Land Use Attorney

Williams Parker•Sarasota, FL

13d

About The Position

Williams Parker is seeking a Land Use Attorney with approximately 5+ years of private practice experience to join one of Southwest Florida's most established land use and development practices. This opportunity is intended for an attorney whose practice includes zoning, entitlements, permitting, comprehensive plan amendments, and representation before local government boards and commissions on behalf of developers, property owners, businesses, nonprofit organizations, and public-sector clients. The successful candidate will assume significant responsibility for high-profile growth and development matters in one of the nation's most active markets. For more than a century, Williams Parker has served as a trusted advisor to individuals, families, businesses, and institutions, building an enduring legacy through sophisticated counsel, exceptional service, and meaningful community stewardship. Our founder, J.J. Williams Jr., counseled public- and private-sector clients from the earliest days of the Firm and the earliest days of this community, and our work has been foundational to the region's development—from the famed Ringling Isles development on Longboat Key to the pioneering planned unit developments of The Meadows to the rising skyline of today. A portable book of business is not required; however, candidates must bring the technical command, professional maturity, and sound judgment necessary to assume near partner-level responsibilities with limited supervision.

Requirements

Approximately 5+ years of private practice experience with a substantial focus on land use, zoning, entitlements, permitting, local government representation, and real estate development matters.
Demonstrated success advising developers, property owners, investors, businesses, nonprofit organizations, and public-sector clients on project feasibility, regulatory strategy, and the entitlement path required to bring a vision to completion.
Significant experience serving as the primary handling attorney on comprehensive plan amendments, re-zonings, special exceptions, variances, zoning code amendments, site plan and subdivision approvals, street vacations, and environmental reviews.
Proven ability to interpret and apply land development regulations, navigate staff review, and anticipate the procedural, political, and practical considerations that determine whether a project proceeds on time and on budget.
Substantial experience presenting before municipal and county boards, commissions, and councils, and representing clients in quasi-judicial and administrative hearings where matters are often visible and contested.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to make complex regulatory concepts understandable and to work effectively with clients, neighbors, elected officials, staff, engineers, planners, architects, consultants, and attorneys across the Firm.
Professional maturity, disciplined matter management, and the ability to exercise independent judgment while managing multiple sophisticated engagements and project teams with limited supervision.
Juris Doctor degree from an ABA-accredited law school and membership in The Florida Bar in good standing, eligibility for admission, or willingness to sit for the Florida Bar Examination in the near future.

Nice To Haves

Florida Bar Board Certification in City, County and Local Government Law or a related specialty is preferred.
Existing relationships within the Sarasota-Manatee local government, planning, and development communities, or an advanced degree in real estate, environmental law, land use, or urban planning, are strongly preferred, although comparable substantive experience will be considered.

Responsibilities

Represent public- and private-sector clients, including nonprofit organizations, before municipal and county boards, commissions, and councils on a vast range of zoning, permitting, and land use matters.
Guide comprehensive plan amendments, re-zonings, special exceptions, zoning code amendments, street vacations, subdivision approvals, and environmental reviews from strategy through approval.
Prepare and present applications, petitions, staff submittments, and supporting materials, and appear at public hearings and administrative proceedings where outcomes are decided.
Counsel clients on land development regulations, concurrency, vested rights, development agreements, and the practical realities of how approvals are secured at ground level.
Collaborate with engineers, planners, architects, consultants, lenders, and attorneys across the Firm's real estate, construction, environmental, corporate, and litigation practices to deliver integrated counsel on development projects.
Cultivate lasting relationships with clients, regulators, and decision-makers through responsiveness, credibility, technical excellence, and an exceptional commitment to client service.