Overview
Gigi Rollini is an experienced litigator and Shareholder at Stearns Weaver Miller, in Tallahassee, Florida. Her practice encompasses administrative and civil litigation and appeals, and all aspects of Florida administrative law, including regulatory compliance, licensure, administrative complaints and disciplinary proceedings, government contracts, procurement and bid protests, rulemaking and rule challenges, state and local taxation, election compliance and litigation, and non-profit and trade association formation, compliance and management.
Gigi has been named one of Florida's "Top 50 Women Lawyers" by Super Lawyers magazine, an "Extraordinary Woman" by the Florida Association for Women Lawyers (FAWL), the Panhandle's "Woman of Distinction" in Law by the Girl Scout Council, and one of Tallahassee's "25 Women to Know" by the Tallahassee Democrat. She has earned Martindale's highest AV-Preeminent Peer Rating in appellate, administrative and civil litigation, and is regularly recognized by Florida Super Lawyers and Florida Trend magazines in appellate and administrative law. She serves on The Florida Bar's Administrative Law Section Executive Council, and is a past chair of the Appellate Court Rules Committee's administrative and civil appeals committees.
Gigi served as president of the Tallahassee Women Lawyers, and as president of FAWL—only the fifth woman from Tallahassee to serve in that capacity since FAWL’s inception in 1951. She currently serves on the board of the National Association of Women Lawyers (NAWL), after serving many years as Florida's delegate to NAWL.
Prior to entering private practice, Gigi was senior law clerk to Judge Robert T. Benton II at Florida's First District Court of Appeal. While in law school, Gigi received a Florida Bar Foundation Public Service Fellowship to work in the Office of the State Attorney (2nd Jud. Circuit), focused on felony cases involving children and women victims. Gigi was a judicial intern for The Honorable Robert L. Hinkle at the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida. Prior to law school, Gigi was a legislative aide in the Florida House of Representatives.
Representative Experience
Florida Licensure & Discipline
- Administrative Litigation and Regulatory Law, with emphasis on licensed and regulated facilities and professionals.
- Represents licensees, regulated entities and interested parties before regulatory agencies and their professional boards, the Division of Administrative Hearings, and in Florida’s circuit and appellate courts.
- Advises and represents clients in compliance, disciplinary and appellate matters involving Florida’s professional boards, including Nursing, Dentistry, Pharmacy, Medicine, Accountancy, Architecture and Professional Engineers, as well as national examination and professional boards.
- Serves on The Florida Bar’s Administrative Law Section Executive Council, and is a past chair of the Administrative Law Practice committee of The Florida Bar Appellate Court Rules Committee.
- Frequent speaker on licensure and regulatory issues, and developed and presents the The Florida Bar’s Basic Administrative Law segment on professional licensure in Florida.
Constitutional & Election Law
- Serves as General Counsel to the Florida Association for Constitutional Officers.
- Represents county constitutional officers and public officials in election law and charter amendment suits.
- Represents campaigns and candidates for public office in compliance and election-related litigation.
- Represents organizations and public bodies in compliance and election-related litigation.
- Represents amicus parties in all five of Florida's District Courts of Appeal, the Florida Supreme Court, the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, and the United States Supreme Court.
- Represented a sitting U.S. President in the United States Supreme Court to defend against a petition for writ of mandamus in an election-related suit.
- Defended contested amendment to the Florida Constitution from Circuit Court to the Florida Supreme Court, helping to preserve the measure for the general election ballot.
- Represented constitutional officer in circuit court, the Fifth District Court of Appeal, and Florida Supreme Court to strike a county charter amendment changing the method of election for county constitutional officers.
- Represented statewide association in litigation to strike charter amendment abolishing certain public offices.
