Elizabeth Hernandez is a seasoned trial lawyer with more than 30 years of experience in Florida state and federal courts. She defends both public sector and private sector clients in complex civil and commercial litigation as well as administrative trials, including appeals.
Board certified in City, County, and Local Government since 1997, Elizabeth represents clients in all aspects of local government law, including charters and local governance, regulatory ordinances and codes, municipal and state regulatory compliance issues, procurement and contract negotiation and disputes, premises and general liability matters, public records matters, land use and zoning, environmental permits, election challenges, ethics matters, civil rights litigation, First Amendment and state and federal constitutional law. She also advises on transactional matters including development agreements, leases, marina and dock approvals and issues, federal and state consent agreements and other work involving municipalities and developers.
Elizabeth has represented a broad range of clients including municipal governments, Florida state administrative agencies, law enforcement personnel, a global hotel chain and real estate developers. Serving as chief legal officer for the City of Coral Gables for 16 years, she oversaw the risk management and insurance needs of the city. She served as the city’s chief prosecutor on all code enforcement matters and, during her tenure, tried numerous cases to completion. She also trained personnel in city agencies on code enforcement.
In her free time, Elizabeth enjoys spending time outdoors and has hiked through 10 national parks. She is also interested in historical preservation and has assisted in crafting laws to preserve historic districts as well as homes and other buildings.