Matthew Harris Mandel

Matt is Chair of the Firm's Litigation Division. He has extensive litigation and trial experience at both the State and Federal levels for both municipal and private clients. Matt's municipal litigation experience has involved the successful representation of numerous Florida cities in: First Amendment challenges to municipal sign codes and adult use regulations; discrimination claims under the Fair Housing Amendments Act and Americans with Disabilities Act; Federal and State claims for false arrest, excessive force and malicious prosecution; actions relating to the deprivation of procedural and substantive due process rights; lawsuits under the Florida Whistleblower Act and the Florida Civil Rights Act; construction disputes relating to municipal structures; municipal annexation disputes; the prosecution and defense of municipal finance issues; and the defense of personal injury claims. Matt's private sector experience has involved the successful representation of: a worldwide computer software company in several matters relating to contractual disputes; land owners in a constitutional challenge to an illegal county funding mechanism; numerous financial institutions in large commercial foreclosure matters; various businesses and individuals in commercial and contractual disagreements; and purchasers in the cancellation of condominium contracts. Matt also has extensive appellate experience at both the State and Federal levels and has several published decisions to his credit relating to issues such as: municipal zoning, police liability, First Amendment, and Whistleblower claims. Matt lectures often on various issues including First Amendment challenges to municipal sign codes and land use challenges under the Fair Housing Act and Americans with Disabilities Act.