by J. Brooks Terry
Staff Writer
For at least one law firm, golf isn’t just something to play on Wednesday afternoon.
Taking a cue from the accelerated development of resorts and clubs across the country, the national law firm of Foley & Lardner has pooled together a team of attorneys who will focus exclusively on golf course related issues.
And they have a major player on their side: Tampa partner Fred Ridley, the vice president of the United States Golf Association, who chairs the team.
“Foley & Lardner has talented lawyers with a wealth of knowledge and experience in the golf and resort practice area,” Ridley said. “We have seen the massive growth of facilities over the past several years and we believe we have the right people at the right time to address the challenges and opportunities presented to our clients within the current economic environment.”
Team member Emerson Lotzia, a partner at Jacksonville’s Foley & Lardner office who specializes in business law, credits Ridley as the impetus behind the practice group’s formation.
“He was the catalyst,” said Lotzia, who is also a member of the National Golf Course Owners Association. “This office has had a presence representing golf course developers for some time and we were trying to regionalize that practice, but Fred really got things on track. Together we started thinking about all of the things we had been doing for the golf community and went from there.
“Fred gave us the energy and the platform to go to the national level. He has a very good reputation and that was why Foley & Lardner went with him.”
While Ridley and Lotzia share legal goals, their golf games are quite different. Ridley is a former U.S. Amateur champion and starred at the University of Florida; Lotzia carries a rather humble handicap of 23 at Jacksonville Golf and Country Club.
The team of 22, which according to Lotzia is made up of “hardcore members” and “advisory experts,” focuses on the needs of the golf and resort industry with issues ranging from drafting and purchase negotiations to environmental and employment concerns. They are expected to meet once a year with the executive committee members attending conferences quarterly.
“Running a golf course is no different than running any regular business. It’s labor intensive,” said Lotzia. “For us, it was really a matter of looking at the various specialties we offer and combining them to provide a consistent approach to our clients. We cover a lot of territory from the east coast, to the Midwest to all the way out West.
“Other firms aren’t as widespread as Foley & Lardner so we don’t have any direct national competition for golf and resort representation. Aside from that, the people we have working for us give us an edge.”
Locally, Foley & Lardner represents courses including Amelia Island Plantation, Eagle Harbor and Hidden Hills, among others, and Ridley and Lotzia expect the list to grow.
“By bundling our collective expertise into a formalized group, Foley & Lardner will be able to better serve existing clients and reach out to new ones,” said Ridley, who will become the USGA president next year.
Now only in the first of three phases, Lotzia said the success of the team won’t be measured with dollar signs for some time.
“Right now we’re finishing out our first full year so we’re still looking at budgeting and things of that nature,” he said. “Our second phase will involve us talking to people who we don’t work for now and trying to get them on board. We won’t look at revenue until we get into our third phase. That’s still ahead of us.”