Archive for category: Environmental Law News

David Caldevilla is a proud “gear-head” with a passion for classic cars. After growing up playing with Hot Wheels and slot cars, David progressed to purchasing and refurbishing his first car – a 1969 Camaro. As a teenager, he picked up photography and found that cars were his favorite subject to photograph. After discovering a technique that blurs the lines between photography and painting, David combined his love of cars and photography into one single passion: Automotography. You can see his artwork in person in the lobby of the Bank of America Plaza in downtown Tampa or visit his website at www.automotography.com.

David is a shareholder with de la Parte & Gilbert and has practiced with the firm since 1989. He is “AV” rated by Martindale-Hubbell and is Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Appellate Practice. In addition to his appellate practice, he also

focuses his practice on administrative, civil litigation, environmental, eminent domain and government cases. David can be reached at dcaldevilla@dgfirm.com.

Continuing de la Parte’s long involvement in shaping Florida’s water law and policies, Ed de la Parte and his team were influential facilitating water-related discussions over the past several months among representatives from Polk County cities.

Their efforts contributed to last month’s resolution among the cities creating the Polk County Water Cooperative (“PCWC”). The newly-formed cooperative will be aimed at helping Polk’s local utilities provide water to meet demand for the next 20 years.

Once approved by the various city commissions, Polk County and also the Southwest Florida Water Management District, the PCWC will participate as part of a larger, multi-county effort called the Central Florida Water Cooperative (“CFWI”). Observing that CFWI addresses the needs of other major water users, such as agriculture and power generation, de la Parte noted, “The trip is not over; you’ve just entered the bus.”

Ed de la Parte is a Board Certified State and Federal Government and Administrative Practice Lawyer. He has been with the firm of de la Parte & Gilbert, P.A. for almost forty years and concentrates his practice in the areas of government, administrative, environmental land use, and water law. Ed can be reached at edelaparte@dgfirm.com.

The Hillsborough County Clerk of Court and the City of Tampa recently celebrated the U.S. Supreme Court’s refusal to review a Florida appeals court ruling stating that interest earned on eminent domain funds held by the county clerk is not payable to former property owners.

Originally filed in 2011, a group of property owners brought a class action law suit against the Hillsborough County Clerk of Court, Pat Frank, and the City of Tampa, contending that they were owed interest earned on eminent domain funds that were deposited into an interest bearing account. The court determined that the property owners have no ownership of the interest earned on deposit funds.

de la Parte & Gilbert attorney, David Caldevilla, represents Pat Frank. “We have always firmly believed that the clerk’s office properly complied with the applicable law governing court registry deposits and properly disbursed the interest earned on those deposits,” Caldevilla said. “The property owners were improperly attempting to recover double payment, and the courts have now recognized that they had no legitimate claim against the clerk.”

David is a shareholder with de la Parte & Gilbert and is board certified by The Florida Bar in Appellate Practice. He can be reached at dcaldevilla@dgfirm.com.

Patrick J. McNamara was recently elected to serve as president and managing partner of de la Parte & Gilbert, P.A. The position was previously held by Edward P. de la Parte, Jr., who was instrumental in the selection of Pat as his successor. After the vote, Pat shared, “I am honored to serve as managing partner at the firm where I have practiced my entire legal career.”

Pat has practiced with de la Parte & Gilbert since 1987 and became a partner in 1994. Pat has previously served as the firm’s managing partner and vice managing partner since 1999. He primarily practices in the fields of commercial, civil, and personal injury litigation, health law, construction law and appeals. Pat can be reached at pmcnamara@dgfirm.com.

Don Greiwe, a recent graduate of the University of Florida Levin College of Law, has joined de la Parte & Gilbert, P.A. as an associate attorney. Don received his Bachelor of Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting from the University of Notre Dame and his Master of Science in Accountancy from the University of Notre Dame Mendoza College of Business. He plans to practice primarily in the areas of civil and business litigation, medical malpractice, appeals, and commercial transactions. Don can be reached at dgreiwe@dgfirm.com.