Bricklemyer Smolker & Bolves, p.a.

“Property rights. Every American citizen values these rights and regards their protection as a basic premise upon which our constitutional democracy is founded.”

R. Michael Brooks

Email: MichaelB@bsbfirm.com

EDUCATION:

J.D., Stetson University College of Law (1996)
Dana Scholar • Honor Roll • West Publishing Book Award: Torts
Federal Judicial Intern: The Honorable Henry Lee Adams, Jr.
United States District Judge for the Middle District of Florida
Research Assistant: Updates to Florida Environmental and Land Use Law

University of Miami School of Law Dean's List Finalist: Moot Court Competition

University of Florida Graduate Courses: Urban and Regional Planning

B.A., University of Florida (Political Science, 1990) Dean's List Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity

EXPERIENCE:

Bricklemyer Smolker & Bolves, P.A., Shareholder

Michael concentrates his practice on real estate and land use matters, representing developers and property owners throughout the state.

He has served as legal counsel for due diligence, land acquisition and title matters, property rights and interests, zoning and land use approvals, comprehensive plan and other growth management matters, environmental and transportation permitting, formation of community development districts, subdivisions and owner associations, and eminent domain. His representation includes numerous Developments of Regional Impact (DRIs) and other large-scale residential, office, commercial and industrial projects.

Michael also has specialized experience in the area of wireless communications, where he has served as legal counsel for publicly traded wireless service providers and tower developers. In the course of his representation, he has lobbied local governments, drafted regulatory ordinances, established and coordinated multi-jurisdiction land use and zoning approval strategies and managed the site evaluation and selection process for over 100 tower and rooftop sites. His broad range of work in the area of wireless communications provides Michael with the experience necessary to assist clients in the implementation of their development programs.

Prior to becoming an attorney, Michael was a faculty researcher at the University of South Florida's Center for Urban Transportation Research (CUTR) where he studied the impact of growth management programs on transportation planning. Michael has also worked as a civil engineer technician responsible for planning and engineering support on a wide range of development projects.

ORGANIZATIONS/ACTIVITIES:

Member: American Planning Association
Member: American Planning Association, Law and Planning Division.
Member: Florida Bar, Environmental and Land Use Law Section
Member: Hillsborough County Bar Association, Land Use Section
Member: City of Gainesville Board of Adjustment / Housing Board of Appeals (1992)
Member: Alachua County Community Development Block Grant Committee (1992)

PUBLISHED WORKS:

Author: Transportation and the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990, Planning and Zoning News, May 1993, reprinted in, Planning Advisory Service Memo, August 1993, and the material packet at the Ninth Annual ALI-ABA Land Use Institute, August 18-20, 1993, Seattle, WA.

Co-Author: Damages for Interferences with Property Interests by Development Moratorium, Resolving Land Use Disputes, 1998 Continuing Legal Education International.