Overview
Richard J. McIntyre earned a J.D. from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law and an MBA from Carnegie Mellon University through a dual degree program that awarded both credentials simultaneously. The pairing of a Pittsburgh law degree with a Carnegie Mellon business degree is not common, and it reflects an early orientation toward the intersection of legal and business analysis that defines the commercial litigation practice McIntyre has built in Tampa since 1992.
McIntyre Thanasides Bringgold Elliott Grimaldi & Guito, P.A. was established in 2006 by Richard McIntyre, after 14 years of Tampa legal practice. The firm is located at 500 East Kennedy Boulevard, Suite 200, Tampa, Florida 33602, in downtown Tampa. Phone: (813) 223-0000. Website: mcintyrefirm.com/.
The firm has built a practice that simultaneously serves individual consumers facing bankruptcy and high-stakes commercial clients in complex litigation, a range that reflects the firm’s evolution across multiple practice areas over nearly two decades.
Practice Areas
Bankruptcy: Bankruptcy is a founding practice area for Richard McIntyre and a current specialty of partner James Elliott, who joined the firm in 2010. The firm handles all chapters of personal and business bankruptcy: Chapter 7 liquidation and discharge, Chapter 11 business reorganization, and Chapter 13 structured individual repayment plans. In addition to debtor representation, the firm handles creditor rights and collection matters and out-of-court debt restructurings that provide an alternative to formal bankruptcy proceedings.
Commercial Litigation (Primary): Paul Thanasides leads the commercial litigation practice and has tried numerous jury and non-jury trials in state and federal courts and arbitral tribunals. He represents both plaintiffs and defendants in high-stakes, complex commercial disputes. He has been recognized in Super Lawyers for Business Litigation. The firm describes itself as a boutique litigation firm with focused practice areas, and commercial litigation is its central identity.
Real Estate Law: Blake Bringgold’s practice centers on real estate and business transactions, commercial lending, and commercial leasing. He represents commercial real estate tenants, owners, developers, financial institutions, and corporate real estate users. The real estate practice complements the firm’s commercial litigation capabilities when real estate matters produce disputes.
Consumer Protection: The firm handles consumer protection matters on behalf of individuals, which reflects the firm’s capacity to serve both institutional commercial clients and individual consumers.
Construction and Real Estate Litigation: Garrett Severson, who joined as an associate in 2015, practices civil, commercial, and construction litigation. He holds a J.D. with honors from Stetson University College of Law, graduated in 2013. Construction disputes are a significant litigation category in Florida, and Severson’s practice in this area complements the firm’s commercial litigation core.
Plaintiffs’ Class Actions: The firm handles class action litigation on the plaintiff side, representing groups of consumers or other parties in aggregate claims.
Personal Injury: TJ Grimaldi created the personal injury division at the firm after joining in 2011. This practice area serves individuals who have suffered injuries as a result of accidents or other tortious conduct.
Family Law: TJ Grimaldi also created the family law division, expanding the firm’s capacity to serve individual clients beyond bankruptcy and into divorce, custody, and related matters.
Criminal Defense: Grimaldi handles criminal defense alongside his personal injury and family law practice.
Appellate Practice: Jennifer Jones practices complex litigation with a focus on appellate work and general legal counsel to closely-held companies. She is Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Appellate Practice, a formal certification that requires demonstrated experience in appellate advocacy, peer review, and passage of a certification examination. Board Certification in Appellate Practice means that when the firm’s trial cases require appeal, an internally credentialed appellate specialist handles the work rather than referring it out.
Attorney Profiles
Richard J. McIntyre (Founding Attorney)
Richard McIntyre holds a J.D. from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law and an MBA from Carnegie Mellon University, both earned through a dual degree program. He began practicing in Tampa in 1992 and established the firm in 2006. His practice focuses on litigation and bankruptcy, including personal and business bankruptcy, state court litigation, and out-of-court debt restructurings.
Paul Thanasides
Paul Thanasides is a seasoned trial lawyer who has tried numerous jury and non-jury trials in state courts, federal courts, and arbitral tribunals. He leads complex commercial litigation and represents both plaintiffs and defendants in high-stakes matters. He is recognized in Super Lawyers for Business Litigation.
Blake Bringgold
Blake Bringgold’s practice centers on real estate and business transactions, commercial lending, and commercial leasing, serving commercial tenants, owners, developers, and financial institutions.
