Jessica M. Icerman

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Overview

Jessica Icerman 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.

Notable 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

Credentials

Education

  • J.D., Florida State University College of Law, 2012
    • Environmental and Land Use Law Certificate
  • B.A., University of Florida, 2009

Admissions

  • Florida

Certifications

  • Board Certified by The Florida Bar in City, County, and Local Government Law

Professional & Community Involvement

  • St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce, 2020-Present
    • Board of Governors, 2023-Present
    • Chair, Housing, Land Use and Development Committee, 2024-2025
    • Public Policy Council, 2020-Present
      • Vice Chair, 2025-Present
    • Vice Chair, Sustainability Committee, 2021
  • St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce, Leadership St. Pete (LSP), Class of 2024
  • Tampa Bay Builders Association, 2019-Present
  • The Florida Bar, City, County and Local Government Law Section, Chair of the Social Media Subcommittee, 2021-2023
  • Urban Plan Institute, Volunteer, 2018-2020
  • Guardian ad-Litem, Volunteer, 2017-2021
  • Tallahassee Women Lawyers (TWL), 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

  • Tampa Bay Business Journal, 40 Under 40 Honoree, 2024
  • Best Lawyers: Ones To Watch, 2021-Present
  • Florida Super Lawyers, Rising Star, 2023-Present
  • Florida Trend’s Florida Legal Elite, Up & Comer, 2020

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