Sarah L. Johnston – Weiss Serota Helfman Cole + Bierman https://www.wsh-law.com At the Crossroads of Business, Government & the Law Thu, 15 Aug 2024 15:21:06 +0000 en-US hourly 1 WSHC+B Attorneys Selected for Inclusion in the Best Lawyers in America 2025 https://www.wsh-law.com/news-updates/wshcb-attorneys-selected-for-inclusion-in-the-best-lawyers-in-america-2025/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss Thu, 15 Aug 2024 15:21:06 +0000 https://www.wsh-law.com/?p=11292 Congratulations to all our attorneys who have been recognized by their peers for inclusion in the 2025 edition of The Best Lawyers in America©.  Of the 47 lawyers recognized, 12 of the firm’s attorneys were recognized for the very first time and 14 attorneys were recognized as Ones to Watch.  Best Lawyers has employed the […]

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]]> Congratulations to all our attorneys who have been recognized by their peers for inclusion in the 2025 edition of The Best Lawyers in America©. 

Of the 47 lawyers recognized, 12 of the firm’s attorneys were recognized for the very first time and 14 attorneys were recognized as Ones to Watch. 

Best Lawyers has employed the same transparent methodology for more than 35 years, based entirely on peer review. 

The following includes all Firm attorneys named and areas in which they are recognized:

Miami

Fort Lauderdale

Boca Raton

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]]> WSHC+B Attorneys Selected For Inclusion In The Best Lawyers In America 2024 https://www.wsh-law.com/news-updates/wshcb-attorneys-selected-for-inclusion-in-the-best-lawyers-in-america-2024/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss Thu, 17 Aug 2023 19:02:12 +0000 https://www.wsh-law.com/?p=10645 Congratulations to all our attorneys who have been recognized by their peers for inclusion in the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America©.  Of the 41 lawyers recognized, 12 of the firm’s attorneys were recognized for the very first time and 12 attorneys were recognized as Ones to Watch.  Best Lawyers has employed the […]

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]]> Congratulations to all our attorneys who have been recognized by their peers for inclusion in the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America©. 

Of the 41 lawyers recognized, 12 of the firm’s attorneys were recognized for the very first time and 12 attorneys were recognized as Ones to Watch. 

Best Lawyers has employed the same transparent methodology for more than 35 years, based entirely on peer review. 

The following includes all Firm attorneys named and areas in which they are recognized:

Miami

Fort Lauderdale

Boca Raton

Tampa, FL

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]]> WSHC+B Names New Partners in Miami and Tampa https://www.wsh-law.com/news-updates/wshcb-names-new-partners-in-miami-and-tampa/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss Mon, 09 Jan 2023 19:17:51 +0000 https://www.wsh-law.com/?p=10117 Accomplished attorneys Marlon Hill and Sarah Johnston previously served as Of Counsel before earning promotions Miami and Tampa, FL – Weiss Serota Helfman Cole + Bierman (WSHC+B) named Marlon Hill and Sarah Johnston new partners in the law firm’s Miami and Tampa offices, respectively. Both attorneys previously served as Of Counsel at WSHC+B before earning […]

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]]> Accomplished attorneys Marlon Hill and Sarah Johnston previously served as Of Counsel before earning promotions

Miami and Tampa, FL – Weiss Serota Helfman Cole + Bierman (WSHC+B) named Marlon Hill and Sarah Johnston new partners in the law firm’s Miami and Tampa offices, respectively. Both attorneys previously served as Of Counsel at WSHC+B before earning the promotions.

Based in the firm’s Miami office, Hill advises business owners on all aspects of starting and structuring their businesses and not-for-profit organizations, from drafting contracts to securing intellectual property, especially across the tourism, hospitality, media and entertainment industries.

A civic and community leader who has served in many roles across South Florida, especially within the African-American and Caribbean-American communities, Hill is currently a board member of the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau, Miami Parking Authority, Kozyak Minority Mentoring Foundation and BMe Community and is an active member of the Orange Bowl Committee. He recently served as a member of the board of directors for The Miami Foundation and Miami Book Fair International.

