Richard Jay Weiss

Founding Member

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Richard focuses his practice on governmental and municipal law advice and guidance to both private sector and public sector clients.  He currently provides services to companies such as American Airlines, the Hertz Corporation and the Miami Heat basketball franchise. During the past 20 years he has served as City Attorney for nearly a dozen South Florida cities and special counsel and labor counsel to many more. Prior to joining the firm, he served for seven years as an Assistant County Attorney for Miami-Dade County. Richard's extensive experience includes litigation in both the State and Federal trial and appellate courts. In recent years, he has authored charters for many newly-created cities.

He was an adjunct professor in the Department of Public Administration at Florida International University and is currently writing a textbook on Florida local government law. He is the author of numerous publications regarding dispute resolution and arbitration and is a frequent speaker on municipal law topics to groups such as the American Arbitration Association, the Florida Association of Police Legal Advisors, the Florida Public Employer Relations Association and the Florida Association of Municipal Attorneys. He has lectured at the Criminal Justice Institute at Broward County Community College.

Professional/Civic Activities

  • Broward County Charter Review Commission, 2000, 2006
  • Broward County Planning Council Chairman, 1995-2002
  • Town of Miami Lakes Charter Commission, 2000
  • Make-A-Wish Foundation of Southern Florida Advisory Board, 1999
  • Miami-Dade County Mayor's Ad Hoc Charter Review Committee, 1997
  • City of Aventura Charter Commission Attorney, 1995
  • Indian Trace Charter Steering Committee, 1995
  • Dade County Public Health Trust Trustee, 1989-1993
  • Jackson Memorial Foundation Chairman, 1989-1993
  • Haven Center (Home for Disabled) Director, 1978-1988
  • Affiliate Outreach Project Director, 1986

Awards and Recognitions

  • AV Rated
  • Top 1% of Lawyers in South Florida, South Florida Legal Guide, 2002-present
  • "Legal Elite," Florida Trend Magazine, 2004-present
  • "Best of the Bar," South Florida Business Journal, 2004
  • Florida Super Lawyers, 2007-present
  • Best Lawyers, the oldest and most respected peer-review publication in the legal profession, has named Richard Jay Weiss as the "Miami Best Lawyers Government Relations Practice Lawyer of the Year" for 2012.

Publications

  • "Resolving Disputes: An Alternate Approach," Chicago, Illinois ABA Press, 1983 (co-author)
  • "Dispute Settlement: Tremendous Opportunity," The Barrister, Spring, 1982
  • "Resolving Disputes: An Alternate Approach," Miami-Dade County Bar Journal, 1982

Professional Associations

  • Union Bank of Florida Director, 2000-2005
  • Broward County Professional Fire Administrators Association Advisory Labor Counsel, 1995-2000
  • South Florida Chapter, International Personnel Management Association General Counsel, 1993-2000
  • Florida International University, Department of Public Administration, Adjunct Professor, 1991-1999
  • Steering Committee Chairman, Florida International University Institute of Government, 1991-1999
  • Labor Law Committee Co-Chairperson, The Florida Bar, Local Government Section, 1989-1990
  • American Bar Association Director, Young Lawyers Division, 1985-1986
  • American Bar Association Chairman, Young Lawyers Division, Alternate Dispute Committee, 1981-1982
  • American Bar Association Committee Chairman, Young Lawyers Division, National Community Law Week, 1981
  • Stetson University Governmental Law Symposium Editor, 1977-1979

Press Mentions