KAGM partner Jon Moyle was recently quoted in an article on Forbes.com about the future of a proposed nuclear power plant to be built by Progress Energy in Levy County. Mr. Moyle, who represents Florida Industrial Power Users Group, a group of large users of electricity that advocates for affordable rates and reliable electricity, is working against an increase in energy rates for consumers that Progress Energy will use to pay for the future construction of the plant.  Mr. Moyle and other opponents of the rate increase allege that the plant will end up costing more than predicted, be delayed, and may not even be built, but customers are still being asked to pay hundreds of millions of dollars now for the project.

Click HERE to read the full article on Forbes.com.

Okaloosa County commissioners on Tuesday unanimously approved a final settlement with a man who filed a lawsuit in 2006 to force the Shalimar courthouse annex to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Wayne Smith, who uses a wheelchair, served as a juror in 2005 and struggled to get around the aging courthouse annex. The 1970s-era facility was never brought fully into compliance with the ADA law of 1990, which requires that public buildings be accessible to the disabled.

Under the terms of the final settlement, the county will pay Smith $25,000.

“We’re very pleased with it because it turned out best for everybody,” said Bob Kerrigan, Smith’s attorney.

Kerrigan said it was unfortunate that litigation was necessary and the annex’s deficiencies weren’t the fault of today’s county commissioners.

He praised the county for going ahead with plans to build the new judicial center now under construction on Lewis Turner Boulevard.

County Administrator Jim Curry said the construction of the new judicial center “is really what allowed this case to be settled.”

“We were facing hundreds and hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal fees just to litigate this case,” he said

The final settlement also calls for dedicating the jury assembly room in the new judicial center as the “Wayne E. Smith Jury Assembly Room.”

“It’s a high compliment to him,” Kerrigan said.

Smith was never looking for a large payout but instead wanted to “remedy a terrible problem.”

In early April, the county reached a partial settlement with Smith. Under that agreement, Okaloosa paid $55,996.79 of Smith’s $66,814.97 in legal costs. The county also paid $9,225 in attorney’s fees to the firm of Clark, Partington, Hart, Larry, Bond & Stackhouse.

The law firms of Kerrigan, Estess, Rankin, McLeod & Thompson and Keefe Anchors Gordon & Moyle — which represent Smith — waived their fees.

Article excerpt from Northwest Florida Daily News.
For more Information visit:
http://www.nwfdailynews.com/

FORT WALTON BEACH – Larry Keefe, partner at Keefe, Anchors, Gordon & Moyle, was recently appointed to serve as a member of the Board of Trustees of the University of Florida College of Law.
Keefe practices in the areas of business and commercial litigation, insurance claim and coverage litigation, real estate litigation, construction litigation, employment law litigation and condominium/homeowner’s association litigation. Keefe graduated with honors from the University of Florida, earning his B.S. in Journalism in 1983 and J.D. in 1986.

Portfolio

Magazine recognizes ‘Super Attorney’

Larry Keefe, partner at Keefe, Anchors, Gordon & Moyle was recently named a Florida Super Lawyer by Super Lawyers magazine.

 Highlighting the top 5 percent of Florida attorneys overall, candidates are selected through an extensive process of peer nominations, blue ribbon panel review and independent research. For the past six years, Keefe has been named a Florida Super Lawyer.

 Super Lawyers is an annual guide that names the outstanding attorneys in each state. The comprehensive and diverse directory of attorneys is used as a resource for attorneys and consumers searching for legal counsel.

 Keefe practices in the areas of business and commercial litigation, insurance claim and coverage litigation, real estate litigation, construction litigation, employment law litigation and condominium/homeowner’s association litigation. Keefe graduated with honors from the University of Florida, earning his B.S. in Journalism in 1983 and J.D. in 1986.

Excerpt taken from North West Florida Daily News.  Read more at NWF Daily News online editon.

   skLscoops@cox.net  

   MOYLE LAW FIRM

   Larry Keefe, who grew up in the area, can’t give a short answer for the relocation of the law firm of Keefe, Anchors, Gordon and Moyle. The reasons are extensive, but the location is perfect.

   “First and foremost, we’re a growing law firm, and we needed more space,” Keefe said of the move that took place last month. The group of lawyers is housed in a new building that accommodates the expansion of the firm.

   Growth and easy access to the courthouse aside, Keefe said that Lewis Turner Boulevard offers easy access to so many areas within the county. The office is near the Northwest Florida Regional Airport, near Eglin Air Force Base, an easy trip from Hurlburt Field, close to the Crestview connector, and still within Fort Walton Beach.

   “It makes all the perfect sense when you combine all those factors,” Keefe said.

   As the first law firm to make the jump to Lewis Turner, Keefe said he sees more businesses discovering the area, which opens possibilities for growth in all areas of commerce.

   LOCATION: 2113 Lewis Turner Blvd., Suite 100, near the new Okaloosa County Courthouse

   OFFICE HOURS: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays

   TELEPHONE: 863-1974

   E-MAIL: info@kagmlaw.com

   WEBSITE: www.kagmlaw.com

Exerpt reprinted from Northwest Florida Daily News.

For more information visit the NWF Daily News online edition.

