Gunster has merged with Tampa Bay law firm Barnett, Kirkwood, Koche, Long & Foster, the firm announced Monday, adding 22 lawyers and 25 professional staff in a move that boosted Gunster’s attorney head count near 250 and expanded its presence on Florida’s Gulf Coast.

The Barnett firm, also known as BKKL&F, grew from a tax and wealth planning boutique to a regional law firm over the course of 40 years, adding corporate, real estate and litigation practices to its core private wealth practice. Gunster will keep the BKKL&F office on Bayshore Boulevard in Tampa and continue to operate its existing office in downtown Tampa, bringing its total Tampa head count to 51 attorneys and 39 professional staff.