Heather M. Ramos Attorney At Law

Heather is a shareholder based in the Orlando office. She focuses on all aspects of state and local government law, such as land use law, Florida's Public Records and Open Meeting Law, ethics and gift laws, Sunshine Law, public records law, taxation and finance, utility law, constitutional law, administrative law, and litigation. She assists clients with issues relating to annexation, land use and zoning changes, real estate acquisitions and sales, real estate financing and legislative and governmental affairs on both local and state levels.

Heather's experience involves the representation of private and public entities in the development of commercial, residential and mixed-use projects in all phases of development. She helps landowners obtain all forms of local government approvals, ranging from zoning and comprehensive plan amendments, special exceptions, variances and conditional use permits to the negotiation of development agreements, development orders and annexation agreements. Heather’s experience involves planned unit developments, subdivision plats, annexation agreements, vested rights, impact fees, utility agreements, concurrency, transportation mitigation, road construction agreements, wetlands mitigation and permitting, and many other aspects of land use and real estate development.

For the private sector, Heather typically assists clients throughout the entire development process, beginning with the site selection, contract negotiation, due diligence, land acquisition, and continuing with the procurement of land use approvals and entitlements.

For the public sector, Heather is the town attorney for Howey-in-the-Hills and the assistant town attorney for Windermere.  She is assistant general counsel to Space Florida, the state agency responsible for developing commercial aerospace industries in Florida.  She is the assistant lead counsel for the Orange County Library District and assistant counsel to the Orange County and Seminole County Property Appraiser.

Heather has served as special counsel to several hospital districts regarding Sunshine Law, ethics, gift law, financial disclosure rules and public records law.  She has assisted in the establishment of community redevelopment agencies and other local government financing mechanisms.

• Background

  Heather was born in Washington, D.C., and raised in Melbourne, Florida. After attending the University of Central Florida and receiving her bachelor's degree in accounting, Heather enrolled in Stetson University College of Law with a scholarship. She graduated cum laude and received her juris doctor from Stetson in May 2002.

• Education
  • University of Central Florida, B.A. accounting (honors, 1999 )
  • Stetson University College of Law, J.D. (top 10%, cum laude, 2002)
    • Moot Court, Board Member
    • Florida Association for Women Lawyers, Member
• Admissions
  • Florida
• Professional Associations and Memberships
  • The Florida Bar
    • Local Government Law Section
    • Environmental and Land Use Section
  • Orange County Bar
    • Environmental and Land Use Committee, Co-Chair, 2004-2005
• Awards and Recognitions
  • AV Preeminent® rated by Martindale-Hubbell
  • Best Lawyers in America, Land Use and Zoning Law, 2020-2023
  • Florida Trend "Legal Elite", "Up and Comers", 2009
  • Florida Super Lawyers, "Rising Star," 2009, 2011
  • Orlando Magazine, Best Lawyers, 2021
• Civic
  • Habitat for Humanity of Seminole County and Greater Apopka, Board of Directors, 2013-present
  • Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Board of Directors, 2004-2011
  • Orlando Regional Chamber of Commerce, Board Member, Leadership Alumni, 2006-2008
  • Orlando Regional Chamber of Commerce, Vice Chair Membership, Executive Committee, Leadership Alumni, 2006
  • Tiger Bay Club, Membership Committee, Member, 2005-2007
  • Florida Hospital Cancer Institute, Board Member, 2004-2007
  • Leadership Orlando, Graduate, Class 63, 2004
  • League of Women Voters, Board Member, 2003-2005
• Presentations and Seminars
  • Moderator, "Restoring Bilateral Trade Between Canada and Florida," GrayRobinson Webinar, March 11, 2021