Lynn Dannheisser began her career with Holland & Knight where she became one of the first women partners at the firm. As an experienced real estate, zoning and land use attorney, at the urging of her mentor and then Chair of the firm, Chesterfield Smith, Lynn used her reputation and experience to start the Government Practice Group at Holland & Knight. In addition to becoming the City Attorney for South Miami, she also represented private clients and advised national, regional and local real estate developers, investors, contractors and a host of entrepreneurs who required her expertise in securing project approvals or amending local regulations to ensure their success, whether in being awarded a bid or securing land development approvals or advocating for joint public/private partnerships.
After starting her own law firm, Lynn continued her work until she was recruited to assist in the incorporation several new cities including the Villages of Pinecrest and Palmetto Bay as well as the City of Sunny Isles Beach and the Town of Surfside. She was then recruited to act as the first city attorney for both Pinecrest and Sunny Isles Beach. Whether employed as full-time in-house counsel or as outside counsel in several prestigious firms, she has handled virtually every aspect of local government law and has been involved in the set-up, organization, and provision of municipal services.
In Sunny Isles Beach, Lynn helped draft some of the most progressive land development regulations (LDRs) in the State of Florida that incentivized urban redevelopment in a previously run-down dilapidated community. The effect of these LDRs as well as a variety of other planning devices and creative legislation was to attract substantial developers who built the iconic skyline that is now Sunny Isles Beach. At the same time, with improvement of the tax base and the new LDRs came an expansion in the number of parks, the negotiation and construction of a K-8 school, a library, and numerous community service quality of life programs. In the Town of Surfside, she was retained by three different Commissions to assist in the sustainability efforts, overhauling and financing revamped infrastructure and amending the zoning codes to allow and encourage controlled development, while continuing to maintain the small town charm of the city. As of March 1, 2014, Lynn will be joining GrayRobinson in the Miami office.
Because of her years of experience in representing both developers and cities alike, Lynn has a unique understanding of the needs of both which enables her to find win-win solutions for her clients. In several leadership positions, and with years of experience, in addition to her law practice, she is regularly consulted for advice and counsel by city managers, elected officials, aspiring candidates, community leaders and property owners who may need assistance to solve their unique problems. Lynn has handled virtually every aspect of local government law and been involved in the organization and provision of municipal services. She has also become certified in conflict resolution as a circuit court mediator.
As she has for nearly 35 years, Ms. Dannheisser maintains an AV® rating from Martindale-Hubbell, the oldest and most prestigious peer rating publication in the legal profession, which demonstrates she has achieved the highest levels of professional excellence and integrity.
Whether serving as lawyer, municipal consultant, or executive leadership coach, Lynn works diligently with her clients to understand their goals and to help develop successful strategy for achieving the client’s objectives. She consistently provides explanations, expertise and judgment to enable her clients, to make their most informed decisions in a result-oriented, practical and cost-effective manner. She is reliable, responsive and effective.
In addition to servicing her clients, Ms. Dannheisser teaches land use law and is an urban redevelopment expert in sustainability issues, creative land development regulations and creative-place making. She has been a lecturer at the International Municipal Lawyers Association, the Florida Municipal Lawyers Association and the Florida League of Cities. She is an author and writer. McGraw-Hill has also published one of her books. She has also been published by Redbook Magazine and the Miami Herald.
In her work as mediator or leadership coaching her broad training in mediation techniques as well as her certification as a life coach has been of great assistance. Her advice and counsel is sought by those seeking to improve and achieve maximum effectiveness in their efforts, whether they are government councils or individual executives and leaders.
References are available upon request.