Overview
Scott Dibbs is chair of the firm’s Commercial Leasing Group. His practice is focused almost exclusively on commercial leasing transactions, and he has extensive experience representing national and regional landlords and tenants in a wide range of lease transactions, including office, retail, industrial, ground, build-to-suit, sale-leaseback, and mixed-use.
Scott has previously served as chair of the Leasing Group of the ABA's Real Property, Trust and Estate Law Section, as well as chair of the Office Leasing Committee within the Leasing Group. He currently serves as co-vice chair of the Committee on Groups and Substantive Committees of the ABA's Real Property, Trust and Estate Law Section. Scott is a frequent lecturer and author on various commercial leasing topics.
When not at the office, Scott enjoys spending time with his wife and three sons. He also enjoy bass fishing and playing tennis.
Honors
- AV Preeminent® Rating, Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review
- Best Attorney, NAIOP Tampa Bay "Best of the Best" Awards (2016): Nominated in 2014 and 2015
- The Best Lawyers in America® (2017-2025)
Credentials & Experience
Education
Duke University, B.A., 1991
University of Texas at Austin School of Law, J.D., 1996, Honors: Texas Law Review
Bar Admissions
American Bar Association
- Real Property, Trust and Estate Law Section
- Leasing Group
- Chair (2015-2017)
- Vice Chair (2013-2015)
- Office Leasing Committee
- Chair (2009-2013)
- Vice Chair (2007-2009)
- Committee on Groups and Substantive Committees
- Co-Vice Chair (2020-present)
- Member (2017-2020)
- Leasing Group
The Florida Bar: Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section: Landlord/Tenant Committee
Hillsborough County Bar Association
Court Admissions
All State Courts in Florida
U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida
Experience
- Currently represents a number of major national and regional institutional landlords in the negotiation of office, retail, industrial, mixed-use, and build-to-suit leases.
- Represented a national institutional landlord in connection with a lease to a national health insurance provider of a 315,000 square foot headquarters campus.
- Represented a national RV dealership group in connection with the sale-leaseback of its 125 acre mixed-use headquarters campus.
- Represented a regional landlord on a complicated multi-tenant transaction involving the relocation, expansion, and renewal of over 650,000 square feet of warehouse/distribution space.
- Represented an electric utility provider tenant on a 20 year extension of its 275,000 square foot office headquarters lease.
Professional & Civic
Community & Professional
- St. Mary's Episcopal Day School: Board of Trustees (2008-2014)
- American Cancer Society: Making Strides Against Breast Cancer, Team Leader/Fundraiser (2005-2015)
- Leadership Tampa, Class of 2007, Alumni
- National Association of Office and Industrial Properties
Newsroom
News & Insights
- 8.15.24Firm News
- 8.17.23Firm News
- 8.18.22Firm News
- 8.19.21Firm News
- 8.26.20Firm News
- 8.20.20Firm News
- 8.16.18Firm News
- 8.15.17Firm News
- 2.8.17Firm News
- 8.15.16Firm News
- 7.13.16Firm News
- 9.18.15Firm News
- 9.3.13Firm News
Articles & Publications
- "Building the Perfect Beast: Negotiating and Documenting Work Letters for Commercial Leases." Panelist, American Bar Association Spring Symposium Program, 2017.
- "Key Clauses in Commercial Leases - Keeping Flexible in Changing Markets." Panelist, American Bar Association, eCLe Webinar, February 2017.
- “Re-Lease Me (and Let Me Love Again): Negotiating Lease Exit Strategies for Landlords and Tenants.” Moderator, American Bar Association Spring Symposium Program, 2016
- “One Size Doesn’t Fit All: How Do Retail, Office, Industrial, and Ground Net Leases Differ, and Why Does It Matter?” Moderator, American Bar Association eCLE Program, 2015
- What's the Big Deal?! Issues in Negotiating Large Office Leases. (May/June 2014). Probate and Property.
- "Where Do We Begin? Navigating Pre-Leasing Issues For A Mixed-Use Development." Moderator, American Bar Association Spring Symposia Program, 2014.
- "What's the Big Deal?! Issues in Negotiating Large Office Leases." Moderator/Panelist, American Bar Association Spring Symposia Program, 2013.
- "Expansion Rights in Office Leases." Moderator/Panelist, American Bar Association Teleconference Program, 2012.
- "When the Pressure Builds, Will the Boilerplate Explode?" Program Co-Chair, American Bar Association Spring Symposia Program, 2012.
- Trends in Law Firm Leasing. (Earl Segal, co-author). (September/October 2011). Probate and Property.
- "Restaurant Leases in Office Buildings: Fitting the Square Peg in the Round Hole." Moderator/Panelist, American Bar Association Teleconference Program, 2011.
- "Leasing to Lawyers: What You Need to Know on Both Sides of the Deal." Moderator/Panelist, American Bar Association Spring Symposia Program, 2011.
- "The New Rules of Office Leasing: How the Economy Has Changed the Game." Moderator/Panelist, American Bar Association Teleconference Program, 2010.
- "Leasing in Troubled Times: How Landlords & Tenants are Dealing with the Current Economy." Panelist, Florida Bar CLE Program, 2009.
- Looking Down The Road: Estoppels, SNDAs and Other Lease Provisions That Can Make or Break a Sale. (September/October 2008). Probate and Property; cited by U.S. Court of Appeals 7th Circuit Judge Richard Posner in CWCapital Asset Management, LLC, v. Chicago Properties, LLC, et al., decided June 29, 2010.
- "Looking Down The Road: Estoppels, SNDAs and Other Lease Provisions That Can Make or Break a Sale." Panelist, American Bar Association Spring Symposia Program, 2008.
- "Are Your Leases Killing Your Sales/Loans? Practical Tips on Estoppels and SNDAs." Panelist, American Bar Association Teleconference/Webcast Program, 2008.
- "Drafting Commercial Real Estate Leases: The Ins and Outs of Protecting Your Interests" Speaker, National Business Institute Seminar, 2007.