Overview
Liz Desloge Ellis is an experienced litigator who represents private and public sector clients in complex real estate development, land use and property rights matters. She is skilled in developing and implementing litigation strategy as it relates to obtaining, challenging and defending development approvals. Her experience also includes litigating eminent domain, inverse condemnation, and Bert J. Harris issues. In addition to land development, Liz also maintains a broad litigation practice where she represents clients on a variety of matters, including public records, constitutional law and labor and employment disputes.
Areas of Concentration
- Land Use & Property Rights Litigation – Bert J. Harris Private Property Rights Act, Code Enforcement, Eminent Domain, Inverse Condemnation, Development Approvals, Public Records Act
- Commercial Litigation & Trials – Constitutional Law
- Construction
- Real Estate
- Administrative & Regulatory – Hearings and Appeals
Prior to joining the firm, Liz was an attorney at a Florida-based law firm. Additionally, she served as an Assistant State Attorney for the State Attorney’s Office in the Second Judicial Circuit where she conducted over 50 jury trials as first chair, ranging in severity from traffic offenses to life felonies
Representative Experience
- Successfully defended a Florida county in a lawsuit filed by the Clerk of Courts related to the funding of an annex courthouse and the Multi-agency Criminal Justice Information system, an issue of first impression in Florida. The court granted summary judgment in favor of the county, saving the county millions of dollars.
- Handled dozens of employment claims before the Florida Commission on Human Relations and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission resulting in determinations of no reasonable cause.
- Successfully defended a county’s text amendments to its Comprehensive Plan before the Division of Administrative Hearings.
- Obtained summary judgment for a Florida county in a multi-count breach of contract and governmental takings case.
- Prosecuted dozens of code enforcement violations in several jurisdictions, including one related to the construction of a seawall that led to a four-day evidentiary hearing.
- Served as counsel to a Florida county in eminent domain proceedings to create a $200 million bypass route.
Professional & Community Involvement
- Tallahassee Bar Association (TBA), 2017-Present
- Board of Directors, 2021-Present
- Secretary, 2023-Present
- Young Lawyers Section Board of Directors, 2018-2022
- President, 2021-2022
- President-Elect, 2020-2021
- Treasurer, 2019-2020
- Board of Directors, 2021-Present
- Refuge House of the Big Bend, 2018-Present
- President, 2021-Present
- Secretary, 2020-2021
- The Florida Bar
- City, County & Local Government Law Section, 2019-Present
- Labor and Employment Law Section, 2017-Present
- Standing Committee on Professionalism, 2023-Present
- Second Circuit Grievance Committee, 2024-Present
- Young Lawyers Section, 2015-2023
- Goodwood Museum & Gardens, 2021-Present
- Leadership Tallahassee, Class 37, 2019-Present
- Tallahassee Women Lawyers (TWL), 2016-Present
- Board of Directors, JNC Monitoring Chair, 2020-Present
- Florida Association for Women Lawyers (FAWL), 2016-Present
- Capital Tiger Bay Club, 2015-Present
- The Village Square, 2010-Present
- The Awesome Foundation of Tallahassee, 2019-2020
- Junior League of Tallahassee, 2013-2015
- Pi Beta Phi Alumnae Club, President, 2013-2014
- Legal Aid Foundation Board of Directors, 2013-2014
- Knight Creative Communities Institute (KCCI), Catalyst 2012-2013
Recognition
- Leadership Tallahassee, Distinguished Leadership Awards Finalist, 2024
Publications & Presentations
Events:
Shining a Light on Sunshine and Public Records Laws
APA Florida - Capital Region Section, Fall Social|October 2024
Events:
Obtaining and Defending Land Use Approvals
Florida Planning Conference, APA Florida|September 2024
Events:
State of Public Safety
Capital Tiger Bay Club|May 2024
Events:
Best Practices for Obtaining & Defending Land Use Approvals
2023 Florida Planning Conference|September 2023
Newsroom
Firm Announcements:
Stearns Weaver Miller Names Four New Shareholders in 2024
September 2024
Firm Announcements:
Elizabeth Desloge Ellis Selected As a Finalist for the 2024 Leadership Tallahassee Distinguished Leadership Awards
August 2024
In the Media:
Refuge House sees mounting cases of domestic violence, needs support
Tallahassee Democrat|June 2024
In the Media:
Tallahassee Women Lawyers 2023 Fall Newsletter
October 2023