Stefan Rubin is a partner in the Orlando office of Shutts & Bowen LLP, where he is a member of the Corporate Practice Group. He is also a Florida Certified Public Accountant (CPA).
Stefan concentrates his practice in general corporate representation, mergers and acquisitions, securities, and debt and equity financing. Stefan assists clients in structuring, negotiating and documenting their most important business transactions. He regularly helps clients negotiate shareholders agreements, LLC operating agreements, partnership agreements and joint venture agreements. He also assists clients with complex business issues, from strategic business relationships and distribution arrangements to employment, confidentiality, noncompetition and intellectual property licensing. He also assists buyers and sellers in the disposition of businesses, and facilitates small and mid-cap companies with obtaining debt and private placements of equity in the U.S. and internationally.
Professional and Community Involvement
Stefan has been an active member of The Florida Bar’s Business Law Section (BLS), where he serves on the Section’s Executive Council. Within the BLS, he is most involved in the Corporations, Securities & Financial Services (CSFS) Committee, which has been involved in every major change to Florida’s business entity statutes for over 20 years. He served as Chair of the CSFS Committee four times in his career. His projects have included numerous revisions to Florida’s corporate, LLC, partnership and not-for-profit corporation statutes. Stefan has testified before committees of the Florida House and Senate on BLS legislative revisions. He is currently also Co-Chair of the BLS’ committee on Third Party Legal Opinions, and helped author the BLS’ Report on Third-Party Legal Opinion Customary Practice in Florida. His past BLS service includes serving as Chair of the Continuing Legal Education (CLE) Committee, Chair of the Sponsorship Committee and Vice-Chair of the FICPA Liaison Committee.
He is also an active member of the American Bar Association’s Business Law Section, where he focuses his time on M&A Committee and the Middle Market and Small Business Committees, and their projects and subcommittees.
Stefan is also an active member and Past President of ACG Orlando, the premier global association for professionals involved in corporate growth, mergers and acquisitions. Stefan has been an actively involved as an executive officer of ACG Orlando for almost 20 years, and has served as Co-Chair of the statewide ACG Florida Capital Connection conference.
He also volunteers with the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) offices in Central Florida, where he regularly serves as an advisory board member for emerging local companies, providing strategic advice on their growth.
Background
While in law school, Stefan was Galleys Editor of The Florida Law Review, was published twice, and received several awards for his contributions to the journal.
Credentials
Education
- University of Florida College of Law, J.D., with honors
- University of Florida, M.S., Accounting, with honors
- University of Florida, B.S., Accounting, with highest honors
Bar Admissions
- Florida
Court Admissions
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida
- U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida
Professional and Civic
- Advisory Board Council of the Small Business Development Center at the University of Central Florida
- Advisory Board Council of the Small Business Development Center at Seminole State University
- Association for Corporate Growth (ACG), Orlando Chapter, Board of Directors and Executive Officer
- Metro Orlando Economic Development Council
- National Association of Dealer Counsel
- American Bar Association, Business Law Section
- M&A Committee
- Middle Market and Small Business Committee
- LLCs, Partnerships and Unincorporated Entities Committee
- Legal Opinions Committee
- Emerging Companies Subcommittee
- Family-Owned Businesses Subcommittee
- Short Form Model Acquisition Agreement Task Force
- The Florida Bar, Business Law Section
- Executive Council
- Co-Chair, Third Party Legal Opinions Committee
- Past Chair, Continuing Legal Education Committee
- Past Chair, Sponsorship Committee
- Past Vice-Chair, FICPA Liaison Committee
- Chair, multiple years, Corporations, Securities & Financial Services Committee
- Orange County Bar Association
- Seminole County Bar Association
- Leadership Orlando (Former Member)
- BioOrlando (Former Member)
- Catholic Charities of Central Florida (Former Director)
- Winterfest Boat Parade (Former Director)
News & Insights
Presentations
- “Business and Legal Issues in Moving a Business to Florida”, American Bar Association’s Business Law Section Spring 2024 Meeting
- “Chapter 607: The New and Improved Florida Business Corporation Act,” Orange County Bar Association’s 2020 Bench Bar Conference
- “The Inc is Finally Dry: The Update and Modernization of the Florida Business Corporation Act,” Florida Bar Continuing Legal Education (live & webinar)
- "Choosing a Business Entity," Florida Bar Practice Resource Institute
- “National Trends in Limited Liability Companies (LLCs),” AutoCPA Group conference
- "Selling Your Business," Plan Your Exit Seminar, sponsored by Bankers Advocate
- "Best Practices When Dealing with Securities & Investments", EB-5 Foreign Investor Seminar
- "Recent Revisions to Florida's Not-for-Profit Corporations Act" Continuing Legal Education, The Florida Bar Business Law Section
- "Top 10 Things You Need to Know about Florida's New LLC Act," webinar for The Florida Bar General Practice, Solo & Small Firm Section
- "Gimme Shelter: Business Formation and Tax Considerations for Small Business Owners" (San Francisco, CA)
Publications
- "Breaking News: Federal Judge Blocks Nationwide Implementation of the FTC’s New Rule Banning Noncompete Agreements," Shutts Blog (August 21, 2024)
- "September 4th is Almost Here: How Employers Can Prepare for the Upcoming Effective Date of the FTC’s Non-Compete Rule," Shutts Blog (August 16, 2024)
- "Can Emojis Create a Legally Binding Contract?" Shutts Blog (July 19, 2023)
- "Florida Businesses Subject to Mandatory New Hire and Contractor Reporting as of Oct. 1, 2021," Shutts Blog (October 15, 2021)
- “Are You Ready for Florida’s New LLC Law?” Law360 (November 26, 2014)
- Is Your LLC Ready for Change in State Law?
- New Florida Limited Partnership Act and Other Business Laws
- Why LLCs are the Entity Du Jour for Small Business Owners
- Tort Reform: A Call for Florida to Scale Back its Independent Tort for the Spoliation of Evidence
- Corporate Law: Misappropriation Theory of Liability Upheld for Rule 10b-5 Criminal Convictions
- i4 Business, "Executive Profile - Stefan Rubin" (April 2016)
In The News
- Executive Profile – Stefan Rubin, i4 Business (March 30, 2016)
- “Shutts & Bowen’s Stefan Rubin reappointed chair of key Florida Business Law Section committee,” PRLog (June 26, 2015)
News & Speaking Engagements
Blog Posts
Practice Areas
Industry Focus
Accolades
- Martindale-Hubbell AV® Preeminent Rated
- Recognized by Orlando Family Magazine as one of 75 "Awesome Attorneys" in Corporate Law, 2016
- Florida Trend's Florida Legal Elite, selected for inclusion 2010
- Florida Super Lawyers, selected for inclusion as a Rising Star, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
- Recognized by Orlando Business Journal as being among the "Best of the Bar" in Central Florida, 2007