(St. Louis, MO and Sarasota, FL) – Sandberg Phoenix today announced the entire Dunlap Moran team—every attorney and professional—will join Sandberg Phoenix, establishing the combined firm as a powerhouse on Florida’s Gulf Coast and accelerating Sandberg Phoenix’s strategic expansion across the Southeast. With the addition, Sandberg Phoenix now serves clients from offices across Missouri, Illinois, and Florida, anchored on the Gulf Coast by Dunlap Moran’s Sarasota and Lakewood Ranch locations, which will operate under the Sandberg Phoenix name effective June 16, 2026.
For decades, Dunlap Moran has served generations of families, business owners, and entrepreneurs across estate planning, real property, business law, litigation, alternative dispute resolution, and guardianship matters. The firm’s deep client relationships, sophisticated counsel, and reputation for results have made it a fixture of the Gulf Coast legal community.
Pairing Dunlap Moran’s local prominence with Sandberg Phoenix’s expanding regional platform gives clients of both firms expanded access to depth of talent, broader practice capabilities, and a fully integrated service model—while positioning the combined firm as a leader in one of the country’s fastest-growing legal markets. In particular, the combination creates one of the region’s deepest benches in private wealth and estate planning and in commercial and residential real estate—capabilities now available to clients across both the Midwest and the Gulf Coast.
“Dunlap Moran is exactly the kind of firm we want to build with—exceptional lawyers, a deep commitment to their clients and community, and a culture that aligns seamlessly with ours,” said Bhavik Patel, Chief Executive Officer of Sandberg Phoenix. “This combination is far more than a geographic expansion. It gives our clients access to one of the most respected practices on Florida’s Gulf Coast, and it gives Dunlap Moran’s clients the breadth of a growing platform without losing the trusted relationships they have come to expect”.
The combination adds 30 members, including over 15 attorneys and paralegals, as well as offices in Sarasota and Lakewood Ranch, to the Sandberg Phoenix platform, deepening the firm’s bench in the practice areas driving today’s Florida economy—from wealth transfer and family business succession to commercial real estate, business transactions, and complex disputes. Clients gain immediate access to a broader team and the resources of a larger firm. Dunlap Moran’s attorneys and the relationships clients rely on will continue uninterrupted, now backed by the added resources of a deeper platform.
“This is an exciting next chapter for our firm,” said John Moran, Shareholder. “Joining Sandberg Phoenix lets us continue serving the Sarasota community we have called home for decades,
while giving our clients a deeper bench, expanded practice capabilities, and the kind of full-service platform that is increasingly valuable in today’s market. Our estate planning, wealth-transfer, and real estate clients will now have access to sophisticated transactional and litigation support under one roof. For our attorneys and staff, it means greater opportunity, stronger resources, and a clear runway for long-term growth.”
The Dunlap Moran team gains immediate access to Sandberg Phoenix’s enterprise-grade technology, operations, and business infrastructure—freeing attorneys to spend more time on what matters most: their clients. The combination also unlocks meaningful cross-practice collaboration, with Dunlap Moran clients now able to draw on Sandberg Phoenix capabilities in areas including healthcare, financial services, M&A, complex commercial litigation, and labor and employment, all delivered through a single, coordinated platform.
This is the latest step in Sandberg Phoenix’s strategy of partnering with leading regional firms whose people, practices, and values strengthen the platform—and whose clients benefit from being part of something larger.
