Timothy M. Cerio - Attorney at Law

Timothy M. Cerio Attorney At Law

Timothy M. Cerio - Attorney at Law

Of Counsel

tim.cerio@gray-robinson.com

T 850-577-9090
F 850-577-3311
D 850-577-5498
 Tallahassee 301 South Bronough Street Suite 600 Tallahassee, Florida 32301

Practice Areas

Tim focuses his practice on regulatory and health care law; government investigations; administrative law, including representation of clients in quasi-judicial proceedings; and complex litigation in state and federal courts.

Tim has experience serving as a general counsel to both governmental and private entities. In this capacity he has advised chief executives and other members of senior leadership teams, he has managed large teams of in-house lawyers, and he has hired and managed outside counsel to handle sophisticated litigation. Tim also has significant experience advising these entities on regulatory compliance, human resources, procurement, strategic planning, and crisis management issues. Specifically in the public arena, Tim has regularly provided legal counsel to his governmental clients on legislative and budget issues; Sunshine law, public records, and ethics issues; and on issues related to the regulatory and rule-making process.

In 2015, Tim left the firm to serve as general counsel to Florida Governor Rick Scott. As general counsel, Tim was the chief legal advisor to the Governor and the Executive Office of the Governor's legal liaison to all state and local agencies. Tim also served as general counsel of the Florida Department of Health. With over 16,000 employees and a $2.8 billion budget, the Florida Department of Health is responsible for regulating all licensed health care practitioners and delivering public health services throughout the State of Florida. As general counsel, Tim provided advice and counsel to the secretary and other department leaders on legal issues impacting the operation and administration of the Department of Health and managed and supervised the activities of a statewide team of over 75 lawyers under the Office of the General Counsel. Tim was later named chief of staff of the department. As chief of staff, Tim functioned as the chief operations officer for the Department of Health and served as the secretary's primary strategic liaison with the Executive Office of the Governor and other governmental and community partners.

Tim is a member of the Florida Board of Governors of the State University System, the constitutional body charged with overseeing Florida’s twelve public universities. Tim also served on the 2017-2018 Florida Constitution Revision Commission. The Commission is convened once every twenty years for the purpose of reviewing Florida’s constitution and proposing amendments for voter consideration.

  • Background

    Tim was raised in Bradenton, Florida, and received his bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Florida in 1990. During his tenure at the university, Tim was appointed by Governor Lawton Chiles to serve as the student member of the Florida Board of Regents. As a regent, Tim created and chaired the State University System Minority Student Retention Task Force. Additionally, Tim received the Outstanding Male Leader Award for his graduating class, was a member of the Florida Blue Key leadership honorary and was elected to the University of Florida Hall of Fame. Tim earned his juris doctor degree with honors from the University of Florida College of Law in 1995. During law school, Tim was a member of The Florida Law Review. Tim also served as a law clerk to The Honorable Thomas G. Wilson, U.S. Magistrate Judge for the Middle District of Florida.

  • Education
    • University of Florida, B.A. (1990)
      • Florida Blue Key
      • UF Outstanding Male Leader Award
      • University of Florida Hall of Fame
      • Phi Delta Theta Fraternity, President
      • Bill Fleming Memorial Award for Outstanding Service to the University Community
      • Director of Student Lobbying/Government Relations
    • University of Florida College of Law, J.D. (with honors, 1995)
      • The Florida Law Review
  • Admissions
    • Florida
    • U.S. District Court, Northern District of Florida
    • U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida
    • U.S. Court of Federal Claims
    • U.S. Court of Appeals, 11th Circuit
    • U.S. Court of Appeals, Federal Circuit
  • Professional Associations & Memberships
    • The Florida Bar
      • Health Law Section, 2008-present
      • Administrative Law Section, 2008-present
      • Young Lawyers Division Board of Governors, 2001-2002
      • Student Education and Admissions to the Bar Committee, Chair, 2000-2002
    • Hillsborough County Bar Association
      • Young Lawyers Division, President, 2000-2001
      • HCBA Legislative Liaison, 2002-2004
  • Civic
    • State University System Board of Governors, 2017-present
      • Strategic Planning Committee, Chair
      • Audit and Compliance Committee, Past-Chair
      • UCF Presidential Search Committee
      • Florida Talent Development Council
      • Nomination and Governance, Budget and Finance, and Academic and Student Affairs Committees
    • Florida Constitution Revision Commission, 2017-2018
    • James Madison Institute
      • Board of Directors, 2016-present
    • Judicial Nominating Commission, First District Court of Appeal, 2013-2015
    • University of Florida Alumni Association
      • President, 2015-2016
      • Board of Directors, 2007-2017
    • Leadership Florida, Class XXX
    • University of Florida College of Law Alumni Board of Trustees, 2009-present
    • University of Florida College of Law Alumni Council, 1996-2009
      • President, 2005-2006
    • Florida Blue Key Alumni Advisory Board, 2006-present
    • Outstanding Young Alumnus Award, University of Florida, 2006
    • University of Florida Student Affairs Development Board, 2008-2014
    • The Tampa Gator Club, 1995-2003
      • President, 1999-2000
    • Leadership Tampa, Class of 2003
    • Florida Board of Regents, Student Member
      • State University System Minority Retention Task Force, Chair
      • University of Central Florida Presidential Search Committee
  • Awards & Recognitions
    • Florida Trend, Legal Elite, 2015, 2019
    • Florida Super Lawyers, 2014
  • Articles & Publications
    • "Health Care Legislation to Note From 2016 Session," Florida MD, May 2016
  • Presentations & Seminars
    • "Scalia's Seat and Beyond: Judicial Nominations at the Federal and State Levels," The Federalist Society, September 20, 2016
    • "Florida Legislative Update," National Coalition of Pharmaceutical Distributors Annual Meeting, 2010-2014, 2016
  • Media Mentions