Overview
Jessica Icerman is an attorney in the Land Development, Zoning & Environmental group and is Board Certified by The Florida Bar in City, County, and Local Government Law*. She represents clients before local and state governments and in litigation on land use and land development issues. She has experience representing clients in a broad range of matters involving variances, rezonings, permitting, licensing, comprehensive plan amendments, and entitlements.
Prior to joining the firm, Jessica served as an Assistant County Attorney in the Leon County Attorney’s Office. In this role, she represented the county with a focus on land use, code enforcement and local government law. She also served as an advisor for several county departments and divisions, including Development Services Division, Environmental Services Division, Code and Permit Services, Planning Department, and County administration.
She also was an associate in private practice and was a law clerk in the City of Tallahassee City Attorney’s Office.
*With less than 1% of eligible members certified in City, County, and Local Government Law, board certification is The Florida Bar’s highest level of evaluation of a lawyer’s competence and experience in a particular area of practice. It identifies lawyers with "special knowledge, skills and proficiency, as well as a reputation for professionalism and ethics." To achieve certification, a lawyer must endure rigorous examination and testing and be evaluated by their peers.
Representative Experience
- Successfully overturned a local government decision denying the grandfathering of an intensive commercial use, paving the way to achieve a favorable rezoning of the property.
- Lead counsel in obtaining and successfully defending a challenge to a favorable zoning determination letter.
- Successfully represented owner of a commercial shopping plaza in City of St. Pete Beach administrative appeal by neighbor challenging a nonconforming use of the property, which lead to neighbor also voluntarily dismissing sister lawsuit.
- Represented an affordable housing developer in obtaining a brownfield area designation for an affordable housing project in the City of Tallahassee during the COVID-19 pandemic. The team coordinated an in-person and virtual community meeting that included a team of consultants and members of the public as well as two virtual public hearings to obtain the brownfield area designation. The designation allowed the developer to take advantage of both state environmental clean-up programs and financial incentives.
- In her capacity as Assistant County Attorney in the Leon County Attorney’s Office:
- Lead attorney on major local government issues, including medical marijuana, cell towers in the rights-of-way and revising the sign code
- Represented Leon County in quasi-judicial hearings
- Defended Leon County in appeals of County decisions
Professional & Community Involvement
- The Florida Bar, City, County and Local Government Law Section, Chair of the Social Media Subcommittee, 2021-Present
- St. Petersburg Chamber of Commerce, 2020-Present
- Vice Chair, Sustainability Committee, 2021-Present
- Transportation Committee, 2020-Present
- Public Policy Council, 2020-Present
- St. Petersburg Downtown Partnership Developer’s Council, 2020-Present
- Tampa Bay Builders Association, 2019-Present
- Urban Plan Institute, Volunteer, 2018-Present
- Guardian ad-Litem, Volunteer, 2017-Present
- Tallahassee Women Lawyers, Executive Board, 2017-2020
- FSU College of Law Women’s Law Symposium, Mentor, 2016-2020
- Florida Association of County Attorneys, 2015-2019
- Chair, Growth Management Committee, 2018-2019
- Amicus Curiae Committee, 2017-2019
- Cell Tower-ROW Task Force, 2017
Recognition
- Best Lawyers: Ones To Watch, 2021
- Florida Trend's Florida Legal Elite, Up & Comer, 2020
Publications & Presentations
Government Affairs News Update, Land Development News Update, Publications:
COVID-19 State of Emergency Lapses: Extend Your Permits NOW
Stearns Weaver Miller News Update|July 2021
Land Development News Update, Publications:
Hillsborough County Studying Comprehensive Plan Updates to Facilitate Affordable Housing
Stearns Weaver Miller News Update|July 2021
COVID News Update, Government & Administrative News Update, Government Affairs News Update, Land Development News Update, Publications:
COVID Legal Compass | Edition 25
Stearns Weaver Miller News Update|March 2021
Land Development News Update, Publications:
What's Developing | Winter 2020-2021
Stearns Weaver Miller News Update|January 2021
COVID News Update, Government & Administrative News Update, Government Affairs News Update, Land Development News Update, Publications:
COVID Legal Compass | Edition 24
Stearns Weaver Miller News Update |January 2021
COVID News Update, Government & Administrative News Update, Government Affairs News Update, Land Development News Update, Publications:
COVID Legal Compass | Edition 23
Stearns Weaver Miller News Update |December 2020
Events:
Legal and Regulatory Status of Urban Agriculture in Florida
University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences|November 2020
Land Development News Update, Publications:
City of Tampa Holds Important Workshop on Changes in Land Use and Development Policies
Stearns Weaver Miller News Update|November 2020
Newsroom
Firm Announcements:
Stearns Weaver Miller honored with 2020 Tallahassee Women Lawyers Diversity & Inclusion Leadership Award
June 2020
Firm Announcements:
Former Leon County Assistant County Attorney Jessica M. Icerman Joins Stearns Weaver Miller in Tampa
January 2020
In the Media:
Briefcase: Jan. 5
Tallahassee Democrat|January 2020