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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