Hill is a past president of the Caribbean Bar Association and one of the Inaugural Fellows in the Miami Foundation’s Miami Fellows Initiative, a signature local leadership development program.

Based in the firm’s Tampa office, Johnston has extensive experience representing municipalities in procurement, land use and zoning, public finance, public utilities, real estate, Public/Private Partnerships (P3), Community Redevelopment Agencies and legislative matters, among others. Johnston’s unique and varied experience allows her to have an understanding of public sector needs, which is evident in her collaborative approach to working with clients.

In addition to serving as County Attorney for Hardee County and as Village Attorney for Miami Shores Village, Johnston was appointed in October 2022 to serve as Town Attorney for the Town of Kenneth City. She provides counsel to the Mayor, Town Council and staff for the Town, which is located in southern Pinellas County.

“Marlon and Sarah are talented attorneys who represent our law firm in the best possible fashion on behalf of our clients and in their community leadership,” Firm Managing Director Mitch Burnstein said. “Both joined us within the past few years and quickly made a tremendous impact on the firm. We look forward to supporting their continued growth and success as WSHC+B partners.”

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]]> WSHC+B appointed Interim Attorney for Town of Kenneth City https://www.wsh-law.com/news-updates/wshcb-appointed-interim-attorney-for-town-of-kenneth-city/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss Tue, 19 Jul 2022 19:19:07 +0000 https://www.wsh-law.com/?p=9584 Weiss Serota Helfman Cole + Bierman has recently been appointed Interim Attorney for the Town of Kenneth City, located in southern Pinellas County, Florida. Attorneys Anthony C. Soroka and Sarah L. Johnston will lead the WSHC+B team serving as Interim Attorney. WSHC+B currently serves as municipal or county attorney to more than 20 local government […]

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]]> Weiss Serota Helfman Cole + Bierman has recently been appointed Interim Attorney for the Town of Kenneth City, located in southern Pinellas County, Florida. Attorneys Anthony C. Soroka and Sarah L. Johnston will lead the WSHC+B team serving as Interim Attorney. WSHC+B currently serves as municipal or county attorney to more than 20 local government entities across the state and acts as outside or special counsel to more than 80 public entities. The firm regularly represents government entities in all facets of local government law, including administrative matters and proceedings, drafting resolutions and ordinances, code enforcement, ethics laws, land use and zoning, public records and Sunshine Law matters, right-of-way programs, civil litigation, labor and employment, pension laws, real estate, public finance, and contracting, among others. 

The Town of Kenneth City was incorporated in 1957 and has a population of approximately 5,000 residents. As Interim Attorney, WSHC+B will provide legal counsel to the Mayor, Town Council and staff of the Town. WSHC+B is honored to be of service to the citizens of Kenneth City, Florida.

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]]> The City of Tampa Proposes a Moratorium and More – Everyone Brace Yourselves! https://www.wsh-law.com/news-updates/the-city-of-tampa-proposes-a-moratorium-and-more-everyone-brace-yourselves/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss Wed, 12 May 2021 19:10:20 +0000 https://www.wsh-law.com/?p=8673 For years, the City of Tampa (“City”) has grappled with how to control single-use, residential development (development that consists only of residences) that creates a number of issues– hurricane evacuation logistics, traffic, and over-concentration of residential development. The City is proposing to adopt an amendment to its comprehensive plan that would start to address these issues […]

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]]> For years, the City of Tampa (“City”) has grappled with how to control single-use, residential development (development that consists only of residences) that creates a number of issues– hurricane evacuation logistics, traffic, and over-concentration of residential development. The City is proposing to adopt an amendment to its comprehensive plan that would start to address these issues by limiting single-use residential development in three future land use categories: (1) Urban Mixed Use -60 (UMU-60), (2) Community Commercial -35 (CC-35), and (3) Community Mixed Use-35 (CMU-35). It also intends to halt certain development approvals for seven months while it processes the proposed amendment. The question is: are property owners and the City ready to grapple with all the ramifications of these actions?

Currently, the City land development regulations (“LDRs”) provide that certain high-density, purely residential zoning designations are consistent with the aforementioned mixed-use future land use categories. The City’s Comprehensive Plan allows a developer to calculate density either by using one of two calculations: units per acre or permissible floor area ratio (FAR), which is the ratio of the building area compared to the size of the land on which the building is being constructed. The FAR calculation generally results in a much greater number of units.

