Candice Balmori, Daniela Cimo, Elizabeth Coppolecchia, Fabio Giallanza, Kelsie M. Kunstler, Jaimie E. Mayer, Pooja K. Patel, Jeremy S. Rosner, and Chanae L. Wood have been named to the 2026 Lawdragon 500 X – The Next Generation guide.

Candice was recognized for her work in government affairs and municipal law; Daniela was recognized for her work in government affairs and municipal law; Elizabeth for her focus on construction, transactions, and litigation; Fabio for his focus on corporate and real estate matters; Kelsie for her work in real estate and finance; Jaimie for land use and zoning; Pooja for her work in labor & employment and litigation; Jeremy for his focus on litigation, class actions, and appellate; and Chanae for her work in real estate, zoning, land use, and government law.

Honorees are selected through a combination of independent research and submissions, focusing on lawyers who have made a significant impact and consistently demonstrated excellence, typically within 15 years of graduating from law school.

View the full guide here.

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One commentator described the firm as “extremely responsive, gives excellent business advice and is very good on the litigation front.” Chambers also noted that the firm is “highly competent, well versed in the law and excellent in the courtroom.”

Additionally, firm partner and Chair of the Appellate Practice Group, Edward G. Guedes, has once again been ranked for Litigation: Appellate in Florida.

One commentator said, “I have always found Ed to be conscientious, discerning and erudite. He is an extraordinary writer, and I know his arguments have made a difference with appellate judges.” Chambers also noted that he is “professional, always diligent, knows his stuff and is a terrific appeal advocate.”

Chambers USA annually ranks the preeminence of law firms and lawyers across key practice areas throughout the country. The rankings are based on extensive research and thousands of interviews with practicing lawyers and clients. Individual rankings reflect qualities such as legal knowledge and experience, ability, effectiveness, and client service.

View the full guide here.

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Now history appears to be repeating itself.

During another hastily conducted special session, the Legislature approved a proposed amendment that would increase Florida’s homestead exemption for non-school property taxes to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028 and beyond, adjusted for inflation.

Whether that is good policy is for voters to decide.

The problem is that they are not being given a fair and neutral description of what they are being asked to approve.

The Florida Constitution is the foundation of our democracy, and the right to amend it belongs to the people. That right becomes meaningless if the ballot language advocates and misleads, rather than objectively explains.

The title and summary approved by the Legislature do exactly that.

The title — “Save our homes from excessive property taxes” — is not a neutral description of the amendment’s purpose. It is a campaign slogan.

The summary endorses rather than describes. It tells voters only one side of the story — how the amendment “benefits Florida taxpayers.”

It claims the amendment is “Ensuring funding for core services.” But the amendment guarantees no funding for police, fire, schools or infrastructure. By shrinking the local tax base, it is more likely to reduce the revenue available for those services. Reasonable people can debate that tradeoff; but it cannot fairly be called “ensuring funding.”

It claims to be “Protecting small businesses,” though small businesses are never mentioned in the text of the amendment, which simply limits future assessment increases on all non-homesteaded property. Calling that “protecting small businesses” is advocacy, not explanation.

It tells voters the amendment “requires, through general law, a schedule for full elimination” of non-school property taxes on homesteaded property. The actual language requires no such thing. It merely directs the Legislature to create procedures by which local governments may choose to grant further exemptions “up to all remaining assessed valuation” — not necessarily the full amount.

Finally, the summary declares the amendment is “Ensuring fairness for Florida residents.” Yet it offers relief only to homesteaded owners. Florida residents who rent their homes are likely to see higher costs as landlords pass along higher property taxes resulting from increased millage rates. And Florida residents who establish (or re-establish) residency after Dec. 31, 2026, must wait five years for the full $250,000 exemption.

Supporters of the amendment are free to campaign for it. Opponents are free to campaign against it. That is how democracy works. But the ballot itself should not be part of the campaign.

Regardless of where one stands on property taxes, every Floridian should agree on one principle: Constitutional amendments should rise or fall on an honest, neutral explanation of what they actually do. That was the issue in 2007, when a court found voters were given a misleading description of a major property tax proposal. The policy is different today; the principle is not.

