Legacy

JJ Williams Jr. arrived with his wife, Money, and their three children in Sarasota in 1925. He was a 38-year-old, well-experienced attorney from Memphis looking for a new start. The 1922–1926 Great Florida Land Boom was at its height, and Sarasota had rapidly developed from a sleepy fishing village to a modern resort town known for its weather, beaches, and wealth.

Williams possessed an enviable pedigree. He was a college and law school graduate of the University of Virginia (LL.B.1909), where he also played football. The ...
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John Ringling Bridge built to Lido and Longboat. 

Attorney Sydney R. Perry died August 16, 1929. New firm formed as Williams & Dart (with FW Dart).

He served 1933-1934 & 1936-1938, where he was instrumental in the development of the Bayfront Park and the Sarasota Municipal Auditorium in 1938.

Williams serves as founding director and attorney of the United First Federal Savings and Loan Association.

F. Willis Dart died August 1937; son Francis Dart takes father’s place in firm. Francis Dart was the County Judge of Sarasota County.

Bell joins as partner, firm is now Williams Dart & Bell. Arthur Bell was son of firm’s longtime client Tom Bell. Mallory Frier was an associate at the firm in the late 40s, left to practice in Gibsenton, FL.

By February 1925, W. Davis Parker—second founder of the Williams Parker law firm—was in Sarasota from his native Georgia, a young child, just five years old, the middle boy of three sons. His father, Jere Parker and mother Kathleen (nee Davis), had brought the young family with them to the boomtown on the bay where Jere would work for the thriving newspaper industry as a typesetter until the dawn of World War II, when reduced fortunes would see him move his family to Atlanta. While in Sarasota in those early years, Jere Parker regularly made the papers for ...
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At the same time that Parker was joining the firm, Williams was interviewing and about to hire perhaps the single most influential attorney he would ever take on: William Thomas Harrison, Jr. Scholar, athlete and musician, Bill Harrison played piccolo in the University of Florida marching band. Harrison was also a young Korean War combat veteran with an enviable pedigree. His father was Judge William T. Harrison of Manatee County whose tenure ran from 1923 until 1959, serving an original circuit that covered eight counties, from Manatee to Everglades City to ...
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Born in St. Petersburg, Florida, George attended the University of Florida College of Law School and served in the Korean War as a JAG officer in the U.S. Marine Corps before joining Williams Parker in Sarasota in 1955, becoming a name partner of the firm in 1959.

George specialized in real estate law and was instrumental in developing much of Sarasota County and Longboat Key, including the Meadows, Bay Isles, and the Longboat Key Club.

Throughout his career, George was active in community
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Dart and Bell leave and form own firm. Williams practices with Parker, Harrison, and Dietz.

January 1, Williams, Parker, Harrison, Dietz forms

In 1954, Getzen graduated in the top 10 percent of his class as an engineering major from the University of Illinois, where he played for the university's Big Ten championship baseball team. Forgoing admission to Harvard law school, Getzen completed his first year of law school at the University of Illinois before serving 2 years as a First Lieutenant in the Air Force. He then returned to law school and received his LL.B. from the University of Illinois in 1959. 

James L. Ritchey joins firm; installs first copy machine at firm

Having outgrown its nearly 40-year-old offices in the Palmer Bank building, the Firm moves in 1963 to a modern location on State Street that was the site of the original Sarasota Chamber of Commerce.

Firm establishes name as Williams Parker Harrison Dietz & Getzen; JJ Williams Jr. dies age 82

Almost as soon as the Firm relocates to State Street, it is in need of additional space. By August 1972, the Firm completes its purchase of three adjoining parcels south of Ringling Boulevard and west of Orange Avenue. A new building is constructed and opened for business in 1973.

The Meadows, one of Sarasota's first planned "lifestyle" communities.

Dan was hired as an associate in March 1975, having worked for another firm in Sarasota since his graduation from law school in 1971. Bailey earned his undergraduate and law school degrees from Mercer University and clerked for the firm while in law school.

