It's been an awful stretch for legal legends in Miami. We lost two more this week -- Founding partner of Greenberg Traurig, Larry Hoffman, and Winston & Strawn's partner, Dave Coulson.
More about Hoffman:
Larry J. Hoffman, one of three co-founders of Greenberg Traurig, P.A., with Mel Greenberg and Robert Traurig, played a key role in charting the firm’s course from its Miami
inception in 1967 to its growth today as a global law firm with more
than 2,850 lawyers worldwide and 49 locations on four continents. Larry
passed away Sept. 11 at his Coconut Grove home, just weeks after his
95th birthday.
Larry’s prescient plan for building a global law firm proved so
successful that Greenberg Traurig became the example other law firms
follow. He was a leader in the profession who recognized the need to
bring a business-minded approach to managing a law firm – a concept that
today has become universal.
A successful business owner prior to practicing law, Larry pioneered
the concept of running a law firm like a business. He was one of the
first law firm leaders to hire experienced professionals to manage the
business side of the firm so lawyers could focus on practicing law. He
created staff positions in the roles of marketing, professional
development, and IT long before they were commonplace in law firms.
More about Coulson:
David Andrew Coulson passed away unexpectedly on September 8, 2025, in
Philadelphia, PA, while on his way back to Miami from a dream vacation
in Italy with the love of his life, his wife Jeannie Etter Coulson. He
is survived by Jeannie and their twin children, Chloe Coulson and Connor
Coulson, each just starting college. David spoke of his children often,
to anyone who would listenso proud of all their accomplishments in
school, on the field, or on the golf course. His family, friends and
colleagues are so saddened by his sudden loss.
David had a full
and inspiring life, which ended way too quickly. He was loved by all who
knew him. He was 62 years old, born on October 11, 1962, in Elgin,
Illinois to Alan J. Coulson and Carol Y. (Aurand) Coulson, both
deceased. He graduated from Larkin High School in Elgin, IL, and then
attended and graduated from the University of Miami in 1985. From there,
he went on to attend and graduate from Harvard Law School in 1988. He
was especially proud that, after law school, he had clerked for the
Honorable Stanley Marcus when he was Judge for the United States
District Court for the Southern District of Florida.
