Kelly A. O'Keefe concentrates her practice in Real Estate Litigation, Administrative/Governmental Litigation and Appeals.
Representative Experience
· Represent lenders and corporate debtors in foreclosure proceedings, including proceeding which resulted in largest foreclosure sale in Leon County at the time
· Counsel to a large national retail property management company in landlord/tenant disputes
· Represent developers and owners in condominium and community association disputes including Interstate Land Sales Full Disclosure Act disputes
· Counsel to sellers and purchases in real estate purchase related disputes
· Counsel to beneficiary challenging trustee's administration of trust with real estate development company as primary asset
· Counseled client seeking to develop business related to community associations on impact of applicable government regulation
· Drafted legislation and agency rules allowing use of coastal erosion protection product to mitigate against hurricane related damage
· Represented securities brokers and investors in securities arbitrations and litigation, including one of the first cases against Bear Stearns challenging its procedure for valuation of margined collateralized mortgage obligations
· Represented large banking institution in recovery matters
· Represent parties in adversary litigation in bankruptcy proceedings, including representation of Creditors Committee in class action suit
· Counsel to insurance companies in coverage disputes, including case that confirmed company's procedures were consistent with Florida's Financial Responsibility Law
· Counsel to an array of Florida businesses in litigation over the award of State contracts
· Counsel to government entity pursuing ethics charges against public official
· Counsel to automobile manufacturers in franchise litigation before the Department of Administrative Hearings
· Counsel to national and international health care companies in litigation challenging constitutionality of state legislation and ownership disputes
· Counsel to Political Action Committee challenging the ballot title and summary for proposed amendment to the Florida Constitution
Professional & Community Involvement
· Florida State University Real Estate Trends Networking Conference, Conference Committee member (2009-Present)
· Florida Bar Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section, Member (2010-Present)
· Second Circuit Grievance Committee, Florida Bar, Vice Chair (Present)
· Florida Bar Judicial Administration & Evaluation Committee (2010-Present)
· Florida Supreme Court Historical Society (2010-Present)
· Florida Bar Foundation Fellow
· Florida Bar Appellate Rules Committee (2004-2010), Vice Chair Administrative Practice Subcommittee (2007-2010), · Tallahassee Bar Association (2000-Present), President (2009-2010), President-Elect (2008-2009), Treasurer (2007-2008), Secretary (2006-2007), Director (2002-2006)
· Legal Aid Foundation (2000-Present)
· Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce, Leadership Tallahassee (2007-Present)
· Florida State University Law School Alumni Board, Outreach Chair (2006-2009)
· William H. Stafford American Inn of Court (2002-Present)
· Tallahassee Women Lawyers (1995-Present); President (1999-2000)
· Guardian Ad Litem (2000-2009)
· Attorney Coach of Lincoln High School Mock Trial and Moot Court Teams (1996-Present)
· Florida Bar Young Lawyers Division Board of Governors, Second Circuit Representative (2001-2006), Executive Committee Member (2004-2006)
· Chair, Robert Orsek Memorial Moot Court Competition (2006)
· Florida Bar Special Committee on Website Advertising Rules (2005-2006)
· Florida Bar Advertising Task Force (2004-2005)
· Florida Bar Judicial Administration, Selection and Tenure Committee (2000-2002)
· Florida Association for Women Lawyers, (1998-Present) Secretary (2000-2001), Public Relations Officer (1998-1999)
· First 150 Florida Women Lawyers Project: Co-Chair Research Committee (1999-2000)
