Best Lawyers Near You in Fort Lauderdale, Florida for Land Use and Zoning Law
Ben Hedrick practices in the area of land use and development, representing clients in all aspects of the development approval process in municipalities and unincorporated areas in both Miami-Dade County and Broward County, including in the cities of Miami and Fort Lauderdale. Additionally, Ben has experience assisting clients in public-private partnerships and the development and use of public infrastructure such as airports, parking garages, and rail infrastructure.
Spencer Crowley’s practice focuses on large scale land use and environmental permitting matters, including zoning, growth management, urban development, transportation, sovereignty submerged lands, coastal regulation, marina permitting, wetlands, and water resources. He has worked with the Governor’s Commission for a Sustainable South Florida, the South Florida Water Management District, and Duke University’s Wetlands Center in the Florida Everglades. He has assisted clients...
Jorge L. Navarro is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Land Use and Zoning Law and Real Estate Law. Jorge L., who practices law in Miami, Florida, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Jorge L. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Melissa Tapanes Llahues is a nationally recognized land use and zoning attorney, strategic advisor, and civic leader shaping the built environment across South Florida. As a shareholder and Chief Executive Officer of Bercow Radell Fernandez Larkin & Tapanes, PLLC, she operates at the intersection of law, policy, and urban strategy—guiding complex development projects from vision to entitlement to realization. Melissa represents institutional investors, landowners, and developers in ...
Ethan B. Wasserman is a member of the Land Use Practice of the firm’s Miami office. Ethan focuses his practice on land use, development and general real estate matters. He represents clients in all aspects of the development approval process, from site diligence, subdivision and concurrency impacts, land use/zoning applications and construction permitting. During and post construction, clients call on Ethan to assist with day-to-day local government matters, including building and code ...
Marissa Amuial focuses her practice on land use and development, representing clients in all aspects of the development approval process including zoning applications, special area plans (SAPs), historic preservation matters, code compliance and enforcement, and other administrative and quasi-judicial hearings. Additionally, Marissa assists clients throughout South Florida in navigating public/private incentive agreements and in drafting land use development regulations.
Matthew Amster is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Land Use and Zoning Law. Matthew, who practices law in Miami, Florida, has been recognized since 2027. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Matthew is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Kerri L. Barsh represents public and private clients on an array of environmental regulatory, permitting and litigation matters, including transactional support and due diligence, environmental assessment and liability matters, energy and infrastructure projects, wetlands and coastal permitting, complex land use projects, air quality matters, hazardous materials contamination, and other compliance and enforcement cases.
Ryan D. Bailine is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Land Use and Zoning Law and Real Estate Law. Ryan D., who practices law in Miami, Florida, has been recognized since 2023. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Ryan D. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Dennis A. Kerbel is chair of Akerman’s Florida Land Use and Entitlements Practice. Dennis has extensive experience in the full range of local government law issues, with a particular legal concentration in land use law. He focuses his practice on helping clients achieve optimal results from governmental approval processes and, where appropriate, litigation. Dennis has experience in federal and state courts at both the trial and appellate levels. He handles a broad variety of cases, incl...
Partner Tom Robertson is deeply experienced in many facets of land use and environmental litigation, having served as an attorney with the Miami-Dade County Attorney’s office for 30 years. While there, he practiced in the areas of Environmental Law, Zoning, Real Estate Finance and Liens, Personal Injury, Contracts, and general governmental law. In each of these areas, he was active in litigation including many jury and non-jury trials. He was the general counsel to the Solid Waste Depar...
Michael (Mickey) has been practicing land use and governmental law for more than two decades. His law practice is focused primarily on representing clients throughout South Florida in all areas of development approvals including zoning, land use, due diligence and permitting. Additionally, Mickey has helped clients with a myriad of code enforcement and compliance issues. In particular, he has recently been involved with major projects in the City of Miami Beach and the City of Aventura. He is...
Carlos R. Lago is a member of the Land Use & Land Development Practice of the firm’s Miami office. He focuses his practice on land use, zoning, and governmental affairs representing clients in numerous multi-million dollar transactions throughout South Florida. Carlos represents real estate and hotel development clients that include The Related Group; Terra; OKO Group; Aries Development; Aria Development; BMG Group; CMC Group; East End Capital Partners; Greystone & Co; Avra Jain...
Neisen Kasdin serves as managing partner of Akerman's Miami office. A former mayor of Miami Beach and leader in the revitalization of South Beach, he brings extensive civic experience to his work on urban revitalization and the development of complex, large-scale, multi-use projects. Respected as a leader in urban development, he serves as vice chair of the board of directors for the Miami Downtown Development Authority and was responsible for leading the creation of Miami’s Downtown Ma...
Maritza Haro Salgado is a partner attorney at Bercow Radell Fernandez Larkin & Tapanes, where she focuses on land use and zoning matters across various jurisdictions, including unincorporated Miami-Dade County, the City of Miami, City of Hialeah, City of Sweetwater, and the City of Homestead. Maritza earned her law degree from Florida International University College of Law. During law school, she gained valuable legal experience through an internship with the City of Miami Attorney&rsquo...
Nicholas (Nick) is an associate attorney at Bercow Radell Fernandez Larkin & Tapanes focusing on land use, zoning and environmental matters. He earned his Juris Doctor from Florida State University (FSU) College of Law, where he graduated summa cum laude. At the same time, Nick earned a Master’s Degree in Aquatic Environmental Science, focusing his studies on coastal resilience and sea level rise. Before law school, he majored in Environmental Science, where he discovered his passio...
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Recognition by Best Lawyers is based entirely on peer review. Our methodology is designed to capture, as accurately as possible, the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area.
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