Lawrence A. Silvestri, Shareholder
EDUCATION:
University of Michigan, J.D., 1984
Eastern Michigan University, magna cum laude, 1981
PRACTICE AREAS:
Real Estate
Larry Silvestri was admitted to the Florida Bar in 2009 and the Michigan Bar in 1984. He has been practicing law in Florida for over 25 years. Before launching his own firm, Silvestri Law, P.A., in 2015, he served as senior vice president and general counsel to a real estate development company based in West Palm Beach (The Goodman Company) and advised on multimillion-dollar transactions in Florida and in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. Today, he brings that same big-deal experience to every transaction—whether it’s a $50 million development or a first-time buyer’s condo. Whether you are leasing commercial space, buying land, financing a development, or reviewing a purchase-and-sale contract, Larry will provide clear legal guidance and keep your deal moving.
He is known for being solution-oriented, business-minded & exceptionally thorough. He listens, finds a way forward, and always keeps his clients' best interests top of mind. His clients include residential sellers and buyers, real estate agents and brokers, small business owners, shopping center and commercial property owners, property developers, and real estate investors throughout the Tampa Bay area and across Florida. From single-family home closings in Pinellas County to commercial leases in downtown Tampa, he provides legal counsel and title services that keep things moving—without overcomplicating the process. Larry’s skills and experience include negotiating, documenting, and closing the acquisition and disposition of shopping center, free-standing retail, office, multi-family residential, and industrial property projects, as well as negotiating and documenting commercial leases (anchor tenant, shopping center, retail store, industrial, and office) from both landlord and tenant positions.
Larry is a sponsor or member of the following professional organizations: The Florida Gulfcoast Commercial Association of Realtors ® (former board member), The Florida CCIM Chapter West Coast District (former board member), CREW Tampa Bay, Urban Land Institute Tampa Bay, The Real Estate Investment Council of Tampa Bay, The International Council of Shopping Centers, The St. Petersburg Bar Association, The St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce®, and The St. Petersburg Downtown Partnership.
Beyond his practice, Larry is a champion of St. Pete’s arts scene, supporting organizations including the St. Petersburg Arts Alliance and American Stage. He views the arts as essential to building a vibrant, world-class destination that attracts visitors, investors, and future residents alike.
Larry received his undergraduate degree in Public Administration from Eastern Michigan University (B.S. 1981, Magna Cum Laude), where he was a member of its Division I varsity wrestling team, and his Juris Doctorate from the University of Michigan Law School (JD 1984).
He began his legal career as an associate in the Detroit Law Firm of Butzel, Keidan, Simon, Myers & Graham, which he left to become Assistant Corporate Counsel at Highland Superstores, Inc., a NASDAQ-listed specialty retailer of consumer electronics and home appliances. From there, he joined Zaremba Group in Cleveland, Ohio, where he became Vice President and General Counsel of this private real estate company focused on ground-up development and management of shopping centers, free-standing retail, industrial, office, and residential projects in multiple states. To go national, he joined First Union Real Estate Investment Trust as Assistant Vice President/Director of Legal Services for this NYSE-listed diversified REIT that owned and operated regional malls, shopping centers, office buildings, CBD parking facilities, and apartment communities. When First Union was acquired in a hostile takeover, Larry relocated his family to South Florida to become Senior Vice President and General Counsel of The Goodman Company, a private real estate firm that, during his tenure, specialized in ground-up development and redevelopment of retail and commercial properties.