Two Tallahassee Lobbying Firms Merge

GrayRobinson, Cannon firms merge

BY THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA

In a move that will combine two prominent Tallahassee lobbying shops, the GrayRobinson law firm is merging with Capitol Insight, a firm founded by former House Speaker Dean Cannon. Under terms of the merger, Cannon will serve as statewide chairman of government affairs and executive vice president of GrayRobinson. Cannon, an attorney, worked for GrayRobinson from 1995 to 2007. "The merger blends the power and experience of Capitol Insight into the statewide footprint of politically charged GrayRobinson," GrayRobinson President and Managing Shareholder Byrd F. "Biff" Marshall, Jr. said in a prepared statement. Also joining GrayRobinson as part of the deal are are former House Speaker Larry Cretul, Rheb Harbison, Cynthia Lorenzo, Richard Reeves, Kirk Pepper and Joseph Salzverg. Cretul seved as House speaker in 2009 and 2010 and was followed in the job by Cannon.