Best Lawyers Near You in Miami, Florida for Land Use and Zoning Law
Nicholas Barshel practices in the area of land use and development, representing clients in all aspects of the development approval process including due diligence review, planning and zoning applications, submerged lands issues, dock and marina permits, historic preservation, code compliance, and other aspects of complex land use and zoning matters with federal, state, and local agencies. He has assisted clients in development of major projects across South Florida and beyond, including the ...
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.
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 ...
Hugo P. Arza is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Land Use and Zoning Law and Real Estate Law. Hugo P., who practices law in Miami, Florida, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Hugo P. 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 ...
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...
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.
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...
Juan J. Mayol, Jr. is a partner and practices in the firm’s Real Estate Section in the areas of Land Use and Zoning. He represents builders and developers in all aspects of land use law through the entire development process, from zoning approvals to subdivision and building permit issues. In addition, Mr. Mayol handles environmental matters as they relate to the development process. Mr. Mayol holds the highest rating assigned by the Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory.
Pedro Gassant is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Land Use and Zoning Law. Pedro, 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 Pedro is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Marissa A. Neufeld is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Land Use and Zoning Law. Marissa A., who practices law in Miami, Florida, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Marissa A. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Alan S. Krischer is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Land Use and Zoning Law. Alan S., 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 Alan S. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Jeffrey Bercow is a founding force behind one of South Florida’s most influential land use and zoning law firms and a central figure in shaping the modern development landscape of Miami-Dade County. With more than 40 years of experience, his work has helped define how and where the region grows—guiding transformative projects, public policy, and the legal frameworks that underpin them. As co-founder of the firm in 1996, Jeff built a practice that has become synonymous with complex...
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.
Vanessa Madrid is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Land Use and Zoning Law and Real Estate Law. Vanessa, who practices law in Miami, Florida, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Vanessa is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
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...
Our Methodology
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.
The Process
Best Lawyers employs a sophisticated, conscientious, rational, and transparent survey process designed to elicit meaningful and substantive evaluations of the quality of legal services. Our belief has always been that the quality of a peer review survey is directly related to the quality of the voters.