencies. We represent a range of international, national, regional and local developers. We specialize in helping clients obtain successful and profitable development approvals, including obtaining entitlements for undeveloped land and enhancing development approvals for existing projects. Typical representation includes land development and permit approvals, comprehensive plan amendments, zoning amendments, developments of regional impact, right-of-way issues, public-private partnerships (P3), and other governmental regulatory matters. We also represent clients in private property rights matters, including claims under the Bert J. Harris Act.

Trusts and Estates

• Estate Planning
  It has been our tradition to serve as leaders in our community and within our profession. We seek to earn and maintain the respect of our clients and our colleagues in the legal community. Attorneys at Blalock Walters have held positions in their professional associations as presidents or chairs of Manatee County Bar Association; Sarasota County Bar Association. The Florida Bar Grievance Committee; the Twelfth Circuit Judicial Nominating Commission; Manatee County Estate Planning Council; and the Southwest Florida Estate Planning Council.
• Wills
  Jeffrey represents clients in all areas of estate and elder law planning, including the preparation of wills, trusts, and other ancillary documents such as powers of attorney, health care surrogates and living wills. His tax background and estate planning experience also assists him in offering highly sophisticated estate planning and charitable planning, including charitable trusts, when it is consistent with a client’s goals and objectives. In addition, Jeffrey assists clients in evaluating and qualifying for Medicaid to assist with their elder care needs. His estate planning practice also includes assisting families following the death of a loved one with both Trust administration services and probate.
• Trusts
  Within our firm, there are seven Florida Bar Board Certified attorneys across six of our practice groups: Business Litigation; City, County, and Local Government; Health Law; Real Estate; Tax Law; and Wills, Trusts and Estates.
• Power of Attorney
  Jenna is adept at drafting wills, revocable living trusts and irrevocable trusts, and advanced directives to help clients achieve their estate planning goals. She is also experienced in drafting estate planning documents, such as, health care surrogate, HIPAA, and durable power of attorney.
• Probate

Finance Law

• Bankruptcy
• Foreclosure
  We have successfully assisted distressed homeowners in their loss mitigation plans, including the procurement and completion of loan modifications, short sales, and deed-in-lieu of foreclosures.
• Tax Law
  Tax law attorney Kristen Ehrlich will serve on a panel discussing Qualifed Opportunity Zones in Manatee County. She will join representatives from Manatee County Government, City of Bradenton and Carr, Riggs & Ingram, LLC at an event showcasing how our community...