Jacksonville, Florida (January 14, 2026) – Flannery | Georgalis is thrilled to announce the Firm’s expansion into the State of Florida, with the opening of a Jacksonville Office under the leadership of partner in charge, David Johnston.
Johnston, a former Deputy Inspector General and Assistant State Attorney with deep experience in white-collar investigations, public corruption, and complex financial misconduct, brings extensive investigative, prosecutorial, and regulatory insight to Flannery | Georgalis. He most recently served as Deputy Inspector General for Audit and General Counsel for the City of Jacksonville’s Office of Inspector General, where he led audits and provided strategic legal guidance on complex matters arising from audits and investigations. He also oversaw the office’s Audit Unit, engaging extensively with federal, state, and local regulatory frameworks.
While with the OIG, David served as a Specially Designated Assistant State Attorney for Florida’s Fourth Judicial Circuit, where he handled criminal prosecutions arising from OIG investigations, including cases involving public corruption, public assistance fraud, and organized fraud schemes.
“David brings a rare combination of investigative oversight, prosecutorial experience, and financial acumen that will be invaluable to our clients,” said Paul Flannery, Co-Founder. “His leadership in complex audits, government investigations, and enforcement matters further distinguishes F | G as the premier Firm for navigating the most complex legal issues.”
Johnston began his career as an Assistant State Attorney with the State Attorney’s Office for the Fourth Judicial Circuit of Florida. He primarily served in the Special Prosecution Unit, handling a variety of white-collar and complex crimes. Over the course of his prosecutorial career, he served as first-chair counsel in more than thirty jury trials.
Kirk Spielmaker, who joined the Firm this past summer, is accompanying Johnston in the Jacksonville office.
Spielmaker began his career as an FBI Special Agent in Cleveland, Ohio, where he investigated public corruption and played a leading role in the landmark Cuyahoga County Corruption investigation, which resulted in the conviction of more than 70 public officials, corporate agents, and intermediaries and earned him the U.S. Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service. He later served as a Supervisory Special Agent at FBI Headquarters in Washington, D.C., including as Acting Unit Chief of the Public Corruption Unit, where he coordinated sensitive investigations nationwide, briefed FBI leadership, and represented the Bureau in White House National Security Council policy meetings.
Most recently, Kirk led FBI Jacksonville’s financial fraud and health care fraud programs as the Supervisory Special Agent in the 40 northernmost counties in Florida. Drawing on more than 24 years of investigative experience, he now focuses his practice on assisting clients in responding to criminal and civil government investigations.
“Kirk’s extensive knowledge of the federal criminal investigative process and the coordination between government agencies makes him a tremendous asset to our clients,” said Chris Georgalis, Co-Founder. “We look forward to all that he and David will achieve together as we continue to grow our talented Team of former prosecutors, special agents, and regulators.”
Flannery | Georgalis focuses on sensitive matters and complex investigations, disputes, and litigation. Founded in 2017 in Cleveland, Ohio by two former federal prosecutors, the Firm has offices in Florida, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. Our Team of former federal and state prosecutors and former federal special agents focuses on helping individual and corporate clients with complex criminal and civil matters in state and federal courts and before state and federal agencies and regulators. We also work with our clients on asset protection and wealth security by providing a full range of trust and estate planning and administration and trust and estate litigation services.