The Florida Constitution belongs to the people — not to politicians, political consultants or advertising copywriters. Before voters are asked to rewrite it, they deserve a ballot question that accurately informs rather than persuades.

Jamie A. Cole is Fort Lauderdale office managing partner of law firm Weiss Serota Helfman Cole + Bierman, representing local officials and governments in matters that help improve their communities and preserve home rule power.

The Sun Sentinel originally published this article on June 8, 2026.

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WSHC+B successfully represented North Bay Village in one of Miami-Dade County’s most significant recent public-private partnership (P3) projects: the development of state-of-the-art soccer fields and a new North Bay Village Community Center. The project was completed in partnership with Miami-Dade County Public Schools, the Argentine Football Association (AFA), and Project Football, arriving at a moment when soccer fever is sweeping Miami and the world as the 2026 FIFA World Cup draws near.

WSHC+B Partners Haydee Sera and Fabio Giallanza led the firm’s representation of North Bay Village throughout the project, with Sera serving as the Village’s lead attorney. Their work brought together a multidisciplinary team including Partners Marlon A. Hill, Anthony L. Recio, and firm Chairman Chad S. Friedman.

The new NBV Community Center features multipurpose spaces, padel courts, and pickleball courts, and offers programming for youth and community members designed to create a lasting pathway for the next generation of athletes. The facility represents a transformative investment in North Bay Village and meaningful contribution to Miami-Dade County’s identity as a 2026 World Cup host city.

“This project demonstrates everything that a thoughtfully structured public-private partnership can achieve,” Sera said. “From the very beginning, our goal was to help the Village secure a deal that would deliver real, lasting value for its residents while bringing together some of the most respected names in international football. Seeing that vision become a reality in time to be part of the World Cup moment is deeply gratifying.”

The North Bay Village project reflects the full depth of WSHC+B’s public-private partnership practice, which has a long track record of structuring some of Florida’s most complex and high-profile P3 transactions. The firm’s P3 attorneys represent both public and private sector clients in deals spanning airport expansions, transit system overhauls, and major event logistics, giving the firm a unique vantage point on both sides of these transactions.

This project also draws on the capabilities of WSHC+B’s Road to The World Cup 2026 Focus Group, an innovative multidisciplinary team the firm assembled to help public and private clients capitalize on the legal, governmental, and business opportunities surrounding the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The Focus Group brings together attorneys practicing in governmental affairs, sports and entertainment, immigration, intellectual property, business transactions, and real property.

“North Bay Village had the vision to see what this partnership could mean for its community and its future, and we are proud to help structure a deal that made it possible,” Friedman said. “When you combine international partners like the AFA and Project Football with a local government committed to its residents, the result is something genuinely special. We are honored to play a role in bringing it across the finish line.”

As Miami prepares to welcome the world for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the North Bay Village Community Center and soccer fields show what can be accomplished when the public and private sectors work together with a shared purpose. WSHC+B is committed to continuing to help its clients navigate the opportunities and complexities of this historic moment for South Florida.

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While the announcement generated considerable public attention, employers should understand that the change does not create a “right” to use marijuana in the workplace, nor does it prevent employers from maintaining workplace drug and alcohol policies—particularly for safety-sensitive positions and public sector employees.

What Does This Mean for Employers?

• The DOJ’s action does not require employers to permit employees to work while impaired, nor does it prohibit employers from enforcing workplace drug testing policies. However, the reclassification is likely to increase scrutiny of employer decisions involving off-duty medical marijuana use, particularly where the employee is using marijuana pursuant to a physician recommendation or for treatment of a medical condition.
• One of the most significant practical developments is that employers should move away from blanket marijuana prohibitions and instead focus policies on workplace impairment and fitness for duty. As a result, employers should review existing policies to ensure they clearly prohibit employees from reporting to work impaired or under the influence of any substance that affects their ability to safely and effectively perform their job duties.
• As it pertains to drug testing, the Schedule III classification means that employers should carefully assess whether the positive drug test result is pursuant to a valid state prescription or recommendation for medical marijuana.

