Overview
Robert Hosay is a partner and business lawyer with Foley & Lardner LLP. He co-chairs the firm’s State and Local Public Affairs Practice and chairs the Florida Government & Public Policy Practice. Robert’s practice is focused on assisting clients who conduct business in the public sector. His practice helps clients develop, acquire and/or manage business in the government sector. His clientele is as varied as the products and services they market to government agencies, but is weighted heavily in technology and government operations contracting.
Robert partners with his clients by helping them to interpret the needs and opportunities within government agencies, assisting with all steps of the acquisition process, advising on contract management issues, counseling his clients regarding contract awards and litigation of contract disputes, and counseling regarding public records and open meetings laws. His work in this area often includes regulatory compliance and contract compliance matters.
Robert represents clients who are regulated by government and need counsel with significant experience in administrative law. He assists clients in every aspect of representation before state agencies. He often appears in administrative proceedings at the Division of Administrative Hearings as well as negotiates agreements with state agencies.
Robert had extensive government experience prior to joining Foley. He was appointed secretary of the Florida Department of Management Services (DMS) by Governor Jeb Bush after serving in several leadership roles at DMS. During Robert’s tenure at DMS, he was responsible for several key areas of operations, including the state of Florida’s procurement policies and practices; technology policy and programs; employee health plans and insurance products; retirement programs; real estate management; fleet management; and building construction and operations. He was instrumental in developing new state procurement policies via the legislative process during his tenure as state purchasing director. In addition, Robert served as the director of State Purchasing, which is responsible for overseeing the State’s purchasing policies, procedures, and state term contracts.
Recognition
Robert has been identified and selected multiple years as Florida Trend Legal Elite for his work in government & public policy.
Presentations and Publications
- Featured in Influence Magazine's cover article “Lobbying Avengers” (Winter 2016)
- Featured author among six leading government contract lawyers in Inside the Minds: The Impact of Recent Changes in Government Contracts (Aspatore Books, 2010)
- Authored chapter “The Future of the 'Most Favored Nation' Clause in Government Contracts and the Growing Compliance Nightmare” for Inside the Minds: Government Contracts Compliance (Aspatore Books, 2012)
Affiliations
Robert served as the chair of The Florida Bar’s Administrative Law Section and currently serves on the executive board. He served two terms on the board of directors of the Florida Engineers Management Corporation, which provides administrative, investigative, and prosecutorial services to the Florida Board of Professional Engineers. Robert also served in a leadership role on the Florida Tax Watch Privatization and Outsourcing Tax Force, where the goal was to strengthen Florida’s acquisition process.
Community Engagement
Robert volunteers and serves on the board of directors of the Good Samaritan Network, Inc., which is a faith based organization working to help homeless women and children in the north-Florida area by offering a transitional home known as the Chelsea House. Robert also serves as a director of a local nonprofit youth soccer club, which was the first U.S. club to partner with the English Premier League team, Tottenham Hotspur.
Education
Robert received his bachelor’s degrees from Valdosta State University and his Juris Doctorate degree from Florida State University College of Law in 1999. He served as articles editor and associate editor for the Florida State University Law Review and served as a judicial intern clerk to Justice Ben F. Overton of the Florida Supreme Court.
Admissions
Robert is admitted to practice in Florida.