KAGM attorney Matt Gaetz was recently recognized by News Service of Florida as one of the state’s 25 rising political stars under the age of 30. The list acknowledges young Floridians making a name for themselves in politics and law. Gaetz’s re-election to the House of Representatives in November made him a stand-out candidate for this honor.

Click here to read more

Overview

Republicans in Florida enjoyed a good election night, winning all of the statewide cabinet races, and picking up seats in the Florida Senate and the Florida House.  Following the November 16 organizational session, the  40 member Senate will have 28 Republicans, a net Republican gain of 2, and 12 Democrats.  The 120 member House of Representatives will have 81 Republicans and 39 Democrats, a net Republican gain of 5 seats.   These gains now provide a veto-proof majority, which may be less of a concern with the Democratic candidate for Governor, Alex Sink, losing in a very close race to health care executive, Republican Rick Scott.  In federal elections, with the election of Republican Marco Rubio, the Republicans held the open Senate seat that was being contested, and defeated four incumbent Democratic members of Congress: Representatives Boyd, Kosmos, Grayson and Klein, for a net Republican gain of 4 for the Florida Congressional delegation.  Below is additional summary information about key races and the Florida House and Senate.

U.S. Senate Race

The race for the open U.S. Senate seat previously held by Mel Martinez (R-Orlando) was won handily by former Republican Speaker of the House, Marco Rubio, from Miami.  In the three way race against current Florida Governor Charlie Crist, who left the Republican party to run as an independent, and Congressman Kendrick Meek (D-Miami), Rubio captured 49% of the vote to Crist’s 30% and Meek’s 20%.  Rubio had strong backing of Tea Party supporters and will be a rising star in national politics. 

Governor’s race

Republican Rick Scott of Naples, in his first run for political office, spent nearly 70 million dollars of this own money to defeat long-time Bill McCollum, a former Congressman and the current Attorney General in the primary before taking on current Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink in the general election.  This race was neck and neck throughout, and Alex Sink conceded defeat this morning.  Scott was supported by the Tea Party movement in defeating McCollum, so many expect his administration to scale back state government, reduce spending, cut taxes and cull existing regulations.

Cabinet Races

Florida elects three other state officials statewide, who, with the Governor comprise the state cabinet.  The cabinet, among other things, appoints certain agency chiefs, manages the state’s pension fund, acts on requests for pardons or clemency, approves certain developments, like power plants, and acts as the trustee of state lands.  Jeff Atwater (R-North Palm Beach) will serve as the Chief Financial Officer, Pam Bondi (R- Tampa) will serve as the Attorney General, and Adam Putnam (R-Lakeland) will serve as the Agricultural Commissioner. 

State Senate Races of Interest

Senate President Elect Mike Haridopolos (R-Melbourne) will preside over the Senate during the next two years.  He will have a comfortable margin with which to run the Senate.  Four current members of the House of Representatives, Rep. Greg Evers (R-Milton), Rep. Allan Hays (R-Umatilla), Rep. Ellen Bogdanoff (R-Ft. Lauderdale), and Rep.  Anitere Flores (D-Miami) will now serve in the Senate.  Also, two former members of the state senate, Jack Latvala (R-St. Petersberg) and Gwen Margolis (D-Miami Beach) will be coming back to Tallahassee.  A number of new senators previously served in local government: Bill Montford (D-Tallahassee; Former Superintendent of Schools for Leon County;) Lizbeth Benacquisto (R-Wellington, former city council member) and Jim Norman (R-Tampa, former County Commissioner of Hillsborough County).  All current state senators who were up for re-election won. 

House Races of Interest

House Speaker Dean Cannon will also have a comfortable margin with which to govern the House of Representatives.  While there will be a number of new members of the Florida House, it should be noted that the following five incumbent Democratic members were defeated:  Representatives Boyd, Heller, Fitzgerald, Long and Fetterman.  All incumbent Republicans retained their seats.

Constitutional Amendments

While there were six constitutional amendments on the ballot, only three passed.  Two amendments which passed, amendments 5 and 6, will generate a lot of discussion in Tallahassee.  These two amendments, commonly referred to as the redistricting amendments, provide additional constitutional criteria to guide the crafting of both legislative and congressional districts.  Reappointment will take place during the 2012 legislative session, and the legislature will now be required constitutionally to draw districts so as to not favor or disfavor any incumbent, use city or county borders when crafting district lines, and draw districts as compact as possible.  Many expect these new requirements to be tested in court once the Legislature begins the re-districting process.  The other amendment that passed provides for property tax for qualifying veterans.  Of note, a proposed constitutional amendment to require a referendum on changes to local comprehensive plans, amendment 4, was soundly defeated.

High Level Analysis

Republican majorities in both the Florida House and Senate increased, and leadership in the Legislature, and Governor-elect Rick Scott, have clearly signaled that new taxes will not be well-received.  Furthermore, Governor-elect Scott has suggested that state government and its accompanying regulations should be trimmed.  The state facing a 2.5 billion dollar budget deficit for the 2011-12 fiscal year and entitlement programs, like Medicaid, continue to grow.  With new revenues being off the table, additional cuts will likely be forthcoming once Governor-elect Scott and his administration is in place.

-Article by Jon Moyle