Bryant Miller Olive, P.A. (BMO) Managing Shareholder Grace Dunlap is pleased to announce that the firm is expanding its Miami office to offer a full-service municipal government practice, led by longtime municipal government attorney Jose Smith, Esq. In addition, Smith will enhance services to BMO’s existing clients. Smith, a 58-year resident of Miami Beach, joins BMO from his most recent position as city attorney for the City of North Miami Beach. Smith is currently a special magistrate in the City of North Miami.
Smith’s practice areas include municipal government law; professional ethics, conflicts of interest, Sunshine Law, public records; complex civil litigation; procurement, public/private partnerships (“P3”); election law; code compliance; and real estate, land use, and zoning litigation.
“We at the firm are immensely proud and excited by Mr. Smith’s decision to associate with us,” said BMO Managing Shareholder Grace Dunlap. “We know that adding such an accomplished and prestigious attorney to our team will greatly enhance the recognition of BMO as a premier provider of legal services to governments statewide and, especially, in Miami-Dade and South Florida.
“More importantly, Mr. Smith further broadens and deepens BMO’s ability to serve its clients ― certainly its public sector clients, but also private business and individuals,” she continued. “Associating Jose Smith, who is a South Florida legal institution in his own right, underlines BMO’s solid commitment to local government and South Florida.”
“Over the years as the city attorney in Miami Beach and North Miami Beach, I worked closely with members of BMO as our outside counsel,” said Smith. “I was always impressed with their professionalism and legal skills. The firm’s prestige, reputation, and culture which embraces diversity, teamwork, ethics, and public service, makes it a perfect fit for me.”
Smith graduated with honors from the University of Florida College of Law in 1973. After gaining trial and appellate experience at a downtown Miami civil litigation firm, he founded his own firm in 1983 in North Miami Beach. At the same time, he became involved in the city government, serving on the Miami Beach Tourist and Convention Center Expansion Authority (1986–1991), Miami Beach Charter Review Board (1992–1993), Community Development Advisory Committee (1994–1996) and Planning Board (1996–1997).
In 1997, he was elected to the Miami Beach City Commission, where he served with distinction until 2005. In 2000, he helped bring Art Basel Miami Beach to the city.
He was appointed as Miami Beach City Attorney and held the position from 2005-2014. In 2014, he was appointed as North Miami Beach City Attorney by the City Council.
In addition, he has served on the Miami Beach Charter Review and Revision Board, Jackie Gleason Theater Booking Policy Committee, and as chairman and on the Board of Directors for the Normandy Shores Homeowners Association. Also, he has served as general counsel for the North Miami Beach Community Redevelopment Agency, trustee for the North Miami Beach Pension Board for Management Employees, and a member of the evaluation committee for selection of North Miami city attorney.
Smith’s professional memberships include The Florida Bar Board Certified Trial Lawyer (1992– 1997), The Florida Bar Grievance Committee (1993–1995), The Florida Bar Fee Arbitration Committee (1997–1998), The Florida Bar Standing Committee on the Unauthorized Practice of Law (1983–1988), Miami Beach Bar Association, Miami-Dade County League of Cities Legal Advisory Committee, and American Arbitration Association (1978–1990).
He is admitted to the bars of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida and the U.S. Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals. His awards and recognition include South Florida Legal Guide’s South Florida’s Top Government Attorneys in 2012 and Florida Trend Magazine’s Florida Legal Elite in 2008.
Smith holds a J.D. with honors from the University of Florida College of Law and a Bachelor of Arts with honors from the University of Florida. In his free time, he enjoys sports and recreational activities and spending time with his wife, their children, and their spouses, and his grandchildren.
For more information about Smith, visit www.bmolaw.com, call (305) 374-7349, or email jsmith@bmolaw.com.
