Gary K. Hunter, Jr.
119 South Monroe Street, Suite 300
Tallahassee, FL 32301
850.222.7500
ghunter@hgslaw.com
Experience
- Represents clients before local government boards on land use permitting/entitlements, including comprehensive plan amendments, rezonings, variances and all aspects of securing development permits for real property.
- Represents clients before the Florida Legislature on all aspects of Florida comprehensive planning/concurrency and other growth management issues.
- Advocates for client related comprehensive plan amendments before the Florida Department of Community Affairs.
- Litigation counsel for private property owners under the Bert J. Harris Private Property Rights Act.
- Litigation counsel in defense and prosecution of property and personal injury toxic tort actions in both federal and state courts.
- Represents clients in forestry/silviculture litigation, construction litigation and commercial/contractual litigation.
- Represents clients in both defense and prosecution of Superfund cost recovery actions in federal district court.
- Represents clients before the Florida Department of Environmental Protection on solid and hazardous waste regulatory issues, including but not limited to agency enforcement actions, RCRA permitting, petroleum regulation, solid waste disposal, and the assessment and remediation of contaminated groundwater, surface water, and soils.
- Represents clients before courts and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission on endangered species/manatee protection issues.
- State and federal court experience in defense and prosecution of civil actions seeking damages for contamination to real property.
Education
- The University of Georgia College of Law, J.D., cum laude, 1992
- The University of Georgia, B.B.A., 1989
Bar and Court Admissions
- Florida Bar, 1992
- Georgia Bar, 1992
- Colorado Bar, 1995
- U.S. District Courts, Northern, Southern and Middle Districts of Florida, Middle District of Georgia
- Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals
- U.S. Supreme Court, 2009
Professional Affiliations
- The Florida Bar, Sections on Environmental and Land Use Law and Trial Lawyers
- The State Bar of Georgia, Section on Environmental Law
- Environmental and Land Use Law Section, Executive Council, Chair 2008-2009
- The Tallahassee Bar Association
- Pacific Legal Foundation Atlantic Advisory Council
- Chair, Judicial Nominating Commission, Second Judicial Circuit, 2009-2010
Community Involvement
- Youth Football and Baseball Coach, Tallahassee Parks & Recreation Department
- The Maclay School Board of Directors (2007- )
- Sustainable Florida Advisory Board
Publications and Presentations
- The Florida Bar Journal, co-author, "ABCs of Local Land Use and Zoning Decisions" Vol. LXXXIV, No. 1 (January, 2010).
- The Florida Bar Journal, co-author, "Conquering the Maze of Certiorari Review of Local Government Quasi-Judicial Land Use Decisions" Vol. LXXVIII, No. 9 (October, 2004).
- The Florida Bar Journal, "Statutory Strict Liability for Environmental Contamination: A Private Cause of Action to Remedy Pollution or Mere Legislative Jargon?" Vol. LXXII, No. 1 (January, 1998)
- The Atlantic Siteline, "The Florida Brownfields Redevelopment Act of 1997," Vol. 19 (July, 1997)
- Author of numerous other articles pertaining to environmental law issues published in various publications.
Awards and Recognition
- Has achieved Martindale-Hubbell's highest rating for legal ability and ethical standards.
- Listed as one of the "Florida Super Lawyers", for Land Use/Zoning Law, Environmental and Business Litigation, in the annual publication of The Florida Super Lawyers, 2007 Edition.
- "Leaders in their Field", Chambers USA 2009, in Real Estate: Zoning/Land Use (Florida).
- Listed in 2009 Edition of Florida Trend Magazine's "Legal Elite" for Environmental and Land Use Law.
Gary K. Hunter, Jr. Practices in: Due Diligence / Regulatory Compliance Counseling, Groundwater Reg / Real Property Contamination, Legislative Practice, Litigation, Real Estate, Solid and Hazardous Waste