James Elliott
James Elliott joined the firm in 2010. His practice focuses on bankruptcy law and insolvency matters, including personal and business bankruptcy, state court litigation, and out-of-court debt restructurings.
TJ Grimaldi
TJ Grimaldi joined in 2011 and created the firm’s personal injury and family law divisions. He also handles criminal defense.
Garrett Severson
Garrett Severson joined as an associate in 2015. He practices civil, commercial, and construction litigation. He holds a J.D. with honors from Stetson University College of Law, class of 2013.
Jennifer Jones
Jennifer Jones handles complex litigation with a focus on appellate practice and general legal counsel to closely-held companies. She is Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Appellate Practice.
Location and Service Area
The firm is located at 500 East Kennedy Boulevard, Suite 200, Tampa, FL 33602, in downtown Tampa. Phone: (813) 223-0000. Website: mcintyrefirm.com/. The firm has served thousands of clients across Florida and the United States, and maintains client relationships spanning 10, 15, and 25-plus years with many clients.
Client Focus
The firm serves a range of clients: individuals and consumers facing bankruptcy or financial stress, businesses involved in complex commercial disputes, plaintiffs and defendants in civil litigation, commercial real estate owners and developers, and consumers in protection and class action matters. The simultaneous capacity to represent a bankruptcy debtor seeking personal debt relief and a commercial litigant in a multi-million dollar business dispute reflects the firm’s breadth across what it calls its focused practice areas.
The firm has earned 85-plus five-star Google reviews, a public trust signal that reflects consistent client satisfaction across its diverse practice areas.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Board Certification in Appellate Practice and why does it matter?
The Florida Bar’s Board Certification program identifies attorneys who have demonstrated specialized competence in specific areas of law. Board Certification in Appellate Practice requires a minimum number of appellate court filings and oral arguments, peer review from attorneys and judges, and passage of a written examination. Jennifer Jones holds this certification, meaning that when the firm’s cases require appellate review, she provides internally credentialed appellate representation rather than the firm referring clients to outside appellate counsel.
Can the firm handle both the trial and the appeal of a case?
Yes. With Paul Thanasides handling trial-level complex commercial litigation and Jennifer Jones providing Board Certified appellate representation, the firm has internal capacity at both the trial and appellate levels. This continuity of representation from trial through appeal is an advantage for clients whose cases may proceed to an appellate court.
Does the firm represent both debtors and creditors in bankruptcy matters?
The firm primarily represents debtors, including individuals in personal bankruptcy and businesses in reorganization or liquidation. The firm also handles out-of-court debt restructurings as an alternative to formal bankruptcy proceedings. Creditor rights matters are also within the firm’s scope.
What makes the founding attorney’s dual JD/MBA unique in a litigation context?
Richard McIntyre earned a J.D. from the University of Pittsburgh and an MBA from Carnegie Mellon University simultaneously through a dual degree program. For a litigation firm that handles complex commercial disputes and business bankruptcies, the business school training provides a framework for understanding the financial and operational dimensions of client matters alongside the legal framework. Commercial litigation frequently turns on business decisions and their consequences, and an attorney with formal business education can engage with those dimensions directly.
How long has the firm been in Tampa and how does it retain long-term clients?
Richard McIntyre began practicing in Tampa in 1992, and the firm was established in 2006. The firm currently maintains client relationships that span 10, 15, and 25-plus years. The firm’s description of those relationships reflects its emphasis on sustained attorney-client engagement rather than transactional representation where clients cycle through multiple firms. The firm has handled thousands of client matters across Florida and the United States during this period.
Closing
McIntyre Thanasides Bringgold Elliott Grimaldi & Guito, P.A. has built a Tampa litigation practice that spans bankruptcy, complex commercial disputes, real estate, personal injury, family law, and appellate work, assembled across nearly two decades since its 2006 founding. The firm’s founding attorney holds both a J.D. and a Carnegie Mellon MBA, its commercial litigation partner is a Super Lawyers-recognized trial attorney, and its appellate attorney holds Board Certification from The Florida Bar. The firm is located at 500 East Kennedy Boulevard, Suite 200, Tampa, FL 33602, and can be reached at (813) 223-0000 or at mcintyrefirm.com/.