Reasonable Accommodation Considerations

• The area most likely to evolve in the coming years involves disability accommodation claims under the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”) and similar state and local laws protecting disabled employees. The reclassification of medical marijuana will inevitably lead employees to request permission to use medical marijuana off duty as a reasonable accommodation for a recognized disability.
• When evaluating accommodation requests, employers should continue engaging in an individualized, interactive process while carefully assessing whether the requested accommodation would create a direct threat to the health and safety of the employee or others or undue hardship based on the employee’s specific position and job duties. The analysis should resemble how employers already address other prescribed medications that may impair judgment, reaction time, alertness, or firearm and vehicle operation.

Looking Ahead

• Although the DOJ’s action represents a significant policy shift, many legal questions remain unresolved. Courts will likely continue addressing issues involving: workplace drug testing; disability accommodations; off-duty lawful conduct; and fitness-for-duty standards.
• Employers should continue monitoring legal developments and consult counsel when reviewing workplace drug policies or responding to accommodation requests involving medical marijuana use.
  

If you have questions regarding your organization’s drug and alcohol policies or the impact of the DOJ’s reclassification of marijuana, please contact our office.

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Academy Fellows follow a curriculum tailored to enhance their professional development, knowledge base, and experience, including attending Florida Bar events and special educational programs.

Judelande counsels municipalities in general government matters involving land use and planning, short-term rentals, transportation, and affordable housing issues.

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WSHC+B welcomes Shana H. Bridgeman as Partner in the firm’s Boca Raton office and as a member of its Labor and Employment Division.

Shana has more than 22 years of legal experience, including 19 years representing management, businesses, and municipal clients in labor and employment matters throughout Florida. She handles a broad range of labor and employment law issues, including collective bargaining, employee discipline, grievances, policy development, employment agreements, and overall risk management.

Her practice encompasses matters arising under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, Age Discrimination in Employment Act, Fair Labor Standards Act, Family and Medical Leave Act, and Florida Civil Rights Act. Shana represents employers before the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Florida Public Employees Relations Commission, Florida Commission on Human Relations, Florida Division of Administrative Hearings, and in arbitration proceedings.

Shana also conducts workplace investigations involving harassment, discrimination, retaliation, misconduct, and ethics and policy violations. She holds an Association of Workplace Investigators Certificate Holder (AWI-CH) designation.

“Shana’s breadth of experience in labor and employment law and workplace investigations makes her an exceptional addition to our team,” said Brett J. Schneider, Partner and Chair of the firm’s Labor and Employment Division. “I have known Shana for many years, and I believe her significant experience and interpersonal skills, combined with her deep roots in South Florida, positions her to deliver immediate value to our clients throughout the region.”

Shana began her legal career as an Assistant State Attorney at the Palm Beach County State Attorney’s Office, where she served as first-chair trial counsel in approximately 50 trials. She subsequently spent over 15 years practicing labor and employment law at a full-service law firm representing municipal and private clients across Florida.

Most recently, Shana founded and operated her own law firm, providing management-side legal counsel, investigation services, and compliance consulting to businesses, local government entities, and HR directors throughout Florida.

Shana earned her Juris Doctor from the University of Florida Levin College of Law and her Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Florida. She has been admitted to practice law in Florida since 2005 and is also admitted to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida.

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The bill exempts unions that represent law-enforcement officers, correctional officers, and firefighters (“Public Safety Employees”) from most of the bill’s substantive changes and, therefore, will primarily impact public-employee unions that represent general or civilian employees (“Civilian Unions”). SB 1296 amends the Public Employees Relations Act in the following material ways:

• At least 50 percent (50%) of civilian bargaining unit employees must vote in certification, recertification, and decertification elections. If fewer than 50% of employees in the bargaining unit vote, the union will not be certified, recertified, or decertified, respectively. 
  
• Public employers cannot compensate or provide paid leave to general or civilian employees for the purpose of engaging in organization activities, such as promoting/soliciting union membership, seeking certification as a bargaining agent, or engaging in political activity, unless the union reimburses the employer pursuant to the operative collective bargaining agreement.  
  
