In a recent article by the Daily Business Review, partner, Susan Trevarthen shares her story on becoming a land use attorney. Susan was inspired to pursue urban planning while working as a research assistant under John DeGrove at the Florida Atlantic University-Florida International University Joint Center for Environmental and Urban Problems.
“When you really want to get serious about something happening, you have to translate the plan into actionable items that are enforceable, and that’s where the law comes in,” said Susan. She explains that the “conflict” between preservation and a thriving economy is a “false choice,” as the two actually aren’t mutually exclusive. She sees a middle ground where the two are complementary concepts.
As Chair of the Firm’s Public Sector Land Use and Zoning practice group, Susan serves as town attorney to Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, village attorney for Bal Harbour, and special counsel to various other municipalities, advising on development and zoning regulation, as well as defendings lawsuits filed by developers. Most recently, Susan and her team were the first in South Florida to issue a legal opinion on backing virtual public meetings during the coronavirus pandemic.
Susan is Florida Bar Board Certified in City, County and Local Government Law. She is a graduate of the University of North Carolina School of Law and earned a master’s degree in planning from the University of North Carolina.
Read the full article here.
