Overview
Erin Tilton represents private and public sector clients before local, regional, and state agencies, courts, and elected bodies on environmental, real estate development, and land use matters. She has experience advising clients on a wide-range of complex land use permitting and entitlement issues, including comprehensive plans and amendments, rezonings, variances, concurrency and development agreements, Development of Regional Impact (DRI) review and rescission, and other related aspects of securing development authorization. She is skilled in developing and implementing litigation strategy as it relates to obtaining, challenging, and defending development approvals.
In addition to her land development practice, Erin also maintains a broad litigation practice where she represents clients in administrative, circuit court, and appellate litigation on a variety of matters, including complex business, real estate, contract, and private property rights disputes. She also has extensive experience litigating issues under Florida’s Public Records Act on behalf of both private and public sector clients.
Representative Experience
- Represented large landowner seeking to recover $298 million under the Bert J. Harris, Jr. Private Property Rights Protection Act in a case involving multiple issues of first impression.
- Assisted electric utility in amending local comprehensive plan and land development code provisions to allow for the establishment of solar generation facilities in agricultural areas.
- Served as counsel to mortgage holder in $150 million multi-family residential foreclosure action in federal court involving several construction liens and hundreds of unit purchasers.
- Obtained judgment for community development district allowing issuance of $19 million in municipal bonds after contested validation hearing
- Negotiated complex settlement agreement on behalf of state agency resolving $60 million in potential liability over failed public-private partnership.
- Obtained judgment after evidentiary hearing against local government for public record violations, recovering $75K in attorney’s fees and costs.
- Served as in-house counsel to a large investor-owned electric utility on matters before the Florida Public Service Commission.
Professional & Community Involvement
- Florida Manufactured Housing Association (FMHA), 2021
- Urban Land Institute (ULI)
- Capital Region Leadership Council, 2022-Present
- Stetson Lawyers Alumni Association Advisory Council, 2020-Present
- Tallahassee Bar Association, 2013-Present
- President, 2023-Present
- President-Elect, 2022-2023
- Treasurer, 2021-2022
- Board of Directors, 2018-Present
- Diversity and Inclusion Committee, Chair, 2019-Present
- Marketing Committee, Chair, 2021-Present
- Tallahassee Bar Bulletin, Co-Editor, 2021-Present
- Young Lawyer Section Board of Directors, 2014-2019; President, 2017-2018
- The Florida Bar, Real Property, Probate & Trust Law Section (RPPTL), Development and Land Use Planning Committee, 2014-Present
- Leon County Teen Court, Volunteer Judge, 2013-Present
- American Bar Association, Managing Editor, Administrative & Regulatory Law News, 2018-2021
Recognition
- National Association of Women Lawyers, Rising List, 2023
- Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch, 2021-Present
- Florida Super Lawyers, Rising Star, 2017-Present
- Florida Trend's Florida Legal Elite, Up & Comer, 2021-2022
- Tallahassee Bar Association, Thomas M. Ervin, Jr. Distinguished Young Lawyer Award, 2018
- Tallahassee Woman Magazine, Women to Watch, 2018
- The Florida Bar, Environmental and Land Use Law Section, Dean Frank E. Maloney Memorial Writing Contest winner, 2013
- Stetson University College of Law, Hearne Environmental Law Award, 2013
Publications & Presentations
Events:
Best Practices for Obtaining & Defending Land Use Approvals
2023 Florida Planning Conference|September 2023
Publications:
President's Message
Tallahassee Bar Association Bulletin|August 2023
Events:
The Interplay of Administrative and Civil Law – Land Use Planning, Development, and Comprehensive Plan Amendments
Florida Bar Administrative Law Section's Pat Dore Conference|May 2023
Publications:
President’s Message
Tallahassee Bar Association Bulletin|April 2023
Publications:
President's Message
Tallahassee Bar Association Bulletin|January 2023
Events:
Ethics Training Part III: Public Records Act - Overview of Act, Recent Changes, Hot Topics & Cases
FACO Virtual Summer Conference|July 2022
Events:
Best Practices in Planned Communities Design, Implementation & Financing
Stearns Weaver Miller/Kutak Rock Webinar|June 2022
Government Affairs News Update, Land Development News Update, Publications:
What’s Developing | Spring 2022
Stearns Weaver Miller News Update|May 2022
Newsroom
Firm Announcements:
Erin Tilton Recognized on 2023 NAWL Rising List
January 2023
In the Media:
Stearns Weaver Names 11 New Shareholders Across Fla.
October 2022
Firm Announcements:
Stearns Weaver Miller Names 11 New Shareholders
October 2022
In the Media:
Tallahassee Bar Association Bulletin
August 2022
Firm Announcements:
Erin Tilton Elected to ULI North Florida’s Capital Region Council
July 2022
Firm Announcements:
Stearns Weaver Miller Expands Tallahassee Office Space and Offered Services
February 2022
In the Media:
Fall 2021 TBA Member News
Fall Edition of the Tallahassee Bar Association's Bar Bulletin|October 2021
Firm Announcements:
Carl Eldred Joins Stearns Weaver Miller’s Statewide Land Development, Zoning & Environmental Practice
September 2021