News

One of the firm’s founding members, the late Wade Hopping, was recently honored with an article in The Journal of The James Madison Institute (Winter 2010 edition) which hails Wade Hopping as a champion of freedom.

Hopping Green & Sams attorneys recently published an article in the American Bar Association's Trends newsletter regarding Aquatic Resources of National Importance, or ARNIs.

HGS successfully defended a Final Order of the Governor and Cabinet (sitting as the Florida Electrical Transmission Line Siting Board) at the Second District Court of Appeal.

Today’s Washington Post features an article discussing the United States Supreme Court’s case that will be argued on December 2, 2009, by HGS attorneys representing Stop the Beach Renourishment, Inc.

HGS attorneys Richard Brightman and Kent Safriet will represent Stop the Beach Renourishment, Inc., before the United States Supreme Court in the Supreme Court’s only land-use related case this term. Oral argument is scheduled for 10 am on December 2, 2009.

Jonathan T. Johnson has been asked to speak in a number of venues regarding community development district bonds and related matters. He spoke recently at the ULI Tampa’s seminar “Surviving the Cycle” and ULI North Florida’s “Art of the Deal”.

On August 11, 2009, Florida Governor Charlie Crist and the Florida Cabinet, sitting as the state’s Siting Board, voted unanimously to approve Progress Energy Florida's application for certification for the construction and operation of a two-unit 2200 MW nuclear-powered electrical generating facility to be located on a “greenfield” site in Levy County, Florida, along with other associated facilities.

Gary Hunter was the only Florida attorney quoted in the story which focused on the state of Florida's real estate and development market.

The St. Johns River Water Management District filed a lawsuit in Orange County Circuit Court against Deseret Ranches last month to gain control of the Taylor Creek Reservoir, that has been under the ownership of Deseret Ranches for almost 60 years.

On Tuesday, June 16, 2009, Hopping Green & Sams (HGS) and LPG held a client seminar focused on legislative, regulatory and policy environmental issues affecting the mining industry in Florida.

A bill to allow financing of green technology and infrastructure in the Lakewood Ranch Stewardship District was signed into law by Governor Crist.

Despite overwhelming odds, HGS attorneys Richard Brightman and Kent Safriet and their client, Stop the Beach Renourishment, Inc., persuaded the United States Supreme Court to grant certiorari to review a September 2008 Florida Supreme Court opinion that eliminated private property rights.

Ralph DeMeo and Carl Eldred of HGS recently appeared before the Bartow City Commission, representing the City against Republic Industries...

HGS has been retained by Florida Energy Associates to assist in the development of legislation addressing the potential for oil and gas exploration in Florida waters...

William H. Green chaired a panel discussion on Carbon Capture and Sequestration (CCS) on February 18, 2009, as part of the annual Florida Chamber of Commerce at Daytona Beach, Florida.

Former Florida Supreme Court justice vows to help PLF build on its status as America’s leading litigator for property rights, limited government, and constitutional liberties.

One of the firm's stars, Vinette Godelia, recently completed her term as the inaugural chairperson for Connect Florida. Ms. Godelia's volunteer service to Connect Florida is a complement to her practice, which focuses on the areas of land use and growth management law including litigation.

David Childs gave a presentation in October 2008 at the 2008 Technical Conference of the Florida Minerals and Chemistry Council in White Springs, Florida.

Ralph A. DeMeo led a presentation in October 2008 at a FAMU seminar on the subject: "Environmental Regulation: Update, Trends, and Case Study."

Ralph A. DeMeo led a presentation in October 2008 at a St. Petersburg Bar Association Business and Real Property Law Section seminar: "Managing Environmental Risk in Commercial and Real Property Transactions."

Ralph A. DeMeo recently received a Certificate of Appreciation in recognition of his key role in the clean-up and redevelopment of Cascades Park from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency at a ceremony in which the City of Tallahassee received the first EPA "Excellence in Site Reuse Award" in the United States.

Hopping Green & Sams, P.A., was awarded the 2008 Community Partner of the Year by the United Partners for Human Services (UPHS).

The Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce has nominated Hopping Green & Sams for the Chamber’s first-ever award for the 2008 Green Business of the Year.

On April 1, 2008, before the Circuit Court in Charlotte County, Florida, the firm's Local Government and Community Development District practice group (led by Jonathan Johnson, Jere Earlywine and others) successfully concluded a bond validation hearing to validate $10.5 billon in revenue bonds for the Babcock Ranch Community Independent Special District.

William H. Green, co-founder of Hopping Green & Sams, P.A., participated as a panelist in the November, 2007 Environmental Forum entitled “Cleaning It Up: TMDLs and Water Quality Trading in Florida.”

Six Hopping Green & Sams lawyers were recently honored by Who's Who Legal of Florida in the area of environmental law. Six of the firm's lawyers were included in a total list of 36 environmental lawyers in Florida - the firm has the most individual attorneys of any environmental firm in Florida.

Florida's First District Court of Appeal recently issued a decision in the case of Save Our Beaches, Inc., et al. v. Florida Department of Environmental Protection, et al., ruling in favor of beachfront property owners represented by Hopping Green & Sams.

Hopping Green & Sams is assisting a Fort Lauderdale developer in protecting his property rights in a dispute with the City of Fort Lauderdale. The property owner and developer proposed a hotel-marina-retail project known as The Sails, which was recently rejected by the City Commission.

Hopping Green & Sams, P.A., was present during Governor Charlie Crist's two-day summit in Miami Florida to focus on the issues and effects of climate change and steps that Florida can take to dramatically reduce the states emissions of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG).

Best Lawyers in America has informed the firm that its 2007 Edition lists the following lawyers from Hopping Green & Sams: James S. Alves, Peter C. Cunningham, Ralph A. DeMeo, William H. Green, Wade L. Hopping, Frank E. Matthews, Eric T. Olsen, Gary V. Perko, David L. Powell, Michael P. Petrovich, Gary P. Sams, Dan R. Stengle and Victoria L. Weber.

Chambers and Partners, publisher of an annual guide listing the leading business lawyers and law firms throughout the U.S., has again ranked the firm's environmental, land use, and tax law practices among the best in Florida. Chambers and Partners selects and ranks attorneys based on the results of over 14,000 interviews with practicing lawyers and clients.

Continuing a pattern of statewide awards and recognition, Hopping Green & Sams, P.A., is pleased to announce that more than half of the firm's shareholders have been named Florida Super Lawyers for 2007, a total of 14 Super Lawyers in the firm.

The 2006 growth management issue of "Quality Cities", the magazine of the Florida League of Cities, includes an article by Hopping Green & Sams' David Powell concerning the crisis in affordable housing around the state.

Hopping Green & Sams, P.A., is pleased to announce the appointment of shareholder Angela Morrison Uhland as Co-Chair of the Air Quality Committee of the American Bar Association's Section of Environment, Energy and Resources (SEER). Mrs. Uhland will assume this role at the upcoming August 2007 Annual Meeting of the American Bar Association in San Francisco. Mrs. Uhland's appointment caps off several years of service to the ABA, including serving in leadership roles throughout the Section of Environment, Energy and Resources, such as the Membership Vice-Chair of the Air Quality Committee and of the Energy Facilities and Siting Committee, and a contributing author for the Air Quality Committee newsletter.