Isabelle Lopez, who was appointed City Attorney in 2014, first joined the city in 2011 as Assistant City Attorney, where she was primary counsel to the Planning and Zoning Board, Historic Architectural Review Board, and Code Enforcement Board, as well as, litigation counsel on matters regarding land use and permitting. Ms. Lopez, in her prior private practice, represented the City as outside counsel on land use and zoning litigation from 2006 to 2011.
Expertise
Her expertise in all aspects of municipal law includes a broad range of practices, from public hearings, constitutional claims and eminent domain, to compliance, code enforcement, special assessments, zoning and permitting. In addition, Ms. Lopez is experienced in the subjects of:
- Contracts and procurement
- Interlocal agreements
- Land use
- Ordinance drafting
- Prosecution of local ordinance citations
Certifications & Previous Positions
Board Certified in City, County, and Local Government Law since 2004, Ms. Lopez is a Florida Supreme Court Qualified Arbitrator, and Certified County and Circuit Civil Mediator. She is rated AV-Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell peer review, and has been listed in numerous publications including Florida Trend Magazine's Florida Legal Elite, Jacksonville Magazine, and 904 Magazine.
Ms. Lopez is a past President of the St. Johns County Bar Association, and a founding member of the St. Augustine Inns of Court. She served two terms on the Florida Bar’s City, County, and Local Government Law Board Certification Committee, and has been the Chair of its annual three-day Board Certification Review Course since 2017.
Prior to her positions with the city, she was a partner at two statewide law firms and worked with the Florida Department of Transportation and St. Johns County. She is a graduate of McGill University and received her Juris Doctor from the University of Florida.