FBT Gibbons has expanded into Naples, Florida, with the addition of Partner Juan D. Bendeck and Associate Rayndel “Ray” Valle, along with their established estate planning, trusts and probate administration team, further strengthening the firm’s Wealth Planning practice. This expansion significantly enhances the firm’s trusts, estates, and wealth planning capabilities in Southwest Florida and across the country.
The firm’s Naples expansion reflects continued momentum across the firm following its recent combination to form FBT Gibbons, as well as its expansion into California with the opening of its Newport Beach office in 2025 and continued ongoing strategic investment across offices nationwide. Today, FBT Gibbons operates from 26 offices, underscoring a deliberate approach to growth focused on talent, capabilities, and geographic alignment.
“Our expansion into Naples is a continuation of a deliberate strategy to build a truly national high-net-worth and family office platform,” said FBT Gibbons’ Chairman Robert Sartin. “Last January, we expanded into Newport Beach with the addition of the Hess-Verdon team and have continued to invest in key markets across the country. Southwest Florida represents an important addition to that strategy, and establishing a presence in Naples ensures we are aligned with where our clients are living, investing, and building wealth.”
“Southwest Florida is one of the fastest-growing regions in the country for wealth migration, and our clients are increasingly concentrated in the market,” said Melanie McCoy, leader of FBT Gibbons’ Wealth Planning practice. “Adding Juan, Ray, and their team strengthens our ability to deliver sophisticated trusts and estates counsel on the ground, from complex wealth transfer planning to trust and estate administration and advising clients establishing Florida domicile. It also allows us to work more closely with the financial institutions, family offices, and advisors active in the region.”
Bendeck brings more than 20 years of experience advising high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth individuals, multigenerational families, and closely held enterprises on sophisticated estate planning, wealth transfer strategies, and trust and estate administration. He is a Florida Bar Board Certified Specialist in Wills, Trusts, and Estates — an honor held by fewer than 300 attorneys statewide — holds an LL.M. in Taxation, and is widely recognized for his technical skill and depth of insight. His practice includes complex estate planning, the administration of estates and trusts, and the representation of fiduciaries and beneficiaries in contested trust and estate matters. He also regularly advises clients on establishing Florida domicile and navigating the state’s legal and tax environment.
Valle works closely alongside Bendeck and advises clients on estate planning and administration matters, including the tax implications of wealth transfer strategies. He assists individuals, families, and fiduciaries with probate and trust administration, as well as planning designed to optimize tax efficiency and support long-term wealth succession.
“FBT Gibbons has made a clear and sustained investment in building a leading wealth planning platform, and that commitment stood out to me,” said Bendeck. “Naples is a relationship-driven market, and having a strong local presence, backed by a national firm, positions us to better serve clients in a market where local presence and trusted relationships are critical.”
In addition to estate planning, probate, and trust administration services, the Naples office will also offer a broader, integrated platform of legal services designed to support clients across all aspects of wealth, business, and succession planning.
About FBT Gibbons
FBT Gibbons LLP is a national law firm focused on serving companies operating and investing in the middle market. With nearly 800 lawyers across 26 offices, the firm is positioned to support clients ranging from large multinationals to mid-sized businesses and growth-oriented startups across the United States. FBT Gibbons provides legal counsel enriched with valuable business and market context, particularly in corporate, litigation, and regulatory matters within the energy, finance, life sciences, and manufacturing sectors. The firm is committed to delivering excellent service to its clients, colleagues, and the communities in which it operates.