A former deputy general counsel of the Florida Department of Environmental Regulation (now DEP), Silvia Alderman is the chair of Akerman's Water Task Force, a team of multidisciplinary legal professionals and consultants advising on the regulatory and environmental challenges facing our clients.…

Marissa Amuial focuses her practice on land use and development, representing clients in all aspects of the development approval process including zoning applications, special area plans (SAPs), historic preservation matters, and other administrative and quasi-judicial hearings. Additionally,…

Joni Armstrong Coffey has extensive experience in a full range of local government law issues, with particular legal expertise in land use law. She focuses her practice on helping clients achieve optimal results from governmental approval processes and, where appropriate, litigation. Most recently,…

Nicholas Barshel practices in the area of land use and development, representing clients in all aspects of the development approval process, including due diligence review, planning and zoning applications, submerged lands issues, dock and marina permits, historic preservation, code compliance, and…

Jarrett Bingemann represents residential homebuilders, master planned community developers, commercial property owners, and institutional investors on all aspects of the evaluation, acquisition, sale, and development of properties throughout the United States. In addition, Jarrett has experience…

As an urban planning professional with more than 20 years of experience in central Florida, Jamie Boerger has worked in both the public and private sectors. Her past experience includes working with public school systems, local municipalities, regional planning councils, and development companies.…

Robert Bowser represents developers, homebuilders, private equity groups, and investors in all phases of the acquisition, development, and sale of real property in Florida. From structuring the purchase of scattered finished lots for privately-held homebuilders to developing complex commercial,…

Patrick Chistiansen is a partner in the Corporate Practice Group. His practice focuses on working with public and private companies, financial institutions, and private equity funds in the middle market on mergers and acquisitions, financings, and other transactional matters. He has experience…

Spencer Crowley's practice focuses on large scale land use and environmental permitting matters, including zoning, growth management, urban development, transportation, sovereignty submerged lands, coastal regulation, marina permitting, wetlands, and water resources. He has worked with the…

Gabriel Fort is an associate in the Real Estate Practice Group. Gabriel focuses his practice on land use and development, assisting clients with a variety of land use and zoning-related matters. 

Tara Gould focuses her practice on commercial real estate transactions involving acquisition and development on behalf of residential home builders, developers, commercial property owners, and institutional investors. She concentrates on homeowner association and master property owner association…

Carolyn Haslam represents owners and developers in all facets of real estate developments, including entitlements and concurrency. Her primary focus is in land use, including office, retail, mixed-use, and residential, as well as large planned community projects. This includes counseling clients on…

Ben Hedrick practices in the area of land use and development, representing clients in all aspects of the development approval process in municipalities and unincorporated areas in both Miami-Dade County and Broward County, including in the cities of Miami and Fort Lauderdale. Additionally, Ben has…

Neisen Kasdin serves as co-office managing partner of Akerman's Miami office. A former mayor of Miami Beach and leader in the revitalization of South Beach, he brings extensive civic experience to his work on urban revitalization and the development of complex, large-scale, multi-use…

With an established record of creative and effective advocacy, Cindy Laquidara navigates complex litigation matters, from administrative hearings to federal and state trials and appeals. Cindy has 70 published opinions in state and federal trial and appellate courts. Her practice serves municipal…

Kristofer Machado is a real estate development lawyer. He represents clients in all aspects of land development, with a focus on complex land use and regulatory matters. Builders, investors, lenders, and property owners turn to Kristofer for guidance with their most challenging and often high…

Jim McNeil serves as chair of Akerman's Residential Development Practice, a highly experienced team representing national builders and developers of master planned and mixed-use residential communities throughout the real estate development process.  Jim represents developers, homebuilders, and…

A licensed architect and urban planning professional with more than 25 years of experience, Christina Miller works to create vibrant and healthy, economically, environmentally and socially-resilient communities in Miami and throughout the United States. Her experience includes public-sector and…

Christopher A. Penelas focuses his practice on land use, zoning, and government relations. He regularly represents clients before local governments and county boards. Christopher has experience representing clients in code enforcement proceedings, zoning applications, ordinance modifications, site…

Thu Pham is an partner in the Real Estate Practice Group. She has experience representing clients, both in the public and private sectors, in land use related matters such as comprehensive plan amendments, rezoning, code violations, right-of-way vacations, special assessments, impact fees, and…

Richard Pinsky has 35 years of government affairs experience in Florida and Washington, D.C. He has an extensive background representing clients before the legislature as well as local government from helping to navigate the budget and appropriation process to issue advocacy. Helping clients…

Jim Porter is board certified by the Florida Bar as an expert in City, County, and Local Government Law. He concentrates his practice on land use and zoning, as well as government relations, and also has experience with the wireless communications industry, including cellular tower zoning issues.…

George Powell serves as managing partner of Akerman’s Naples office. George protects real property rights and focuses his practice on real property taxation, eminent domain/property condemnation, land use and entitlements, and real estate transactions. His clients include financial institutions,…

Chris Roper is a land use lawyer focused on real estate development, entitlements, and concurrency. He has experience throughout central Florida representing clients in due diligence, re-zonings, comprehensive plan amendments, vested rights, Developments of Regional Impact (DRIs), binding letters,…

Stephen Tilbrook has more than 25 years of experience practicing land use and environmental law, and he focuses his practice on complex land use, development, and environmental matters throughout the state of Florida. He represents property owners, expanding businesses, developers, financial…

Cecilia Torres-Toledo practices in the area of land use and development and is a member of our Alcohol Beverage Sector Team. She represents real estate developers, landowners, institutional clients, lenders and other property owners in all aspects of local and state real estate permitting and…

Bruce Wiener serves as managing partner of Akerman's Tallahassee office. Board Certified by The Florida Bar Board of Legal Specialization and Education in Real Estate Law, he focuses his practice on transactional real estate law, commercial lending, and land use. He represents buyers and sellers in…