· Volunteer, Legal Services of North Florida, Legal Intake at Homeless Shelter and Legal Advice Clinic (1994-2000)
· Chief Justice's Advisory Committee for the Tobias Simon Pro Bono Award (2001)
Awards & Recognition
· AV Rated by Martindale-Hubbell
· Women of Distinction, Gemstone Honoree, Law, Girl Scout Council of the Florida Panhandle (2011)
· Florida Association for Women Lawyers Leaders in Law Award (2010)
· Florida Trend Magazine's "Legal Elite" (2010-2011) and "Up and Comer" (2007)
· Florida's Super Lawyer (Appellate Practice, 2006)
· Attorney of the Year Award given by the Florida Law Related Education Association (2005)
· Lynn Futch Most Productive Young Lawyer Award given by The Florida Bar (2001)
Articles & Presentations
Articles
· Florida Real Property Litigation, Commercial Mortgages, Florida Bar, 5th Edition, 2009 & 2011, Co-Author
· Current Trends in Coastal Armoring, Florida Specifier, December 2008, Co-Author
· A "New American Land Ethic": Utlizing the Endangered Species Act to Settle land use Disputes, 21:3 Florida Statue University Law Review
Presentations
· Inspiring Advancement Through Skills Building: Litigation Techniques, Women's Leadership Summit; Florida Association for Women Lawyers, March 2011
· Professionalism and Ethics-Issues in Civil Litigation, December 2010
· Moderator, Judicial Nominating Commission Panel Discussion with Governor Ruebin Askew, August 2009
· Prospering In These Economic Times - Presentation to Big Bend Chapter of the Paralegal Association, February 2009
· Distressed Situation Update: Real Estate and Beyond; Exploiting Opportunities and Managing Risks - State Government Changes Impacting the Private Sector, September 2008
· Moderator, Practicing with Professionalism Panel (May 2005 and 2006); Panel Speaker (August 2008)
· Appellate Practice and Procedure - Continuing Legal Education Program, May 2007
· Landlord Tenant Law in Florida, Lorman Seminar, November 2006
Prior Affiliations
· Law Clerk to Florida Supreme Court Justice Charles Wells, Florida Supreme Court Chief Justice Gerald Kogan, and Florida Supreme Court Justice Parker Lee McDonald.
· Broad and Cassel
· Sutherland, Asbil & Brennan
In the News
Brian Rich and Kelly O'Keefe of Berger Singerman spoke at a seminar on landlord-tenant law in Tallahassee, Florida Bar News, Tallahassee Democrat, Brian Rich, Kelly O'Keefe, January 01, 2007
Kelly O'Keefe appointed to the FSU College of Law Alumni Association Board of Directors, Tallahassee Democrat, Kelly A. O'Keefe, January 07, 2007
News & Notes, Florida Bar News, Kelly O'Keefe, January 15, 2007
Justice teaching: 'lawyers will get just as much out of this as the kids, Florida Bar News, Kelly A. O'Keefe, February 01, 2007
Lincoln High School, Tallahassee Democrat, Kelly O'Keefe, March 29, 2007
On the Move, Tallahassee Democrat, Kelly O'Keefe, April 03, 2007
Photo Gallery: 2007 Annual Dinner, Historia Juris, Kelly O'Keefe, June 15, 2007
Magazine names 90 local lawyers to list of elite, Tallahassee Democrat, Brian Rich, Dan Thompson, Melanie Hines and Kelly O'Keefe, July 07, 2007
News & Notes, The Florida Bar News, Kelly O'Keefe, May 01, 2008
Second circuit chief judge Charles A. Francis, Kelly O'Keefe, May 15, 2009
The Florida Bar: South Florida attorneys square off to be president-elect, Daily Business Review, Kelly A. O'Keefe, December 22, 2009
Thirteen Attorneys Named to Florida Trend's 2010 Florida Legal Elite List, Robert W. Barron, Douglas A. Bates, Howard J. Berlin, Jordi Guso, Rene Harrod, Melanie Ann Hines, Andrew M. Hinkes, Charles H. Lichtman, Kelly A. O'Keefe, Brian G. Rich, Leonard K. Samuels, Frank Scruggs, Paul Steven Singerman, July 01, 2010
Kelly O'Keefe Appointed to Leadership Positions in Two Organizations, Kelly A. O'Keefe, July 13, 2010
Kelly O'Keefe Receives Prestigious "Leaders in Law" Honor from Florida Association for Women Lawyers, Kelly A. O'Keefe, July 23, 2010
Publications
Litigating in Florida, May 2010, Dispute Resolution Team Newsletter, 05/20/2010
Resolving disputes, Smart Business Network, 01/01/2007