• Public employers cannot compensate or provide paid leave to general or civilian employees for the purpose of engaging in representational activities, such as participating in collective bargaining, addressing grievances, or representing other employees in disciplinary proceedings, unless specifically agreed to in the operative collective bargaining agreement.
  
• Civilian Unions must be granted “equal access” to communal spaces or internal communications systems during certifications, recertifications, or decertification proceedings. Public employers must allow employee organizations access to their communal spaces and internal communications systems during petition proceedings, and such access must be equally granted (e.g., an incumbent union is allowed access to employee breakrooms and, therefore, a rival petitioning union must also be granted the same access to the facility).
  
• Impasse proceedings related to changes to a collective bargaining agreement due to financial urgency must be “fast-tracked” in accordance with an expedited impasse resolution process.
  
• PERC is required to conduct mail ballot elections if any party to the election so requests.
  
• PERC may use a combination of election methods (mail or on-site) for certifications, recertifications, or decertifications, based on specified considerations such as the number of available on-site polling locations, the commission’s workload, and the size of the bargaining unit.
  
• A showing of interest form submitted with a union’s application for certification or recertification must be signed by bargaining unit employees within the last 12 months of the application filing.
  

What are the practical implications for employers with Civilian Unions once SB 1296 is effective?

• A marked increase in onsite organization activities by unions will likely occur. Because the new law requires at least 50% participation in elections, Civilian Unions will likely need to solicit employee participation. On-site solicitation is not unfettered and can be regulated by employers. Please contact competent labor counsel for guidance.
  
• Civilian Unions will likely request equal access to communal worksites and the employer’s email system or intranet for organization activities.  
  
• Collective bargaining proposals will likely include requests by a Civilian Union to explicitly allow for time off without loss of pay for representational activities. Without an express agreement, union members will need to use their own time or lose pay to address matters like grievances, collective bargaining, etc. 
  
• Employers will likely need to monitor timekeeping related to time off requests for civilian employee organization activities. Because it is unlawful for organizational activities to occur while on employer time (unless reimbursed), employers will need to ensure that they are complying with the law.  
  

Please be advised that the above reflects most of the substantive changes to state law regarding public sector labor law, but is not exhaustive. Should you have any questions about this legislation, please feel free to reach out to any member of the WSHC+B Labor and Employment Team.

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WSHC+B welcomes Mariela Malfeld as Partner in the firm’s Miami office, where she will practice within the firm’s Litigation Division with a focus on construction law.

Mariela is Board Certified in Construction Law by the Florida Bar. She represents contractors, owners, designers, and sureties in complex commercial disputes in state and federal courts, and domestic and international arbitrations. Having taken multiple cases to final hearing in arbitration and trial, she brings deep experience across all phases of litigation, including risk assessment, motion practice, and complex electronically stored information discovery.

A seasoned litigator, Mariela advises clients on contract review and helps them anticipate and resolve disputes efficiently in high-stakes matters. Her practice spans construction defect claims, insurance coverage disputes, and other complex commercial litigation, with an emphasis on mitigating risk and protecting client interests in both courtroom and arbitration settings.

Mariela has held leadership roles in bar and industry committees focused on construction and international law, including serving as Co-Vice Chair of the Insurance and Surety Committee of the Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section of the Florida Bar. She has also contributed to publications on construction law, dispute resolution, and international arbitration practices, and presented at national industry conferences, including the Associated General Contractors of America Construction Risk Conference and Southern Surety and Fidelity Claims Conference.

“Mariela brings a level of technical depth and courtroom experience that will be an immediate asset to our clients and litigation team,” said Chad S. Friedman, Chairman of WSHC+B. “Her track record in complex commercial disputes and international arbitration makes her an exceptional addition to the firm.”

Mariela is fluent in Spanish and conversational in French and German. She earned her Juris Doctor, cum laude, from the University of Florida Levin College of Law and her Bachelor of Business Administration, cum laude, from the University of Miami, with minors in German language studies and Business Law. She has been admitted to practice law in Florida since 2008.

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