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Wayne M. Pathman

CO-FOUNDER & MANAGING PARTNER
Wayne Pathman Awards & Recognition
Wayne Pathman

Wayne M. Pathman is managing partner of Miami-based Pathman Law, LLC. He is one of Florida’s distinguished lawyers with more than 30 years experience. Mr. Pathman heads the firm’s Land Use, Zoning, and Environmental Law Section. He is the Immediate Past Chair of the City of Miami’s Climate Resilience Committee and the Immediate Past Chair of the Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Pathman is recognized as one of Florida Trend magazine’s 500 most influential executives in different economic sectors throughout the state. He is one of only 53 attorneys selected to the 2019 Florida 500, and was selected again in 2020.

Mr. Pathman represents businesses, developers, and individuals before administrative and regulatory bodies at the municipal, state, and federal levels in land use, zoning, and environmental matters. He is a leading authority and lecturer on issues regarding water law.

He is the 2016 co-creator and moderator of the Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce’s series of four sea level rise events: “A Time to Start Thinking Differently, The Economic Impact of Sea Level Rise on South Florida.”

Mr. Pathman represents developers of apartment buildings, shopping centers, hotels, and historic properties.  He frequently represents residential and commercial developers seeking land use and zoning approval. He also represents developers and individuals regarding marine docks and dockage issues. He also represents numerous businesses and individuals with complex commercial litigation matters regarding contract disputes with zoning and real estate matters. Mr. Pathman frequently addresses various government agencies and private institutions on land use/zoning and water-related matters.

Areas of Experience

  • Land Use, Zoning, and Environmental Law
  • Water Law
  • Commercial Litigation

Memberships & Activities

  • Immediate Past Chair, Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce, 2016-2018
  • Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce – Member, Board of Governors and Executive Board of Governors, 2016 co-creator, moderator of the series of four sea level rise events, “A Time to Start Thinking Differently: The Economic Impact of Sea Level Rise on South Florida,” Chairman of Subcommittee on the Impact of Sea Level Rise on Miami Beach and surrounding areas, Chairman of the Advocacy Committee, Chairman of the Climate Symposium on Sea Level Rise
  • Immediate Past Chair, City of Miami, Climate Resilience Committee, 2015-2020
  • Miami Chamber of Commerce, Real Estate – Resilience Committee
  • Mt. Sinai Medical Center, Founders Club
  • Friends of UM/Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center
  • Miami Children’s Museum, Board Member
  • Former Executive Committee member, Museum of Science Capital Campaign Committee
  • The Victory Center for Autistic Children, Former Board Member
  • Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce
  • Greater Miami Jewish Federation
  • Beacon Council
  • Capital Campaign Committee, Miami Beach Jewish Community Center
  • Member of the Southeast Florida Regional Climate Change Compact
  • Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania – Sea Level Rise panel participant at Penn Institute for Urban Research, 2016
  • Land Use Institute: ‘Planning, Regulation, Litigation, Eminent Domain, and Compensation’: Speaker on Sea Level Rise, 2017
  • Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM): Speaker on Sea Level Rise, 2017
  • American Institute of Architects (AIA), consultant on Sea Level Rise and participant on “Climate Issues and the Future”
  • University of Miami, Congressional Field Hearing by Congressmen Joe Garcia (Florida) and Frank Pallone (New Jersey) regarding climate change
  • International, national, and local media source: British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), The New York Times, Newsweek, Time magazine, Rolling Stone, MSNBC, National Public Radio (NPR), CBS National Radio, Miami Herald, el Nuevo Herald, Miami Today, Florida Trend magazine, The Real Deal, Daily Business Review, South Florida Business Journal, WLRN-TV, WLRN Radio, and other news media
  • The Florida Bar, Litigation and Environmental Law Sections
  • Miami-Dade County Bar Association

Notable Projects

  • Hennes & Mauritz (H & M), Swedish Retailer, obtained all land use and zoning approvals for Historic Lincoln Theater Property,  land use and zoning
  • Fifth and Alton Development, Miami Beach,  handled all land use and development   negotiations – first vertical commercial center on Miami Beach
  • Aqua Project on Allison Island, obtained permits for dockage, zoning and drafting condominium documents and handled the closings on the island
  • Represented leading real estate company in handling zoning analyses and acquisition for the acquisition of nearly 2,000 apartments located in six separate Florida counties
  • Opa-Locka Executive Airport, handled land use and zoning for commercial development of airport
  • Crown (Miami Beach/now the Thompson Hotel) – handled zoning for conversion of historic hotel to apartments
  • Palau Project  – luxury condo project on Miami Beach
  • CBS Outdoor/Outfront Media –  successfully handled RFP for countywide bus, rail, and bus shelter contracts
  • Represent municipalities as outside counsel on special projects
  • 20th Century Fox, lead counsel representing the movie “True Lies” for securing  permits and licenses throughout Florida
  • Created first-ever Brownfield for environmental cleanup in Miami Beach
  • Represents numerous automobile dealerships in acquisitions and zoning for the creation of automobile dealerships

Education

  • University of South Florida, B. S., Political Science and International Law, Cum Laude, 1981
    • Vice President, Tau Epsilon PhiMember, Phi Kappa Pi, University’s highest academic honor society
    • President, College of Social and Behavioral Sciences
  • Florida State University College of Law, J.D., 1985
    • Clerked for Chief Judge Larry Smith of the First District Court of Appeals
    • Special Assistant to the Honorable Robert Graham, Governor
  • Miami Beach Senior High School

Awards & Recognition

  • Florida Trend Magazine’s Florida 500, “Top 500 Executives in Florida,” 2019
  • Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce, “Forward Thinking Award,” for raising awareness of rising sea levels, 2016
  • Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce, James McDonnell Outstanding Board of Governor Award, 2015
  • Celebration of the Sea/Wyland Foundation Award, “Outstanding Achievement in Sea Level Rise Public Engagement,” 2016
  • Urban Land Institute, Project of the Year Award, Hennes & Mauritz (H & M), Swedish
  • Retailer at Historic Lincoln Theater Property, 2014
  • Urban Land Institute, Project of the Year Award, Fifth and Alton Development, Miami Beach, 2010
  • Florida Super Lawyers, 2007, 2015, 2016, and 2017
  • Wall Street Journal, “Florida’s Top Attorneys” 2013
  • Best Lawyers in America, 2013, 2019
  • Florida Trend, “Must-Know Contacts,” 2016
  • South Florida Legal Guide, “Top Lawyers,” 2005-2017
  • Legal Leaders – “Top Rated Lawyers” 2008-2014
  • AV Preeminent Top Rated Lawyer, Martindale-Hubbell, highest legal ability and ethical standard rating
  • South Florida Business Journal, “Heavy Hitter” 2004, 2007
  • South Florida Business Journal, Finalist, Key Partner Award

Personal

  • Born in Miami Beach, Florida
  • Resides in Miami Beach
  • Has two children