Judicial Clerkships
- Senior Law Clerk, Honorable Robert T. Benton II, Florida's 1st District Court of Appeal
- Judicial Intern, Honorable Robert L. Hinkle, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Florida
Professional & Community Involvement
- The Florida Bar
- Administrative Law Section, Executive Council Member, 2016-present
- Appellate Court Rules Committee, 2012-2018
- Administrative Law Practice Subcommittee, Chair, 2014-2015
- Civil Practice Subcommittee, Chair & Vice-Chair, 2015-2017
- Appellate Practice & Advocacy Section, 2003-present
- Administrative Law Section, 2003-present
- National Association of Women Lawyers (NAWL)
- Board of Directors, At-Large, 2018-present
- Florida’s Delegate to NAWL, 2011-2018
- Amicus Committee, 2012-present
- Midyear Meeting Chair, 2017-2018
- Membership Committee, 2016-present
- Sustaining Sponsor Committee, 2017-2018
- Path To Equity Partnership Committee, 2015-2017
- Tallahassee Professional Women’s Exchange Network, Founder & Chair, 2009-present
- Florida Association for Women Lawyers (FAWL), President, 2010-2011
- Tallahassee Women Lawyers (TWL), President, 2009-2010
- First District Appellate American Inn of Court, Barrister, 2012-2015; Alumna, 2015-present
- Florida Supreme Court Chief Justice’s Pro Bono Awards Advisory Committee, 2010-2011
- Adjunct Professor, Florida State University College of Law, 2008-2010
- William H. Stafford Inn of Court, Barrister, 2007-2009
- America’s Second Harvest of the Big Bend, Board of Directors, President & Executive Board, Development Chair, Legislative Chair, 2014-2019
- America’s Second Harvest of the Big Bend, Feeding Hope Society Founding Member & Chair, 2018-present
- Club 25 Tallahassee Democrat’s “25 Women You Need to Know”
- Board of Directors, 2014-present
- Nominating Committee Chair, 2017
- Girl Scouts of the Florida Panhandle, Women of Distinction Gala, Honorary Chair, 2016; Lifetime Member
- Senior Law Clerk, Chief Judge Robert T. Benton, II, Florida First District Court of Appeal, 2003-2007
- Legislative Aide, Florida House of Representatives, Districts 88/89, 1998-1999
Recognition
- AV® Preeminent™ Rated, Martindale-Hubbell
- Top 50 Women Lawyers in Florida, Florida Super Lawyers, 2016-2017
- Florida Super Lawyers, 2013-2018; Rising Star 2010-2012
- Florida Trend's Florida Legal Elite, 2015-2017; Up & Comer, 2010-2011
- Top Rated Lawyer, ALM/Daily Business Review, 2014-2018
- “Woman of Distinction” in Law, Girl Scout Council of the Florida Panhandle, 2015
- Florida “Extraordinary Woman,” Florida Association for Women Lawyers, 2015
- Top Lawyers of Florida, The Miami Herald, 2015
- Florida’s Top 40 Litigators Under 40, American Society of Legal Advocates, 2013-2014
- Tallahassee’s 25 Women You Need to Know, Tallahassee Democrat, 2014
- Leader in the Law Award, Florida Association for Women Lawyers, 2012 Class
- Lynn Futch Most Productive Young Lawyer in Florida, The Florida Bar Young Lawyers Division, 2010
- Florida Association for Women Lawyers, Mattie Belle Davis Society
Publications & Presentations
Publications:
Five Steps to Handle an Administrative Complaint or Notice of Proposed Action From a Florida Agency
The Florida Law Practice LINK|April 2019
Publications, Recent News Updates:
Permit Applicants May Need to Reevaluate Strategies Following New Constitutional Amendment Prohibiting Agency Deference
Stearns Weaver Miller News Update|February 2019
Events:
Licensure - Disciplinary Proceedings and Rulemaking/Compliance
The Florida Bar|November 2018
Publications, Recent News Updates:
Upcoming Vote on Amendment 10 Ensures Florida's County Constitutional Officers Are Elected Locally
Tallahassee|Stearns Weaver Miller News Update |October 2018
Publications, Recent News Updates:
Upcoming Vote on Amendment Two Has Significant Tax Implications for Non-Homestead Property Owners
Stearns Weaver Miller News Update|August 2018
Events:
Building, Managing & Leveraging Strategic Networks
NAWL Annual Meeting |July 2018
Publications, Recent News Updates:
Recent Supreme Court Decision Overrules "Physical Presence" Requirement for State Sales Tax Collection and Remittance from Out-of-State Retailers
Stearns Weaver Miller News Update|July 2018
Publications:
Appellate Case Notes
Administrative Law Section of The Florida Bar Newsletter|June 2018
Newsroom
Firm Announcements:
Gigi Rollini and Bridget Smitha Bring Licensure to Florida Bar Administrative Law Curriculum
October 2018
In the Media:
National Association of Women Lawyers Announces 2018-2019 Officers and Board
The Daily Times|August 2018
Firm Announcements:
Stearns Weaver Miller Lawyers Recognized in Florida Super Lawyers 2018
June 2018
Firm Announcements:
Gigi Rollini to Join National Association of Women Lawyers Board of Directors, Honored with Virginia S. Mueller Outstanding Member Award, at NAWL Annual Meeting
June 2018
Firm Announcements:
Gigi Rollini Joins Stearns Weaver Miller’s Tallahassee Office
April 2018