A City presentation at the February 4, 2021 City Council meeting showed the implications of permitting calculation of density based on FAR by providing an example. The example indicated that, in the UMU-60 category, the maximum permissible density is up to 60 units per acre. The maximum permissible FAR is 2.5. Assuming a developer owns 1 acre of land (43,560 SF), maximum density based on units per acre is 60 residences. Maximum density based on FAR would be 109 residences (1,000 SF is the average size per unit). Thus, the FAR density is much greater.

The City’s proposed comprehensive plan amendment would eliminate the option to calculate density using FAR for developments that only propose to construct residences. Because a comprehensive plan amendment will take approximately seven months to adopt, the City also proposes a moratorium on all rezoning applications for properties within the three land use categories (UMU-60, CC-35, and CMU-35) that seek to calculate residential densities on single-use, residential developments using FAR.

The moratorium was presented for consideration on first reading (there has to be two readings for approval) on May 6, 2021. The City Council voted to continue the agenda item until May 20, when the proposed moratorium would be presented again with one significant change: it would exclude properties within walking distance (¼ mile) of the transit emphasis corridors in the City Comprehensive Plan.

While the City’s intentions in attempting to address long-standing complaints of its residents may be noble, both developers and the City should be questioning whether the proposed regulations will result in a taking or a compensable claim under the Bert Harris Act.

Developers should be concerned because the time within which a property rights claims must be asserted is limited. Additionally, recent proposed amendments to the Bert Harris Act may impact who may bring a claim and when the claim may be brought.

The City should be concerned because there currently are a total of 851 acres of land that will be impacted by the moratorium and the proposed comprehensive plan amendment, which can result in a significant number of claims. The City should evaluate its exposure and how to limit its exposure in advance of opening a potential flood gate for claims.

The information contained in this document does not constitute legal advice.

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]]> Weiss Serota Helfman Cole & Bierman Adds Veteran Attorney Sarah Johnston https://www.wsh-law.com/news-updates/weiss-serota-helfman-cole-bierman-adds-veteran-attorney-sarah-johnston/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss Tue, 14 Apr 2020 15:20:45 +0000 https://www.wsh-law.com/?p=6649 Weiss Serota Helfman Cole & Bierman, P.L. announces that Sarah L. Johnston has joined the firm as Of Counsel. She will be part of the firm’s Government and Labor & Employment divisions. Based in Tampa, Johnston’s extensive experience includes representing municipalities in procurement, land use and zoning, public finance, public utilities, real estate, Public/Private Partnerships […]

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]]> Weiss Serota Helfman Cole & Bierman, P.L. announces that Sarah L. Johnston has joined the firm as Of Counsel. She will be part of the firm’s Government and Labor & Employment divisions.

Based in Tampa, Johnston’s extensive experience includes representing municipalities in procurement, land use and zoning, public finance, public utilities, real estate, Public/Private Partnerships (P3), Community Redevelopment Agencies, and legislative matters.

Before joining the firm, Johnston served as City Attorney and Assistant Town Attorney for two coastal cities in Miami-Dade County. She also served as the lead attorney on numerous procurement matters and P3’s, including negotiating a P3 with an internationally branded soccer academy and charter school and a $400 million contract for the maintenance, operations and capital projects program for the second-largest water utility in Miami-Dade County.

Johnston has provided counsel on Sunshine Law compliance, state and local ethics, election matters, the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA), grant applications, bond issuance and labor union negotiations. She also served as counsel on various charter review committees.

“We enthusiastically welcome Sarah to the ranks of our strong attorney talent” said Firm Managing Director Mitch Burnstein. “Sarah’s diverse legal background will be a major benefit to our public and private sector clients, and her presence in Tampa reflects our commitment to serving our growing client base on the west coast.”

Johnston earned her Juris Doctor from St. Thomas University School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts in Public Administration from University of Central Florida. She is a member of The Florida Bar’s City, County and Local Government Section and the Florida Municipal Attorneys Association.

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