Lauren M. Harper (Of Counsel):

As Of Counsel to the Firm, Lauren Harper assists clients in real estate development and property related issues throughout South Florida.  Prior to joining the Firm, Lauren worked at a large Florida law firm where she specialized in land use, zoning and local government matters.  Her experience includes, among other areas, due diligence investigations, zoning variances and changes, text amendments, special exceptions/permits, site plan approvals, comprehensive plan amendments, compliance with the Growth Management Act, Development of Regional Impacts, historic designations and concurrency issues.
More specifically, her experience includes:

• Text amendments to permitted use schedules of Land Development Codes;                      
• Due diligence investigations for institutional investment companies in connection with bulk purchases of shopping centers;

• Binding Letter of Vested Rights for Development of Regional Impact;

• Variances and Special Permits for hotel expansions and commercial and office development;

• Due diligence investigations for lenders in connection with the issuance of loans and the refinancing of loans to gas station developers;

• Assessment of liabilities associated with hotel purchases with respect to local government violations, fines and permitting issues;

• Analysis regarding school concurrency and impact fee requirements and how they can be minimized for development projects.

While at law school, Lauren held summer clerkship positions at the Securities Exchange Commission and the Federal Public Defender’s Office.  She was also a member of the University of Miami Inter-American Law Review, and was a Senior Fellow in the Center for Ethics and Public Service’s Community Economic Development & Design legal clinic.
Professional and Community Involvement:

Florida Bar (Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section); Dade County Bar Association; BNI Pioneers Chapter Member; Urban Land Institute; Greater Miami Jewish Federation.
Articles and Publications:

Author, United States Regulation of Canadian Securities Attorneys under Sarbanes-Oxley:  Exploring Costs and Finding an Optimal Allocation of Authority, University of Miami Inter-American Law Review, volume 36, issue 1, Fall 2004.
Education:

Juris Doctor, University of Miami School of Law; Bachelor of Arts, (Major - English Literature/Minors - Business, Legal Studies), cum laude, Washington University in St. Louis.