Florida is a highly regulatory and regulated state, known for its willingness to depart from other states in its regulation and for unique procedural and substantive rules governing administrative law cases. These qualities make Florida-specific regulatory and litigation proficiency essential for entities doing any kind of regulated business in Florida, whether local or national, established or just starting out.
With an office in Tallahassee, our attorneys are located at the center of Florida’s legislative, executive, and governmental hubs. This location, strategically positioned at the crossroads of business and government, allows us to assist both businesses and government offices (local and state) through Florida’s complex legal and regulatory landscape. Convenient access to state agencies also aids in our ability to help create preventative and proactive measures and solutions through use of relationships within government offices.
In addition to Tallahassee, our statewide team of attorneys and professionals have diverse collective experience and full-service capabilities to assist in every segment of a project from start to finish. We routinely engage with federal, state, and regional agencies and local government offices throughout Florida.
We believe in being on the frontline for our clients and frequently represent clients before Florida and federal agencies and local governments. Our team is well-versed in all aspects of Florida, local and federal government & 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.
As government and administrative needs can be diverse and varied in scope, our attorneys regularly collaborate across various practices to ensure our clients’ objectives are continually and consistently met. We are a multi-disciplinary firm with experience in nearly every industry that is affected by Florida regulation including, but not limited to, healthcare, insurance, banking & finance, licensure (business, professional and facility), agriculture, construction, transportation, state and local taxation, labor & employment, cannabis/hemp, cybersecurity, education, corporate and land use/environmental.
- Administrative Law, Litigation & Appeals
- Alcohol Licenses
We frequently help hotels, restaurants, grocery stores and liquor stores to obtain licenses to serve and sell alcohol on the premises or in package sales. We also assist in selling, transferring, or placing licenses into or taking them out of inactive status and assist clients in resolving 14-day letters and avoiding discipline. - Association Formation, Advising & Management
We create, manage and represent trade and professional associations in the rulemaking process and in rule challenges. We also assist trade associations and non-profits to secure tax-exempt status. - Banking & Financial Institutions
- Business Licenses
- Cannabis Law
- Census Impact & Analysis
- Constitutional Law
We represent county constitutional officers and public officials in election law and charter amendment suits. - Construction
- Cybersecurity
- Declaratory Statements
- Election & Political Law
We represent campaigns and candidates for public office, as well as organizations and public bodies, in compliance and election-related litigation. - Employee Benefits and Affordable Care Act Reporting
- Employee Regulation
- Ethics & Professional Responsibility
- Geographic Information System (GIS) Analysis & Mapping
- Government Affairs – Legislative & Executive/Cabinet & Agency
- Government Contracts & Procurement
We advise and represent vendors in Florida state and local government procurement and government contract matters, from the issuance of a solicitation to an award, and through bid protest litigation and appeal. We also represent government offices and boards in their procurement-related rulemaking and procurement matters, from general advising and the issuance of a solicitation, through defending an award in litigation or rejection of all bids. - Government Investigations & Audits
- Healthcare
- Insurance
- Intellectual Property
- Labor & Employment
- Land Development, Zoning & Environmental
- Legislative
- Licensure & Discipline
We represent 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 to obtain licensure and ensure compliance. - Life Sciences
- Litigation Against Government Agencies
- Non-profit Compliance & Advising
- Permitting
- Petitions for Rule Waivers
We frequently assist clients to petition agencies for waivers from rule requirements. Circumstances often arise after an award that prevents a client from strict compliance with the applicable rules so petitions are necessary to obtain a variance or waiver that excuses the client from compliance. - Public Officer & Employee Ethics
- Regulatory Filings & Compliance
We routinely advise regulated entities and licensees in Florida regulatory compliance matters. - Rulemaking & Rule Challenges
We advise and represent licensees and regulated entities in the agency rulemaking process, including attending public hearings, offering public comment, and drafting/redlining rules. - Rule Monitoring, Hearings & Workshops
- Securities and Exchange Commission Investigations and Enforcement Actions
- Sales & Use Tax Audits & Disputes
- State & Local Taxation
We advise and represent clients in Florida Department of Revenue state tax audits and tax audit protests, litigation and appeals. - Sunshine Law & Open Government Laws
- Technology
- Transportation & Infrastructure
- Florida
- Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA)
- Agency for Persons with Disabilities (APD)
- Attorney General (AG)
- Clerks of Court Operations Corporation (CCOC)
- Commission on Ethics (COE)
- Commission on Offender Review (COR)
- Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (DACS)
- Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) and its Licensing Boards
- Department of Children & Families (DCF)
- Department of Citrus
- Department of Corrections (DOC)
- Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO)
- Department of Education
- Department of Elder Affairs (DOEA)
- Department of Environmental Protection (DEP)
- Department of Financial Services (DFS)
- Department of Health (DOH) and its Licensing Boards
- Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV)
- Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ)
- Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE)
- Department of Lottery
- Department of Management Services (DMS)
- Department of Military Affairs (DMA)
- Department of Revenue (DOR)
- Department of State (DOS)
- Department of Transportation (FDOT)
- Department of Veterans Affairs
- Division of Administrative Hearings (DOAH)
- Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco
- Division of Corporations (Sunbiz)
- Division of Elections
- Division of Emergency Management (DEM)
- Division of Rehabilitation & Liquidation
- Division of Retirement
- Division of State Group Insurance (DSGI)
- Division of Workers Compensation
- Elections Commission
- Enterprise Florida
- Executive Office of Governor
- Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC)
- Florida Cabinet
- Florida House of Representatives
- Florida Housing Finance Corporation (Florida Housing)
- Florida Insurance Guarantee Association (FIGA)
- Florida Senate
- Florida Supreme Court
- Office of Financial Regulation (OFR)
- Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR)
- Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability (OPPAGA)
- Office of the Attorney General (AG)
- Public Service Commission
- Local & Special Districts
- Boards of Education
- Local Governments & Boards
- School Districts
- Special Districts
- Water Management Districts
- Federal
- Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
- Department of Justice (DOJ)
- Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)
- Federal Aviation Administration
- Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
- National Labor Relations Board (NLRB)
- National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS)
- National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE)
- U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)
- U.S. Department of Labor (DOL)
- U.S. Department of States (USDOS)
- U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT)
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS)
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Government Affairs News Update, Publications:
Interim Committee Week 5 | November 13-17, 2023
Stearns Weaver Miller News Update|November 2023|Marco T. Paredes, Jr.
Publications:
Traffic Jams Are Not Enough: Administrative Standing in Permitting Challenges
The Florida Bar|August 2023|Felicia Kitzmiller, Susan L. Stephens, Fatou Calixte
Government Affairs News Update, Publications:
Rotunda Report Week 1 | March 6-10
Stearns Weaver Millers News Update|March 2023|Marco T. Paredes, Jr.
In the Media:
News and Notes
Administrative Law Section of The Florida Bar Newsletter |September 2022
Government & Administrative News Update, Publications:
Crème de law Admin | Summer 2022
Stearns Weaver Miller News Update|August 2022|Glenn Burhans, Jr., Marco T. Paredes, Jr., Bridget Smitha, Robert J. Walters
Events:
Symposium to look at 'Social Media and the 1st Amendment'
Western Michigan University Cooley Law School |July 2022|Abigail Corbett
Events:
2022 FACO Virtual Summer Conference
Florida Association for Constitutional Officers |July 2022
Publications:
Appellate Case Notes
Administrative Law Section of The Florida Bar Newsletter |June 2022|Melanie R. Leitman, Robert J. Walters