James J. Porter,  Partner

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401 East Jackson Street
Suite 2700
Tampa, FL 33602

TEL: 813-222-6620
FAX: 813-314-6920

Mr. Porter is a Partner in the Firm's Land Use Practice Group. He is certified by The Florida Bar as an expert in City, County and Local Government Law and focuses his practice on land use, zoning and land use litigation.

Mr. Porter was Chief Assistant County Attorney of the Land Use Section for Hillsborough County, Florida, from 1997 to 2004, and an Assistant County Attorney with the Hillsborough County Attorney's Office from 1990-97. He has extensive experience working with hearing officers in quasi-judicial hearings and with the Board of County Commissioners and other elected officials on rezoning requests and other land use matters.

In his many years with the County Attorney's Office, Mr. Porter represented Hillsborough County in all aspects of land development including zoning comprehensive planning, community-based planning, developments of regional impact, development agreements, transportation, eminent domain, land use litigation, adult uses and billboards.

In addition, Mr. Porter has served on committees to streamline the zoning process in Hillsborough County and to improve coordination with the Environmental Protection Commission in the zoning process; created an instructional video on the zoning process; and worked with state legislators to establish a process for handling claims brought under the Florida Land Use and Environmental Dispute Resolution Act (Bert J. Harris). He is a frequent lecturer on land use law, and he addressed the Governor's Committee on Growth Management on the subject of quasi-judicial hearings and the utilization of hearing officers.

Mr. Porter has been recognized in Florida Super Lawyers, 2006-2008.

Speaking Engagements

• Negotiationg the Maze of Land Use Regulations in Florida
• Advanced Zoning And Land Use In Florida Seminar

News

• TWENTY-NINE RUDEN McCLOSKY ATTORNEYS NAMED IN FLORIDA SUPER LAWYERS 2008