Assistant City Attorney among Legal Elite

Historic City News has learned that Isabelle Lopez, Assistant City Attorney for the City of St Augustine, has been recognized by her peers among the “2013 Legal Elite” — one of 60 other governmental attorneys, according to the tenth annual survey conducted by Florida Trend magazine.

Lopez has been Board Certified as a Specialist in City, County & Local Government Law by The Florida Bar Board of Legal Specialization since 2004. She is also a Certified County and Circuit Court Mediator.

For the survey, attorneys practicing in Florida were asked to name others attorneys whom they hold in the highest regard or who they would recommend to others in several special categories, one being government.

Although 1,228 attorneys are recognized in this year’s roster, that represents less than 2% of all attorneys practicing in Florida.

During the five years prior to her employment with the City, Lopez represented the City as special counsel in litigation while employed at Quintairos, Prieto, Wood & Boyer, P.A., in Jacksonville. Previously, she was Senior Assistant County Attorney for St Johns County.

Lopez became a full-time staff attorney at the City, beginning September 6, 2011, after Governor Rick Scott’s July appointment of former Assistant City Attorney Carlos E. Mendoza to the Seventh Judicial Circuit Court.

Lopez received her Juris Doctor degree from the University of Florida and her Bachelor of Arts, with joint honors in history and political science, from McGill University in Montreal, Canada. She has lectured extensively on a variety of governmental law issues.