Bio
Gerald T. Buhr, practicing through his firm Gerald T. Buhr, P.A., serves as Of Counsel to DarrowEverett. A Florida Bar-certified specialist in city, county, and local government law, Jerry also focuses his practice on environmental law, land use and water law, lobbying, mediation, and administrative law. He currently serves as City Attorney for the Town of Zolfo Springs, Florida, and the cities of Avon Park, Bowling Green, and San Antonio, Florida. Jerry also serves as code enforcement magistrate for the City of Anna Maria, Florida, and represents city utilities and several private, nonprofit utilities.
Jerry has extensive experience advising on environmental enforcement actions, permitting, licensing, contracts, and utility construction projects. He has drafted, reviewed, and analyzed numerous ordinances and agreements relating to utility rates and developer matters. In addition, he has represented both private and governmental clients before the Florida Legislature, including drafting and lobbying for the bill that became Section 403.0882, Florida Statutes, which significantly enhanced the regulation of small reverse osmosis water treatment facilities. Jerry has represented utilities in acquisitions and sales, developer agreements, and territorial disputes.
Prior Experience
Before joining DarrowEverett—and even before becoming an attorney—Jerry served as executive vice president for a group of private Florida water and wastewater utilities and was a part-owner of a utility in Lantana, Florida. His utility industry experience dates back to 1973, and he has held the highest level of certification (“A”) in both water and wastewater treatment plant operations. He has also been a featured speaker at numerous seminars on water and wastewater law, including programs for the University of Florida TREEO Center and the Florida Rural Water Association.
Accolades
- AV Preeminent Rated from Martindale-Hubbell
- Tampa Bay Top Lawyers honoree (2012), Tampa Bay Magazine
- Town of Zolfo Springs named its City Hall & Civic Center the “Gerald T. Buhr Building” in 2004
- Past Keynote Speaker for Florida Rural Water Association’s Annual Conference
- Water Environment Federation’s (WEF) “Quarter Century Operator”, 2002
- Pro Bono Attorney of the Year, Hillsborough Guardian Ad Litem Program, 1996
Practice Areas
- Government Law and Litigation
- Utilities Law and Litigation
- Environmental
- Regulatory & Compliance
- Administrative Law
- Land Use and Water Law
- Lobbying
- Mediation
Bar Admissions
- Florida
- U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit
Education
- Stetson University College of Law, J.D., honors
- University of South Florida, B.A., Finance
Involvement
- The Florida Bar — Environmental and Land Use Section, Local Government Sections)
- Florida League of Cities
- Florida Municipal Attorneys Association
- Monthly Legal Environmental Column for the Florida Water Resources Journal
- American Water Works Association, Life Member
- Florida Water and Pollution Control Operators Association
- Florida Rural Water Association
Representative Matters
- Lead attorney in federal 42 USC 1983 and inverse condemnation lawsuit against a Florida county for intrusion into private utility’s service territory, prevailing as to both claims, providing client with recovery of large, valuable service territory, damages, and attorney fees. The jury also granted punitive damages, but they were disallowed due to sovereign immunity.
- Represented mobile home park against demand by a Florida county to disconnect their working wastewater treatment plant and connect to a newly installed county wastewater pipeline and pay substantial connection fees. County withdrew demand after providing them with draft 42 USC 1983 lawsuit pleadings.
- Represented municipal client in case where commissioners who had resigned sought to revoke resignation and regain seat against newly elected commissioners, obtaining and preserving injunction against such actions.
- Represented a homeowner who had suffered from numerous sewage overflows in their home and on their property by a county wastewater pipeline system that had accepted too many additional connections to maintain safe flow. Notified county of intent to file inverse condemnation claim, and county purchased the home at fair market value.
- Represented nonprofit utility that had been notified by an adjacent city that it intended to take a portion of their water service territory for their own use. Notified the city of intent to file suit under federal statute protecting utility territories when under federal grant program, and city withdrew its demand we worked with the city and utility to negotiate mutually agreeable future territorial expansion areas.