Thomas J. Hunt

Partner

Tom Hunt is an experienced real estate attorney whose practice is centered on helping clients navigate complex commercial property transactions with clarity and efficiency. Over nearly two decades, Tom has built a reputation for his work with restaurant operators, healthcare professionals, developers, business owners, investors, and financial institutions across Florida and beyond. From billion-dollar sale-leaseback transactions to single-parcel acquisitions, he brings efficiency and a business-minded perspective to every deal, ensuring his clients’ goals are met while minimizing risk and maximizing opportunity.

A significant portion of Tom’s practice is dedicated to the restaurant industry, where he represents both corporate owners and franchisees of regional and national Quick Service, Fast Casual, and Full-Service restaurants. He has handled the negotiation of leases, purchases, and sales for national, regional and local brands in the Tampa Bay area and throughout Florida. For Tom, this work is more than transactional—he takes pride in seeing restaurants he helped bring to life thrive in the community and enjoys supporting his clients by dining at those very locations with his family. His clients value his ability to combine deep industry knowledge with practical solutions that keep projects moving forward.

Beyond his restaurant work, Tom advises developers, landowners, office and medical building owners, retail center operators, owner-operators, and tenants on the full spectrum of real estate transactions. He has significant experience in leasing office, warehouse, and retail spaces, and his background in real estate finance includes representing banks in loan closings, modifications, and property dispositions. Tom’s comprehensive understanding of title insurance and his hands-on experience curing defects and coordinating closings make him a go-to resource for clients facing complicated transactions.

Tom’s career includes nearly a decade with Fowler White Boggs and Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC, where he represented a Tampa-based publicly traded company as lead closing attorney in the sale and leaseback of more than 150 restaurant locations across dozens of transactions. This large-scale work sharpened his ability to handle high-volume, high-stakes deals while maintaining meticulous attention to detail. Today, at Johnson Pope, Tom applies that same big-firm experience in a more personalized setting, offering clients both sophistication and accessibility.

Clients and colleagues describe Tom as efficient, pragmatic, and unflappable—a lawyer who makes even the most complex real estate deals feel manageable. He enjoys the transactional side of law because it aligns with his personality and values: problem-solving, relationship-building, and creating outcomes where all parties can move forward productively. Whether guiding a developer through a major acquisition or helping a family-owned business expand to a new location, Tom thrives on seeing his clients succeed and watching communities grow because of his work.

Representative Matters

• National Restaurant Portfolio: Served as lead closing attorney for Bloomin’ Brands, Inc. in the sale and leaseback of more than 150 restaurant locations across multiple transactions and totaling nearly $1 billion.

• Ground Leasing: Negotiated dozens of ground leases for a local Tampa Bay Quick Service restaurant chain.

• Office, Medical, and Retail Leasing: Advised commercial landlords and tenants in complex leasing transactions involving high-rise and suburban office buildings, medical facilities, warehouses, and retail centers.

• Real Estate Finance: Represented banks and financial institutions in loan closings, loan modifications, and the disposition of foreclosed commercial properties.

Bar Admissions

• Florida, 2006

Education

• University of Florida Levin College of Law, J.D., 2005
• University of Florida, M.A., 2002
• University of Florida, B.A., 2000

Awards & Recognition

• Leadership Tampa Bay, Class of 2014
• Florida Super Lawyers, Rising Stars, 2013–2017
• The Best Lawyers in America®, Real Estate Law, 2018 – Present

Community & Professional Organizations

• The Florida Bar
  • Member, 2006

Outside of the Office

Tom enjoys taking his family out to dine at his clients’ restaurants, especially the ones he helped develop. His two middle-schooler age children love discussing restaurant locations and design—at least until the food arrives. Away from work, Tom enjoys boating, fishing, traveling, camping, and exploring Florida’s history.