Blog of law articles

As I've said before, I stand ready and willing to write up a great GrayRobinson story if one of you Brickell shmarties will send me some material.

In the meantime I see Billy Shields writes up the School Board selection yesterday of GrayRobinson partner Walter Harvey to serve as General Counsel:

Miami-Dade School Board member Renier Diaz de la Portilla quit his job at GrayRobinson, clearing the way for him to cast the decisive vote today in appointing his former partner Walter Harvey as the school system’s general counsel.

Diaz de la Portilla recused himself from a vote last month to select the district’s new legal counsel, after the DBR raised questions about a possible conflict in his support for Harvey, who worked at the same law firm and served on a public board for which Diaz de la Portilla lobbied.

As a result, the board deadlocked 4-4 between Harvey and Robert Tischenkel, a former Key West city attorney, and decided to start over its selection process.

Harvey serves on the board of trustees of the Public Health Trust, the governing body for the Jackson Health System, and Diaz de la Portilla is a registered lobbyist for Jackson Health System.

Diaz de la Portilla obtained an opinion from the state Commission on Ethics on Friday saying he was within his rights to vote after ending his relationship with GrayRobinson. The commission determined the Jackson relationship was not a conflict. Diaz de la Portilla announced today he was planning to vote to reopen the selection issue and rescind the previous decision to start selection over.

In an interview, Diaz de la Portilla said his decision to leave GrayRobinson had nothing to do with the vote.

Board members Agustin Barrera, Marta Perez and Perla Tabares Hantman voiced opposition, but the most caustic comment came from a member of the public. Board member Lawrence Feldman, who had previously supported Tischenkel was absent.

“You need to get an outside committee” to make this selection, Helen B. Williams, a former teacher, said during the public hearing. “It’s obvious you don’t know how to get anybody other than a crook.”

I happen to think Walter is very qualified, but is this really the right way to select a GC for the School Board?

I happened to be listening to the School Board meeting yesterday, and you couldn't wish that job on me if you tried -- what a bunch of nudnicks, you can keep those billables if you ask me.

But there's got to be a better way than this to instill confidence and transparency into the selection process.