White & Case Opens Services Center In Tampa
September 25, 2014
TAMPA, Fla. / The Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corporation announced today that global law firm White & Case LLP has opened a services center in Tampa, supporting 39 offices worldwide.
The Tampa center consolidates several of the company’s business and legal support functions, with some of the firm’s existing employees relocating from the New York area to the Tampa Bay region. Additional talent has been and will be recruited from the local market for the variety of available roles.
“Our goal is to create a services center that serves the needs of our clients and improves overall efficiencies,” said Victor Núñez, Americas Chief Operating Officer, White & Case. “We have hit the ground running and are building a strong, client-focused team due in part to the local talent we have found in Tampa. We are thankful to the Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corporation for their support and look forward to being part of the community.”
Professional & Business Services is the fastest-growing industry segment in the Tampa metro area, with year-over-year employment gains of 3.38 percent and a total workforce of 207,400.
“With this announcement, White & Case joins industry leaders including Coca-Cola Refreshments, PwC, Bristol-Myers Squibb and Quest Diagnostics in recognizing Hillsborough County as a premiere location for shared services operations,” said the Hon. Mark Sharpe, Chairman of the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners. “We welcome them to our community, and look forward to many years of partnership and success.”
In July, White & Case occupied an estimated 30,000 square feet of leased office space at 3111 W. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. in Tampa Bay Business Park. The building is managed by Highwoods Properties, and Jones Lang LaSalle administered the real estate transaction.
“It’s an exciting time in Tampa. We’re driving Florida’s economy, in large part due to the attraction and growth of businesses like White & Case,” said Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn. “We’re committed to their success, and look forward to showing the company, and its relocating employees, a warm Tampa welcome.”
The project was made possible through strong partnerships between Enterprise Florida, the Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corporation, Hillsborough County, the City of Tampa, the Tampa Bay Partnership and the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity.
“Tampa is a national leader in the shared services industry, thanks to our great business climate, low operating costs and quality workforce,” said Allen Brinkman, Chair of the Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corporation and Chairman, President and CEO of SunTrust Bank Tampa Bay. “We’re pleased that White & Case recognized these advantages and, through a competitive process, selected our community to serve the growing needs of its firm.”
In April, the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners and the Tampa City Council approved a local incentive package of $60,000, supporting a commitment of $240,000 from the State of Florida through the Qualified Target Industry (QTI) program. The total QTI allocation of $300,000 will provide the company with $3,000 per job for each of the newly created positions. The incentives, to be distributed over a period of six years, are performance-based, meaning funds are only paid after the jobs are created at the wages promised.
Interested candidates may contact White & Case to receive more information on available positions by emailing TampaRecruiting@whitecase.com.
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About the Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corporation:
The Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corporation is the lead economic development agency for Hillsborough County and the cities of Tampa, Plant City and Temple Terrace. Established in 2009 as a partnership between the public sector and private corporate investors, the EDC works to develop and sustain a thriving local economy through the attraction, retention and expansion of high-wage jobs and capital investment within targeted industry sectors. Working with C-level executives, site selection consultants, commercial real estate professionals and other influential decision-makers, the EDC provides customized, confidential relocation services to domestic and international companies interested in growing within Hillsborough County. Locally, the EDC helps existing businesses access the tools and resources they need to succeed, now and in the future.
About White & Case:
White & Case LLP is a leading global law firm with lawyers in 39 offices across 26 countries. Among the first U.S.-based law firms to establish a truly global presence, we provide counsel and representation in virtually every area of law that affects cross-border business. Our clients value both the breadth of our global network and the depth of our U.S. English and local law capabilities in each of our regions and rely on us for their complex cross-border transactions, as well as their representation in arbitration and litigation proceedings.
