Experienced South Florida attorneys join to launch Government Law Group

Four well-known South Florida attorneys are joining forces to launch a new law firm in the region focused on legal work in the public sphere.

Government attorneys Keith Poliakoff and Neil Schiller are departing Saul Ewing Arnstein & Lehr to found the aptly-named Government Law Group (GLG). Litigators Alan G. Kipnis and Richard Dewitt are also joining to help get the new firm off the ground.

“The new law firm, with offices in Broward and Palm Beach counties, will focus on municipal law, lobbying, land use, zoning and development, government contracts, public and private partnerships, code enforcement, and complex litigation,” according to a release from the organization.

“At the same time, the attorneys will continue to serve as general counsel for local governments and represent clients across the state.”

Poliakoff is the Town Attorney for Southwest Ranches in Broward County, with expertise in municipal law, land use and zoning. He’s represented developers in those areas, as well as homeowner and neighborhood associations on various other matters. Poliakoff has also counseled banks, corporations and individuals regarding code enforcement violations and municipal liens.

“By being a boutique firm, we will be able to meet our clients’ needs, while having the flexibility to explore new opportunities together,” Poliakoff said of the new venture.

Poliakoff earned his J.D. from Benjamin Cardozo School of Law of Yeshiva University after attending Syracuse University for his undergraduate degree. He is admitted to practice law in Florida and New York.

Schiller is a well-known lobbyist and land use and development attorney in South Florida. He has more than two decades of experience lobbying local governments and representing HOAs and property owners. He’s also worked in the area of government contracts, bid protests and public-private partnerships.

“We are excited to launch this new venture and look forward to building on the successes we’ve accomplished over the last 20 years,” Schiller added.

Schiller earned his undergrad and law degrees from the University of Miami and is admitted to practice law in Florida and Washington, D.C.

After departing Saul Ewing Arnstein & Lehr, the two will maintain a referral relationship with the firm for clients seeking help outside the new group’s core focus areas.

“We wish the team all the best in their new venture,” said Michael Denberg, managing partner of the Saul Ewing Arnstein & Lehr office in Fort Lauderdale. “Keith, Neil and the team did great work, and we look forward to a mutually beneficial relationship, where appropriate, for the benefit of both firms’ clients.”

In addition, Kipnis and Dewitt both bring extensive litigation experience. Kipnis has worked as a litigator and trial lawyer for more than three decades. He’s focused on contract disputes, construction defect claims and other issues in the construction world, as well as financial, uniform commercial code and shareholder issues.

Kipnis has also handled class action defense matters for public and non-public companies. He earned a J.D. from the University of Miami after attending completing undergraduate work at the University of Missouri, and is admitted to practice law in Florida and Colorado.

Dewitt’s work focuses on counseling local governments, property owners and developers on land use and eminent domain matters. He has experience throughout South Florida’s tri-county area — including Miami-Dade — representing clients in litigation, planning and zoning, code enforcement, direct and inverse condemnation actions, and land use and development.

Dewitt attended Florida State University for undergraduate studies before earning his law degree from Nova Southeastern University’s Shepard Broad Law Center. He is admitted to practice law in Florida.