Born and raised in Sarasota and educated at Harvard College and Duke University law school, Mike Hartenstine joined the firm as an associate in 1977.

In 1978, Williams Parker hired its second female law clerk, University of Florida law graduate Michele B. Grimes. 

A wing of 5,000 square feet is added to the west side of Williams Parker's Ringling Boulevard offices.

In 1979, William M. Seider graduated from law school at the University of Florida. Seider clerked for Florida Supreme Court Justice Ben Overton before joining the firm as an associate in 1980. Mentored by George Dietz, Seider specialized in condominium development and worked with Dietz for two of the firm's most prominent real estate clients, Arvida and Taylor Woodrow.

University Park, a 1,200-acre master-planned residential community. 

In 1979, James L. Turner graduated from law school at the University of Florida. Turner, a CPA, had expertise in multiple fields of law, including taxation, business law, estate planning, and real estate. He was known statewide for his representation of developers, owners, and operators of manufactured housing communities and RV parks and was a founding member of the Florida Bar Mobile Home Law Committee. 

On December 21, 1982, Davis Parker died of a heart attack at his home. War hero, scholar, musician, and legal savant, Parker served as the firm's first president. He left behind his widow, Charlotte—JJ Williams Jr.’s daughter—and three sons.

Benjamin came to Sarasota and joined Williams Parker in June 1988 at the urging of his Union College roommate Jack Cannon. He was the first lawyer to join Williams Parker who had an LL.M. in Taxation.

In 1990, an entire new wing and lobby facing Orange Avenue are added to the Firm's office building. The Firm's address is changed from 1550 Ringling Boulevard to 200 South Orange Avenue in 1995.

On Thursday, May 2, 1991, Williams Parker hosted a ribbon-cutting to celebrate the opening of its new wing, with a reception following immediately afterward. The Honorable Ben F. Overton, Justice of the Supreme Court of Florida, was the special invited guest. The new wing remained in the colonial brick style of the existing building, including an entrance facade with four two-story-tall Ancient Greek Doric-style columns to match the entrance facade on Ringling Boulevard. The new wing added 25 lawyer offices; a library; conference rooms; file storage rooms; ...

John Moore graduated from the University of Virginia in 1991, and became an associate at Williams Parker.

Mark Schwartz, a California native and 1985 graduate of Southwestern Law School in Los Angeles, moved from a Clearwater firm to Williams Parker in March 1992.

In 1992, Gregoria left a firm in Miami and joined Williams Parker. Gregoria became the firm's leading estate planning lawyer.

In 1993, the firm adopted a Secret Santa program to benefit the less fortunate children by providing them with Christmas presents. The gifts were purchased with funds raised from the firm's lawyers and staff. 

After clerking for Williams Parker in 1993 and graduating from the University of Florida law school the following year, Kimberly P. Walker joined the firm's litigation department and immediately began working on cases in the developing area of labor and employment litigation.

Linda joined the firm's estate planning practice in July 1994 and remained with the firm until her retirement in 2009.

To celebrate its 75th anniversary in 2000, Williams Parker joined with other notable area enterprises to erect a bronze statue of John Ringling at St. Armands Circle. The endeavor was led by Michele Grimes and included support from Sarasota Memorial Hospital and the Herald-Tribune. 

Williams Parker opened a branch office in downtown Miami to attract international clients and expand the tax planning practice there. After several years, the expansion was not profitable enough, and the Miami office was closed.

Williams Parker launches Requiste publication.

This redevelopment made it the first net-positive energy botanical garden complex in the world.

In 2023, the Firm opens a second office at the master-planned community Waterside Place in Lakewood Ranch.

To support its continued growth and enhance its client experience the Firm in 2023 leaves 200 South Orange Avenue and moves its new offices to the 8th floor of the Plaza at Five Points, the identical location of the Firm's first offices.

Williams Parker has been a cornerstone of the community for a century, providing exceptional legal services and contributing to the growth and prosperity of the community.