Gunster is honored to be a part of The Scout Guide Treasure Coast community. The Scout Guide 
is a completely woman-founded, luxury lifestyle publication that highlights local businesses from coast to coast.
With our Stuart and Vero Beach offices in the heart of the Treasure Coast, our attorneys act as neighbors, advocates, and drivers of the coastal community's growth and success. Gunster is invested in the growth of the Treasure Coast, and we are honored to work alongside the exceptional local businesses that make this region such a remarkable place to live and work.
Our offices in Vero Beach and Stuart offer the deep resources of a full-service commercial firm while providing intimate, insider knowledge as a local partner. Our Vero Beach office attorneys' focus heavily on Private Wealth Services and Real Estate & Land Use conflicts. Our Stuart office also specializes in Private Wealth Services in addition to our Business Litigation and Corporate capabilities.
Meet our Stuart & Vero Attorneys:
Susan Copeland is a shareholder, who focuses her practice on developing and administering the estate plans of high net worth individuals. Susan represents both individuals and corporate personal representatives and trustees by providing guidance through the probate and trust administration process, including advice regarding fiduciary responsibilities and duties, assisting fiduciaries with both legal and familial issues involved in the probate process, and guiding them in intra family or multi-beneficiary matters.
Bob Raynes is a shareholder who joined Gunster in 1997. Bob’s practice is focused on real estate development and land use law. Bob has nearly two decades of experience in assisting clients with complex real estate, land use, zoning and development approval initiatives. Bob has provided strategic advice and legal counsel on significant projects throughout the state of Florida, particularly in Martin and St. Lucie Counties.
Tom Sawyer, certified by the Florida Bar as a Real Estate Specialist, joined Gunster following eight years of government service and 25 years of private practice in Stuart, Florida. Tom advises on all aspects of real property acquisition, development, financing, leasing and environmental permitting. He describes himself as a “dirt lawyer” at heart and believes his private practice experience brought added value to his government work.
Lisa A. Schneider leads Gunster's Trust & Estates practice, co-chaired the firm's Women's Leadership Forum, and co-chairs the firm's mentorship program. She focuses her practice on counseling families as to wealth preservation and transfer tax techniques, with a focus on planning for complex family structures and business succession.
Preethi Sekharan is chair of the firm's Intellectual Property Litigation practice. She focuses on assisting the firm’s clients with their intellectual property and trade secret disputes. She is also involved in complex business litigation and the resolution of corporate and shareholder disputes, including those involving contract and restrictive covenant issues. In addition, Preethi has handled a wide variety of fiduciary and trust-related litigation.
Christen Spake is a Florida Bar-Certified Real Estate attorney focusing on land development and real estate law. She offers comprehensive counsel in land use, zoning, and development approvals, real estate transactions, commercial leasing, and development agreements. Christen guides clients ranging from individual landowners to large-scale developers through complex regulatory, transactional, and development approval processes.
