James White is a Florida Bar Board Certified attorney in City, County & Local Government Law. With a master’s degree in Urban and Regional Planning, James represents clients in land use and zoning, comprehensive planning, general municipal, administrative and constitutional law matters.

James is a results-oriented lawyer who helps clients facilitate complex development projects from start to finish. He negotiates and drafts complex agreements involving land development projects, affordable and workforce housing projects, interlocal and intergovernmental matters, and public-private partnerships. James also handles municipal ordinances related to land development regulations and First Amendment issues, military compatibility, the Florida Right to Farm Act, Areas of Critical State Concern, urban infill and adaptive reuse projects, and historic preservation matters.

As the issues facing municipal clients evolve rapidly based on current events and conditions, James helps his clients stay informed of trends. An innovator and a problem solver, James represents clients in quasi-judicial proceedings, administrative proceedings, land use litigation, and claims under the Bert J. Harris, Jr., Private Property Rights Protection Act.

Additionally, James advises clients on local government public records and meetings laws, and serves as legal counsel to local government committees, boards and legislative bodies. He also appears before the Florida Governor and Cabinet, Cabinet Aides, Division of Administrative Hearings, State agencies, district and circuit courts  and local government bodies on a broad range of environmental and land use issues.

Prior to practicing law, James served as a private land use consultant and municipal planning director. He is certified by the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) and lectures throughout Florida on planning, zoning and land use matters.

Professional & Community Involvement

• American Bar Association, State and Local Government Section
• The Florida Bar, City, County and Local Government Law Section
• The Florida Bar, Environmental and Land Use Law Section
• American Planning Association
• American Planning Association, Florida Chapter
• National Trust for Historic Preservation
• Broward Trust for Historic Preservation
• American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP)

Press Mentions

• Specialist Lawyers Say Bioethanol Proposal Violates City Code, Fernandina Observer, May 24, 2024
• Legal opinion says bioethanol plant cannot be built in the city, News-Leader, May 23, 2024
• 2013 Legislative Update, Planner’s Perspective, Second Quarter 2013

Presentations

• 2012 Legislative Session Update, Broward Section of the Florida American Planning Association (BAPA), 2012
• Bridging the Attorney-Planner Gap, 2012 American Planning Association (APA) Conference, 2012
• Planning in the Courts, Florida American Planning Association’s (FAPA) 2012 Public Policy Workshop, 2012
• Land Use Law Update: What’s New in Land Use and Local Regulatory Strategies, 2011 Florida American Planning Association (APA) Conference, 2011
• The Future of DCA and Pending Growth Management Changes for 2011, Broward Section of the Florida American Planning Association (APA), 2011
• Florida Atlantic University (FAU) guest lecturer on Florida Growth Management Law for students in urban planning program, 2010 Fall Semester and 2011 Spring Semester
• Florida Right To Farm Act: Sword or Shield, 2009 Florida American Planning Association (APA) Conference, 2009
• Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities: An Affordable Housing Ordinance From Start to Finish, 2008 Florida American Planning Association (APA) Conference, 2008
• The Florida Right to Medical Marijuana Initiative-Constitutional Amendment 2, 2015 Florida APA Public Policy Workshop, 2015
• Planning for Medical Marijuana: Is Florida Ready? 2014 Florida Planning & Zoning Association (FPZA) Conference, 2014
• Cannabusiness: Planning For Medical Marijuana In Florida, 2014 Florida American Planning Association (FAPA) Conference, 2014
• Land Use Entitlement And Legal Issues, 2014 University of South Florida Certificate Program In Community Real Estate Development, 2014
• Reforming Florida’s Code Of Ethics For Public Officers And Employees: What Was (And Was Not) Achieved, 2013 South Florida Seventh Annual Ethics Seminar, 2013
• Florida 2013 Legislative Session Summary, 2013 Legislative Workshop for the Broward Section of the Florida American Planning Association (BAPA), 2013

Florida, 2003

Michigan State University, J.D.

University of New Orleans, Masters of Urban and Regional Planning (MURP), with honors

Board Certified by The Florida Bar in City, County and Local Government Law

American Institute of Certified Planners