The firm originally opened in 1951 as King & Fischette. Over the years it has had several name changes and has been Fischette, Owen, Held & McBurney for about nine years. Daily Record staff writer Michele Newbern Gillis met recently with James Fischette, senior partner and president, Edwin Held Jr., managing partner, and Charles McBurney to discuss the firm.
HOW DID THE FIRM
GET STARTED?
“Byron King was already here and I moved to Jacksonville after I graduated from University of Florida,” said Fischette. “He was a fraternity brother and he offered me a job, so I went to work with him.”
WHAT DOES THE FIRM DO?
It is a boutique practice specializing in commercial litigation, commercial bankruptcy, commercial collections, small business transactions, creditors’ rights, construction law, commercial landlord and tenant law, general corporate work and counseling financially distressed businesses. The firm represents both creditors and debtors and is usually involved in any major commercial bankruptcy in the area.
WHAT MAKES YOUR PRACTICE DIFFERENT?
“We are the oldest continuous bankruptcy practice in Northeast Florida,” said Held.
WHERE DOES THE WORK COME FROM?
Referrals from other professionals including lawyers, accountants and business people.
WHO IS IN THE FIRM?
The firm is a corporation and Fischette, Held, McBurney, R. Joseph Dill and Robert Perry Jr. are members of the firm. They do not distinguish between partners and associates. They have four secretaries and two paralegals.
LOCATION
The office is located on the 13th floor of Riverplace Tower on the Southbank. It moved from 245 Adams St. to Riverplace Tower in 1967 and King and Fischette were the first tenants in the building. “They should give us free rent, shouldn’t they?,” asked Fischette, with tongue firmly in cheek.
WHAT TYPE OF CLIENTS
DO YOU HAVE?
“Business clients that run the gamut, including manufacturing, wholesale, retail, restaurants, commercial credit lenders and large and small businesses. They run in size from the largest corporations in the world to mom-and-pop operations,” said Held.
ARE YOU PLANNING TO GROW THE FIRM?
“There are no specific plans, we grow as needed,” said Held. “We are not actively recruiting right now.”
NEW OR LATERAL ATTORNEYS?
“Both. It just depends on what our needs are,” said Held. “We pride ourselves on stability. We have had very little turnover with lawyers for a number of years.”
WHAT MAKES YOUR
FIRM UNIQUE?
“The fact that we are a boutique firm. We are small and we are highly specialized in our areas of expertise and as a result we fill a niche in this community. A lot of our work locally comes from larger firms when they have a conflict or when they need help within our expertise that they don’t have. This firm also has a reputation that is national in scope. Our practice is not limited to Jacksonville. We work all over the country.”
PROFESSIONAL INVOLVEMENT
McBurney is the chairman of the bankruptcy section of the Jacksonville Bar Association and is on the board of the Jacksonville Bankruptcy Bar Association. Held is a past chair of the bankruptcy section of the Commercial Law League of America, a past member of board of governors of the Commercial Law League of America and has previously been involved in the bankruptcy section of the JBA. The others are also members of the Jacksonville and American bar associations, The Florida Bar, Jacksonville Bankruptcy Bar, Commercial Law League of America and the American Bankruptcy Institute. “We are involved in professional and civic organizations both locally and nationally,” said Held.
CIVIC INVOLVEMENT
The firm supports the United Way and American Cancer Society and each attorney supports various causes, including the Jewish Community Alliance, Chamber of Commerce, Jacksonville Commodore’s League and Southside Rotary.
SERVICE AT ITS BEST
Perry, is a commander in the Naval Reserve and is currently on Active Duty at Naval Air Station at Jacksonville.