City of Palm Bay Attorney’s Office Raises Bar On Professional Standards

By  //  August 5, 2015

makes Palm Bay one of most professional offices

The coveted title of "Board Certified" attorney now belongs to all three full-time attorneys within the City Attorney's Office. The achievement makes Palm Bay one of the most professional and ethical offices in the State of Florida. (Palm Bay images)
The coveted title of “Board Certified” attorney now belongs to all three full-time attorneys within the City Attorney’s Office. The achievement makes Palm Bay one of the most professional and ethical offices in the State of Florida. (Palm Bay images)

BREVARD COUNTY • PALM BAY, FLORIDA – The coveted title of “Board Certified” attorney now belongs to all three full-time attorneys within the City Attorney’s Office.

The achievement makes Palm Bay one of the most professional and ethical offices in the State of Florida.

The city attorneys join only 7 percent of eligible Florida Bar member attorneys in the state who share the certification, which is the highest recognition a practicing attorney can receive.

Andrew P. Lannon is double board certified in Business Litigation and City, County & Local Government Law. Patricia D. Smith is board certified in State & Federal Government & Administrative Practice. Pete Sweeney is board certified in Construction Law.

Jeff Bailey
Jeff Bailey

“That is very impressive,” said Councilman Jeff Bailey.

“Each department member’s commitment to excellence and professionalism should be commended.”

Patricia Smith became board certified in State & Federal Government & Administrative Practice. There are only 93 board certified attorneys in this area; there are 87,803 attorneys licensed to practice law in Florida.

Patricia Smith
Patricia Smith

She was appointed secretary of the Brevard County Association for Women Lawyers (BCAWL), re-appointed to the Eminent Domain Committee of the Florida Bar, re-appointed to the Traffic Court Rules Committee of the Florida Bar and gave a presentation at the Florida Municipal Attorneys Association’s 34th Annual Seminar.

Pete Sweeney received AV® Preeminent peer review rating by Martindale-Hubbell®, the highest possible rating in both legal ability and ethical standards.

Pete Sweeney
Pete Sweeney

He was re-appointed chairman of the Member Benefits Standing Committee of the Florida Bar. This is based on a personal selection by the President of the Florida Bar, Ramon Abadin, and is unprecedented for this committee.

He was also re-appointed to serve on the 19th Judicial Circuit Committee for the Unlicensed Practice of Law. He also gave a presentation at the Florida Bar’s City, County and Local Government Law Sections 38th Annual Local Government Law in Florida Conference to all of the city and county attorneys’ offices in Florida.

This presentation was selected for publication in the Stetson Law Review’s Local Government Law Symposium, the premier local government law publication in Florida. Sweeney is board certified in Construction Law. There are only 360 board certified attorneys in this area; there are 87,803 attorneys licensed to practice law in Florida.

Andrew Lannon is recognized as one of the top 1,131 attorneys licensed to practice law in Florida in Florida Trend’s Florida Legal Elite 2015.

Andy Lannon
Andy Lannon

He became Board Certified by the Florida Bar in Business Litigation and is now a Board Certified Specialist in both Business Litigation and City, County and Local Government Law.

There are only 255 board certified attorneys in Business Litigation and 262 board certified attorneys in City, County & Local Government Law.

He is one of only two attorneys that is board certified in both areas in the State of Florida. There are 87,803 attorneys licensed to practice law in Florida.

Lannon was appointed to the Executive Council of the City, County and Local Government Law Section of the Florida Bar. Lannon has been recommended by the Florida Bar to be a member of the 18th Judicial Circuit’s Judicial Nominating Commission and is currently waiting on appointment from Governor Rick Scott.

Lannon was re-appointed Secretary/Treasurer of the Vassar B. Carlton American Inn of Court. He gave 2 presentations at the Florida Bar’s City, County and Local Government Law Sections 38th Annual Local Government Law in Florida Conference to all of the city and county attorneys’ offices in Florida.

VIDEO: Palm Bay Becomes Major League Baseball ‘Play Ball’ CityRelated Story:
VIDEO: Palm Bay Becomes Major League Baseball ‘Play Ball’ City

One of these presentations was selected for publication in the Stetson Law Review’s Local Government Law Symposium, the premier local government law publication in Florida. He was also asked to present at the 41st Annual Public Employment Labor Relations Forum in October.

Lannon is currently appointed to the Eminent Domain Committee of the Florida Bar.

Other staff members within the City Attorney’s Office are also highly qualified. Debra Hunt became a Florida Registered Paralegal, one of only 5,135 in Florida.

Lindsey Pike became a Florida Registered Paralegal, one of only 5,135 in Florida.