Moving On
Longtime Sanibel attorney Tim Murty gets ready to retire—or maybe not
Island attorney Tim Murty, 77, has been making every effort to retire. His first step was to sell his law practice to the Simmons Law Firm, which he accomplished in January 2017. His second step was to transfer his many loyal clients to the Simmons attorneys and bow out permanently by the following December—at the latest.
December has come and gone, and Tim still sits in his law office, nestled in a secluded spot on P eriwinkle Way between the Bank of the Islands and Sweet Melissa’s Cafe. “I can’t leave my practice until I am sure that my clients are comfortable,” he said, “and I find I still hav e a contribution to make—as a mentor to the incoming attorneys. I guess I have failed miserably at retiring.”
Tim specializes in private real estate and its attendant concerns, plus commercial real estate, mortgages and probate. “It’s a transient practice,” he said, “because there is so much turnover in real estate. Most of my time is spent helping people buy and sell.”
Tim’s special wisdom, acquired through more than 30 years in practice on the island, is valued by the young attorneys now settling into his offices. “Attorneys new to Sanibel have no clue. I can help them get up to speed on city issues and city objectives,” Tim said, adding slyly, “and I know where the bodies are buried.”
Tim pointed to the depth of specialized knowledge expected of an attorney on Sanibel and Captiva islands. “Even seasoned lawyers are uninformed about coastal construction control lines, erosion control boundaries, permeable surfaces, and the Sanibel plan—not to mention Captiva regulations,” he said.
A special friend to Times of the Islands, Tim saw the magazine through its incorporation, in 1997. “Whether for real estate, a gift shop or a publication, I negotiate leases, obtain conditional use permits and handle the city, county and federal legal requirements,” Tim said. “I enjoy helping folks pursue their dreams.”
Although Tim continues to enjoy the law, a bucket list awaits, “and I would like to get started on it,” he said. A lifelong learner, he plans to take courses in Spanish and business administration at Florida Gulf Coast University. “The import/export business and forming business plans intrigue me,” he said.
Tim also wants to travel. “I am Irish, so my first trip will be to Ireland to locate my ancestors and relatives,” he said. Tim claims forebears who inhabited lands north of Dublin. “Our family surname is O’Murtaugh,” he said. “So I will search for O’Murtaugh family history—and Ireland has three Murty’s Pubs,” he added with a smile. “I plan to visit them all.”
Tim and his wife Patricia also hope to tour Italy, Costa Rica and Greece. “A Mediterranean cruise might be fun, too,” he said. “We’ll have to wait and see.”
Tim landed on Sanibel from Ohio, where he earned his law degree and began his practice. A client working for developers in Naples introduced him to Southwest Florida. “I had an aunt and uncle living on Sanibel,” he said. “To me, this region was the land of opportunity—fertile territory.”
At age 43, after having established himself as an attorney in Ohio, Tim took his leap of faith and decamped to Sanibel. “I found a space for an office and put out my sign,” he said. “The first island attorney I met practiced law barefoot. I didn’t go barefoot, but I didn’t wear a suit either. Things were pretty casual back then.”
Tim opened his island practice in 1984, when the City of Sanibel was only 10 years old. “It has been fun watching Sanibel develop,” he said. “So much talent has always been available to the city. It has had great employees, great attorneys and great city managers to guide its development.”
During his long island tenure, Tim gladly gave back to the community that gave so much to him. He was a parishioner at St. Isabel Catholic Church, a member of the Lions Club, and he served on the board of the Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife.
He was also a friend of the founder of the Sanibel Music Festival (SMF), Marilyn Lauriente. “She was a great human being,” he said. “I was delighted to join the SMF’s first board and help it incorporate. Sanibel’s citizenry has always been special—so diverse and so
Tim opened his island practice in 1984, when the City of Sanibel was only 10 years old.
interesting,” he added. “Residents on this Island come with a rich history.”
Tim speaks wistfully about the early days of his career. “When I started out, I spent my time in law libraries, studying cases that were 200 years old. Law libraries are virtually nonexistent in firms now, but they were important to me.”
Among the souvenirs still adorning Tim’s office are two aerial photographs of Sanibel, dated 1944. “They were taken during World War II,” he said. “Dud bombs were dropped onto Sanibel and Captiva, and then soldiers took photographs of the aftermath. It was part of their reconnaissance training. These photos are a treasure—Sanibel as it was before civilization took over.”