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Partner Robert Meyers was one of the featured speakers at the “Elected Officials’ Boot Camp” sponsored by the Broward League of Cities held in early May.

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Managing Director Jamie Cole & Ethics Partner Robert Meyers both spoke at the Broward League of Cities 2017 Elected Officials Boot Camp program on February 24, 2017 in Fort Lauderdale. Jamie spoke on The Sunshine Law, while Robert spoke on the State Ethics Law.

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Managing Director Jamie Cole, Member Matthew Mandel, and Robert Meyers all participated in the Broward League of Cities “Elected Officials Bootcamp” training program on May 13.

Jamie spoke on the Sunshine Law; Matthew moderated the training program, and Robert spoke on State Ethics.

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On Friday, April 24 Weiss Serota Helfman Cole & Bierman held their 10th Annual Local Government Seminar at the Sheraton Fort Lauderdale Airport Hotel.  The Seminar was well attended by City officials throughout Southern Florida.

The Firm Speakers included; Jamie Cole, Joe Serota, Steve Helfman, Susan Trevarthen, Brett Schneider, Matt Mandel, Chad Friedman, Alison Smith, Anthony Soroka, James White & Robert Meyers.  In addition, Sergio Bustos, Politics Editor and Sunday Editor, from The Miami Herald was the Featured Lunchtime Guest Speaker.

Some of the “Hot Topics” discussed were Same Sex Partnerships, Medical Marijuana, Sunshine State Law, an Ethics Panel with Q&A, as well as many other important topics.

We are already looking forward to our next Seminar in 2016!

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On March 31, 2015, Jamie Cole, Robert Meyers and Anthony Soroka provided ethics training to the members of the Broward City County Management Association (BCCMA) at the Carolina Club in Margate.  A large number of city managers of the municipalities in Broward County were in attendance and participated in the training.

Jamie Cole gave a presentation on International City County Management Association (ICMA) and Florida City and County Management Association (FCCMA) Ethical Standards.  Robert Meyers gave a presentation on State Ethics Laws.  Anthony Soroka gave a presentation on Public Records and the Sunshine Law.

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On Friday, June 12, 2015 the Broward League of Cities held their Ethics Training Workshop.  Managing Director, Jamie Cole and Robert Meyers spoke on the State Ethics Laws.  Specifically, Jamie spoke on Gifts & Voting Conflicts; while Robert spoke on Other Issues Under State Ethics Law.  Partner, Matthew Mandel moderated the entire Workshop.

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Jennifer Harvard, on behalf of her minor son, argued the Village was required to produce her son’s juvenile offense report because she fell under an exception of Florida Statute § 985.04’s confidentiality provisions. F.S. § 985.04 permits a law enforcement agency to release a copy of a juvenile offense report to a victim of the offense. Although the Village conceded that the plaintiff qualified as a “victim,” the Court held that any release would be discretionary, not mandatory. The Court held that the law enforcement agency did not abuse its discretion when it denied the plaintiff’s writ of mandamus to produce the offense report. In addition, because F.S. § 119.071(2)(h)(1) specifically exempts from public records requests a videotape of a victim if the video is taken during the course of a criminal investigation, the Court held that the plaintiff was not entitled to a copy of the videotaped interview.

With more than 30 attorneys practicing day-to-day municipal law, WSH’s Local Government Law Division is one of the largest municipal law groups in the country. Our attorneys interact with staff and elected and appointed officials as they strive to perform their public duties and to timely respond to virtually of the legal needs of cities. Led by Robert Meyers, our Ethics Group routinely represents elected and appointed government officials and local governments.  Our attorneys have extensive experience analyzing public records law and assisting municipalities comply with public records requests.

Author(s): John J. Quick & Brooke P. Dolara

The post Fourth DCA Affirms Denial of Writ of Mandamus in Public Records Request; Finds No Abuse of Discretion by Municipality appeared first on Weiss Serota Helfman Cole + Bierman.

The 2013 Legislature created a new section entitled “dual public employment” prohibiting state and local elected officials from accepting public employment with the state or local governments unless certain conditions are met. The new law also covers public officers employed by public agencies before qualifying for office and permits the public officer to continue his or her public employment, but delineates steps that must be taken before the individual is promoted or receives additional compensation if such advancement occurs after he or she qualifies for office or is elected.

Other noteworthy amendments to the state ethics laws include revisions to the voting conflicts section of state ethics law by defining two important phrases: “principal by whom retained” and “special private gain or loss.” Furthermore, under the revised law, a public officer who establishes a qualified blind trust will be permitted to vote on matters pertaining to his or interests in the blind trust.

Financial disclosure was addressed by the 2013 Florida Legislature as well. The most controversial change was to treat an amended statement of financial interests filed prior to September 1 as the original regardless of whether a complaint is filed against the elected official based on the initial filing. Beginning with 2012 filing year, all financial disclosure forms filed with the state ethics commission must be scanned and made publicly available by the commission through a searchable Internet database.

Lastly, the 2013 ethics amendments prohibit reporting individuals (local elected officials and specified local government employees) from accepting a gift from a vendor doing business with the reporting individual’s agency in excess of $100.00 and establish an outright ban on gifts to the reporting individual and the individual’s immediate family from a political committee.

With more than thirty attorneys practicing day-to-day municipal law, WSH’s Local Government Law Division is one of the largest in the country. The Group includes many former city and county attorneys, and those that are Florida Bar Board Certified in this specialty. In addition, WSH attorneys include former State and local bar presidents and members of the Florida Bar Board of Governors. Our attorneys have extensive experience representing both elected and appointed government officials and local governments before local and State ethics commissions.

Robert Meyers, Of Counsel to WSH, is the immediate past Executive Director of the Miami-Dade Commission on Ethics and Public Trust. As the Ethics Commission’s chief executive officer for the past thirteen years, he oversaw all operations, including enforcement, advice-giving and training/education. Robert frequently lectures on topics of ethics, governance, and leadership.

Author(s): Robert Meyers

The post Ethics Reform – A Primer for 2013 appeared first on Weiss Serota Helfman Cole + Bierman.

Author(s): Brooke P. Dolara

The post Robert Meyers, Former Executive Director of Miami-Dade Commission on Ethics and Public Trust, Named Of Counsel at WSH appeared first on Weiss Serota Helfman Cole + Bierman.