David Spector, who lasted as chairman of Akerman for only nine months before the firm’s former chairman, Andrew Smulian, retook the reins, has left the firm to join Holland & Knight. Joining him is commercial litigator Adam Hodges, fraud and recovery practice co-chair Sandy Heller, and nine other Akerman attorneys.

In February of 2018, Spector succeeded Andrew Smulian as the CEO and chairman of the Akerman in a move heralded as a generational shift for the firm. But seven months later, the succession plan seemed to falter, and Spector left the chairmanship, returning to his position as co-chair of the fraud practice. Smulian resumed his role as chairman and continues to run the firm to this day.