MIAMI, March 23 /PRNewswire/ — Akerman Senterfitt announced today that it now has Florida’s largest group of lawyers accredited by the Green Building Certification Institute’s LEED(R) AP program (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Accredited Professional). This achievement is the result of a focused effort by Akerman’s leadership to develop a leading sustainable development practice.
Recent Akerman lawyers to achieve LEED AP status include
Sarah Campbell Smith in the Miami office,
Kristen Guttmann in the Orlando office, and
Jeffrey Lynne and
Stacy Bercun Bohm in the Fort Lauderdale office. Ms. Bohm is one of the first in Florida to be both board certified in construction law and LEED accredited.
“About three years ago engineers, architects and contractors were virtually the only ones pursuing LEED accreditation,” said
Cecelia Bonifay, Chair of the Firm’s Green and Sustainable Development practice group. “We realized that in order to assist our clients with green trends our lawyers needed to have the same knowledge of the certification system as everyone else in the development chain. We assembled a team of experienced development, environmental and public policy lawyers and rolled out study groups, seminars and office-wide conference calls to encourage participation in accreditation programs. I am thrilled that our lawyers have answered the call and made Akerman number one.”
Akerman is now deeply involved in green development, advising clients in Florida and throughout the U.S. on the development of sustainable communities, reuse of contaminated properties and Brownfields, procurement of development incentives, repositioning of projects, leasing of green buildings, and the development of green energy facilities. Akerman’s lawyers also serve in leadership positions with key sustainable development organizations, including the Florida Green Building Coalition, the Florida Brownfields Association, the National Brownfields Coalition, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), and the Urban Land Institute, among others.
“Our years of work and preparation have put us in the perfect position to handle some of the major changes coming in this field,” said Bonifay. “The new Administration’s focus on sustainable development is going to lead to some sweeping changes in regulations and requirements, as well as present substantial incentives for those who pursue green development.”
According to the USGBC, buildings in the U.S. account for 72% of electricity consumption, 39% of energy use and 38% of all carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Furthermore, the McGraw Hill Construction Green Outlook 2009 study projects that the overall green building market is likely to double from today’s $36-49 billion to $96-140 billion by 2013.
As of March, there were over 80,000 LEED APs in the world, with only 195 of the APs designated as lawyers. In Florida, less than 50 are accredited lawyers. LEED Professional Accreditation is granted upon passing an examination developed by the Green Building Certification Institute. LEED APs have demonstrated a thorough understanding of green building practices and principles and the LEED-NC(R) Rating System.
Akerman’s Green and Sustainable Development lawyers regularly advise clients on green building practices, providing counsel on the sustainability issues impacting real estate and infrastructure projects throughout the United States. The team offers significant experience with a range of green development and redevelopment projects, in the areas of land use and environmental law, construction, infrastructure development, procurement law and government contracts, financing and economic development incentives, green leasing, dispute resolution and litigation, and governmental affairs and public policy.
About Akerman Senterfitt
Akerman is ranked among the top 100 law firms in the U.S. by The National Law Journal NLJ 250 (2008) in number of lawyers and is one of the largest firm in Florida. With more than 500 lawyers and governmental affairs professionals, the firm serves clients in major business centers throughout the United States, including Miami, New York, Washington D.C. and Los Angeles. For additional information, please visit the firm’s Web site at www.akerman.com.
Contact:
Bradley Wray
RF|Binder Partners, Inc.
(212) 994-7592
bradley.wray@rfbinder.com
Pat Tucker
RF|Binder Partners, Inc.
(212) 994-7561
Patrick.Tucker@rfbinder.com
SOURCE Akerman Senterfitt
