GARY M. HELD, P.A.
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  • Education
  • Professional Experience
  • Professional and other affiliations and activities
  • Admitted to practice before the following courts
  • Law and graduate school honors and activities
  • Prelaw professional experience and activities
 
EDUCATION 

1982, JURIS DOCTOR, cum laude, University of Miami School of Law

1981, MASTER OF URBAN AND REGIONAL PLANNING, University of Miami 

1973, BACHELOR OF ARTS, PSYCHOLOGY, University of Miami 

1969-1971, SUNY at Stony Brook, Long Island, New York 
 
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

2015 - Present, Gary M. Held, P.A. (sole practitioner, primarily representing local governments as outside land use and zoning counsel, and as a special magistrate or mediator in local government FLUEDRA, mediation and code compliance proceedings)

1999 – 2014, First Assistant City Attorney, City of Miami Beach
    (represented Planning Board, Board of Adjustment, Design Review Board, Historic Preservation Board, and advised City Commission and departments on law involving land use, development, planning, zoning, historic preservation, vested rights, impact fees, nonconforming uses, platting, environmental issues, first amendment, religious issues, special events, nightlife issues, noise, adult entertainment, under 21-liquor issues, covenants, permitting, appeals, litigation, legislation, code compliance, and related matters)

1998 - 1999, Gary M. Held, P.A. (sole practitioner)

1989 - 1998, Milledge Iden & Held (partner, 1992-1998)

1988 - 1998, Co-Special Counsel, Zoning Litigation, City of Miami (protected residential zoning of parcel adjacent to Peacock Park against lawsuits challenging denial of commercial upzoning)

1985 - 1989, Thomson Zeder Bohrer Werth & Razook

1985, Senior Assistant City Attorney, City of Miami Beach

1982 - 1984, Greenberg, Traurig, Hoffman, Lipoff, Rosen and Quentel, P.A.
 
PROFESSIONAL AND OTHER AFFILIATIONS AND ACTIVITIES 

2005 - 2013, 2015 - Present, Chair or Co-Chair, Environmental and Land Use Law Comm., Dade County Bar


2015 - Present, Florida Supreme Court Certified Mediator, Appellate

1999 - 2012, Legal Advisor, Dade Heritage Trust (Represented DHT on Miami Circle in 1999, securing agreed Court order to protect against destruction of the 2,000 year old archaeological site, then assisted in convincing Miami-Dade County to acquire site by eminent domain)

1999 - Present, Florida Supreme Court Certified Mediator, Circuit Civil

1998 - 2000, Vice-Chair and Co-Chair, Env’l and Land Use Law Comm., Dade County Bar 

1992, Class XI, Leadership Florida, Florida Chamber of Commerce 
    (Local Program Chair, Miami Session, 1993-1994; Vice-Chair, Program Committee, Miami Session, 1994-1995; Regional Chair, Southeast Region (Monroe, Dade, Broward, Palm     Beach, and Martin counties), and Member, State Board of Regents, 1994-1996) 

1994, Leadership Miami, Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce 

1990 - 2000, Board of Directors, Children's Home Society of Florida, Southeast Division 
    (Member, Executive Committee, 1992-1995; Chair-Elect, 1997-1998; Chair, 1998-1999) 

1984 - 1994, Member, Board of Directors, Temple Samu-El Or Olom 
    1999 (Member of Executive Board: 1987-1989; Ways and Means Vice President, 
    1987-1988; Education Vice President, 1988-1989; Chair, Strategic Planning Comm., 1997-1998) 

1984 - 1989, Judge and Chair (1987-1989), Dean Maloney Writing Competition,    
    Environmental and Land Use Law Section, The Florida Bar 

1985 - 1986, Board Member Gold Coast Section, Florida Chapter, American Planning Association                
    (Member-at-Large, Member of Executive Committee, Chairman of Legislative Committee and By-Law Revision Committee) 
    Member, Kendall 2000; Vice-Chairman, Planning and Zoning Task Force 
 
ADMITTED TO PRACTICE BEFORE THE FOLLOWING COURTS 

Florida Supreme Court, 1982 

U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida, 1985 (Trial Bar, 1991) 

U.S. Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, 1991 

U.S. Supreme Court, 1994 
 
LAW AND GRADUATE SCHOOL HONORS AND ACTIVITIES 

1981 - 1982, Articles and Comments Editor, University of Miami Law Review 
    Member, Society of the Wig and Robe 
    Dean's List (every semester law school) 

1980 - 1981, Member, University of Miami Law Review 

1980, American Jurisprudence Book Award: Civil Procedure 

1975 - 1976, National Student Representative, Student Planning Network (national planning student organization) Member, Board of Governors, American Institute of Planners ("A.I.P." - currently the American Planning Association) 

1974 - 1975, Fellowship: Ryder Research Program in Transportation Planning, 
    University of Miami 
 
PRELAW PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE AND INTERNSHIPS 

Capital Improvements Division, Office of the County Manager, Miami-Dade County 
    Prepared annual Miami-Dade County Six Year Capital Improvements Program. 
    Served on: Capital Improvements Technical Committee, Site Review Committee, 
    Developmental Impact Committee (DIC), Rapid Transit DIC, Town Hall Meeting Program 

Planning Department, City of Miami 

Planning & Design Division, Department of Housing & Urban Development, Miami-Dade County 

Ryder Research Program in Transportation Planning, University of Miami 

Project INSTEP, Office of Service Programs for the Elderly, Miami-Dade County 


Gary M. Held, Esq., Attorney at Law
T: 305.962.8900 | F: 305.386.4930 | gary@garyheldlaw.com