Robyn D. Neely

Robyn D. Neely

Orlando, FL recognized lawyers icon Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2012
Akerman LLP

241 Best Lawyers awards

Akerman LLP logo

Awarded Practice Areas

Environmental Law

Biography

Robyn Neely focuses her practice on environmental site contamination issues related to real estate and corporate sales and acquisitions, and leases, including pre-acquisition, pre-leasing and pre-foreclosure due diligence analysis. Her practice also includes managing the investigation and remediation of contaminated properties and brownfield redevelopment including innovative solutions to risk management with risk based corrective actions. Her clients include private equity firms, homebuilders, residential apartment developers, hotels and resorts, lenders, international manufacturers, cell tower developers and service providers, municipal governments, and REITs throughout the United States.

Robyn’s comprehensive environmental experience includes the assessment and remediation of sites impacted by arsenic, petroleum, chlorinated solvents, chlorinated pesticides, PCBs, asbestos, and radon, and involves risk-based closures and other alternative strategies for site closure, as well as environmental compliance matters including defense of enforcement actions under CERCLA, RCRA and state environmental laws. Her experience also has included industrial wastewater, air quality, landfills and hazardous waste. In consultation with engineers, geologists, and other technical experts, she assists with environmental due diligence, compliance and risk assessments and develops practical and cost-effective strategies to address existing contamination, or environmental violations.

Robyn is consistently recognized by legal publications, including Chambers USA and Best Lawyers of America, which named her a Lawyer of the Year for Environmental Law.

Akerman LLP

241 Best Lawyers awards

Akerman LLP logo

Overview

  • Florida State University, J.D., graduated 1987

  • Florida, The Florida Bar

  • ABA, SEER - Member
  • The Florida Bar - Environmental and Land Use Law Section, Member

  • U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit
  • Florida, The Florida Bar
  • ABA, SEER - Member
  • The Florida Bar - Environmental and Land Use Law Section, Member
  • Florida State University, J.D., graduated 1987
  • U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit

Client Testimonials

Our company could not be any more pleased with the quality of work provided by Mrs. Neely, as well as her responsiveness.

Randy Simpson (Consolidated Minerals, Inc.)

Awards & Focus

Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2025 - Environmental Law Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2023 - Environmental Law Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2021 - Environmental Law Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2019 - Environmental Law Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2017 - Environmental Law Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2015 - Environmental Law
Named "Lawyer of the Year" by Best Lawyers® for:
  • Environmental Law, Orlando (2025)
  • Environmental Law, Orlando (2023)
  • Environmental Law, Orlando (2021)
  • Environmental Law, Orlando (2019)
  • Environmental Law, Orlando (2017)
  • Environmental Law, Orlando (2015)
Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2026 for work in:
  • Environmental Law
Awards:
  • Martindale-Hubbell, AV Rated
  • Chambers USA 2012-2016, Ranked in Florida for Environment

Additional Information

  • Published Work and Lectures
  • Frequent speaker on environmental law topics at regional and national conferences for attorneys, corporations, developers, lending institutions, consultants, and environmental professionals.
  • CREW Monthly Program, Panelist, "From Brown to Green: How Redeveloping Brownfields can Increase Profits," August 17, 2016
  • Akerman's Guide to Doing Business in Florida: A Legal Guide for Out-of-State and Foreign Businesses, Author, "Federal and Florida State Environmental Compliance," 2013 and 2016
  • Guide to Doing Business in Florida, Co-Author, "Real Estate Transactions," September 2013
  • Guide to Doing Business in Florida, Co-Author, "Environmental Law," August 2011
  • Representative Experience
  • Representation of company who acquired real property in 1974 which was formerly owned and operated as a pesticide formulating facility, with brownfield cleanup activities involving chlorinated pesticides, ROCS, SVOCS, and arsenic soil and groundwater contamination impacting multiple surrounding properties.
  • Representation of citrus grove owner with environmental due diligence and environmental compliance issues associated with buying, selling and operating citrus grove properties.
  • Representation of national REIT in connection with the sale of 80 convenience stores and gas station sites, including sites in California, Texas, Illinois, Missouri, Hawaii, and Florida.
  • Representation of national REIT in connection with ongoing tenant compliance and environmental issues with regard to convenience stores and gas station sites.
  • Representation of developers in connection with sale, purchase, and redevelopment of former golf course properties with arsenic soil and groundwater impacts for future development as residential properties.
  • Representation of national company in connection with golf course acquisitions, development, and redesign for continued golf course usage, including assessment and remediation of arsenic impacts to soil and groundwater.
  • Representation of national hotel chain in connection with acquisition and development of new hotel sites throughout the United States.
  • Representation of national restaurant chain in connection with divestiture of assets throughout the United States.
  • Representation of international manufacturer of power generation components in connection with chlorinated solvent assessment and response to a state environmental regulatory agency.
  • Representation of municipal client in connection with arsenic soil and groundwater investigation and remedial evaluation in a recreational park.
  • Representation of large luxury resort in connection with dry cleaning solvent assessment and remediation.
  • Representation of large residential apartment developer in connection with investigation and response to chlorinated solvent soil and groundwater impacts related to adjacent former dry cleaning plant.
  • Representation of international truck manufacturing company with regard to environmental issues related to sales and service facilities.
  • Representation of national cell phone tower company in connection to environmental due diligence with regard to lease and development of cell tower sites throughout the United States.
  • Representation of several large industrial manufacturing facilities in connection with industrial wastewater issues.
  • Representation of large pharmaceutical distributor in connection with resolution of $3.5 billion state RCRA enforcement action.
  • Representation of developers, building owners and operators, and lenders in connection with mold-related issues, including overseeing mold investigation and remediation.
  • Representation of large religious institution in connection with Federal asbestos enforcement action.
  • Representation of large religious institution in connection with evaluation and remediation of arsenic soil impacts associated with CCA Lumber playground equipment.
  • Representation of several large national lending institutions in connection with assessment of environmental risk related to proposed loans, foreclosure actions, and acquisition and development of branch locations.

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