Overview

Don Mastry joined the firm as a Shareholder in February 2006. He has represented business owners, professionals and executives for over 40 years in corporate, general business, zoning and real estate matters, as well as estate planning, life insurance, revocable trusts to avoid probate, wills, buy-sell agreements, and documentation and planning relative to closely held businesses. Prior to joining the firm, he was with Holland and Knight LLP.

Representative Matters

Don practices in estate planning and probate matters, including the use of revocable and irrevocable trusts. A significant portion of his practice is related to planning for owners of closely held business interests, including the formation of entities; business succession planning; and the use of life insurance, buy-sell and other agreements for business owners and executives.

Don represents developers and landowners in zoning and permitting hearings before governmental bodies and administrative agencies. This includes acquisition of real estate for commercial, residential and mixed-use developments; negotiation of all related documents; and the preparation of project documentation, including covenants, conditions and restrictions, leases, and homeowner association and planned-unit documents.

Honors and Distinctions

  • Recipient of the Dave Goodwin Excellence in Development Award by the City of St. Petersburg, FL, 2020 
  • AV Preeminent Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell
  • The Best Lawyers in America, Real Estate Law, 2009-2022
    • Lawyer of the Year, Real Estate Law, 2010, 2016, 2018, 2021
  • Florida Super Lawyers 2009-2013
  • Florida Trend Legal Elite 2006, 2007, 2011
  • Tampa Magazine's Top Lawyers List, 2020
  • St. Petersburg Bar Foundation Heroes Among Us Award 2012

Professional Involvement

  • American Bar Association, Tax Section
  • The Florida Bar
    • Tax Section, Executive Council, past member
    • Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section 
  • St. Petersburg Bar Association
  • American Bar Foundation, Fellow
  • American Law Institute, Fellow

Community Involvement

  • Tampa Bay Research Institute, Inc.
    • Board of Directors, 2011-present
  • All Children’s Health System, Inc.
    • Past Trustee and Chair
  • All Children’s Hospital
    • Past Trustee and Chair
  • Shorecrest Preparatory School
    • Past Trustee and Vice Chair
  • St. Petersburg Chamber of Commerce
    • Board of Governors, past member
  • St. Petersburg Yacht Club
    • Past Commodore
  • St. Petersburg Downtown Partnership, Inc., past member
  • Rotary Club of St. Petersburg, past member
  • Suncoasters, past member

Thought Leadership

Don has has lectured at taxation seminars sponsored by the Tax Section of The Florida Bar. He also has lectured on estate planning and is a member of the Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section of The Florida Bar.  Don has also written articles for the American Bar Journal and Florida Continuing Legal Education publications.