Jorge Perez Praises Stephen Darmody

Welcome back, everyone. Hope you had a great Memorial Day.

It's nice to see, isn't it, legal adversaries who -- like Heckle and Jeckle and the Pink Panther, agree to put aside their differences at the end of the day, and can even praise the acumen of the opposition.

That's what happened in the letters section of today's Miami Herald, where powerful developer Jorge Perez congratulates the quality of his opponents -- presumably including SHB attorney Stephen Darmody -- who succeeded in obtaining an order blocking his bayfront condo project near Vizcaya:

They should be congratulated for their ability to distort the facts to suit their positions.

Well, it's a start....but seriously he's paying Stephen a compliment!

Any thoughts on how the 3d DCA is gonna rule on this?

Read more from this post in Online law articles »

"If He Dies, He Dies."

Hi folks. Let's talk some South Florida wins and losses this Tuesday.

First, Bilzen gladiator William K. Hill scored an impressive victory the other day, obtaining an order of dismissal in a case over the recalled Graco "Simplicity" cribs. I can't for the life of me follow the reasoning of the district judge but hey, maybe he was channeling my man, Death from Above, The Siberian Bull.

Second, one of our favorite local lawyers, former Miami City Attorney Jorge L. Fernandez, loses another one, this time involving the controversial Coconut Grove 300 Grove Bay Residences project:

The city's April 2007 approval ran afoul of state zoning laws on several fronts, the judges ruled in a 10-page opinion that was filed May 7 and began circulating Monday.

Mayor Manny Diaz had improper discussions with the developer ''away from the public earshot,'' and the project would be wildly out of character for the neighborhood, the judges found. The towers would be built on bayside property adjacent to Mercy Hospital.

The plaintiffs who filed suit to overturn the condo project included backers of Vizcaya Museum and Gardens. They argued that the condos -- slated to reach as high as 308 feet -- would spoil the museum's picturesque views.

''The court got it right,'' said Stephen Darmody, an attorney representing museum supporters. ``The city here simply did not pay adequate attention to the requirements of the law.''

The decision was a jarring setback for Related, which has emerged as one of the state's most prominent builders.

Related Group attorney Elliot Scherker said it was too soon to comment on whether the company would appeal.

''We believe that this project was properly approved,'' Scherker said. ``We respect the court's opinion, and we're considering our options at this point.''

You can read the opinion here.

Congrats to Steve and the legal team over at SHB that pulled off this win-win, one that is actually good for our community and for those who live and practice here.

Read more from this post in Online law articles »