Stearns Weaver Miller Welcomes Administrative & Regulatory and Healthcare Shareholder Louise St. Laurent to Tallahassee

Stearns Weaver Miller is pleased to announce that Louise St. Laurent has joined the firm’s Tallahassee office. Louise has over 15 years of experience in Administrative & Regulatory and Healthcare law. She provides state and federal regulatory support on behalf of clients in a variety of complex healthcare and administrative matters, including competitive procurements and bid protests.

“Louise has the former government experience, legal acumen, and passion to take our Administrative & Regulatory and Healthcare practices to the next level,” said Managing Director Rick Schatz. “Her practice aligns seamlessly and bolsters the office’s key strengths. We are excited for her to join the firm and look forward to her elevating the services we provide in Tallahassee and throughout the state.”

Prior to joining private practice, Louise served in various roles for nearly a decade at the Florida Department of Health (DOH), including as General Counsel. In this capacity, she led the DOH legal office, managing more than 180 employees, including 90 attorneys, in supporting all public health-related activities regarding patient safety, diseases of public concern, Medicaid for children with significant needs, Florida’s Medical Marijuana program, environmental health, and emergency response. Louise navigated complex state and federal regulations while overseeing the legal operations related to regulatory compliance, litigation, and rulemaking. She managed high-stakes litigation and provided legal guidance on administrative law matters across Florida’s circuit, district, and federal courts, as well as before the Division of Administrative Hearings (DOAH).

She also provided strategic legal counsel on complex healthcare regulations, public health initiatives, and delivery systems, and acted as lead prosecuting attorney for the Division of Medical Quality Assurance, overseeing the entire disciplinary and unlicensed activity processes for more than 50 regulated professions.

Louise’s notable experience also includes work with the Office of Medical Marijuana Use (OMMU), where she played a key role in developing Florida’s Medical Marijuana program, now the third-largest cannabis market in the U.S., helping to shape the program’s legal frameworks. Louise has provided support to OMMU, where her work involved advising on compliance issues, defending the program’s legal standing in various courts, and navigating the complex regulatory environment surrounding licensing, dispensing, and policy development in the cannabis industry.

Throughout her career, Louise has been a leader in various professional organizations in the North Florida Community.  She is the current Secretary and a Director of the Tallahassee Bar Association. She held numerous roles within the Florida Bar, including past Chair of its Administrative Law Section and served on the Executive Council and Government Advocacy Committee. She is also an active member of the Florida Bar Health Law Section and Government Lawyer Section and the Florida Government Bar Association.