Paul E. Rosenthal is a retired partner with Foley & Lardner LLP. As a member of the firm’s Real Estate Practice, he practiced in the areas of real estate acquisition and sales, zoning and land-use regulatory matters, local government and municipal law, and real estate financing. He has extensive experience in land development and municipal law, negotiating and preparing purchase and sale agreements in real estate transactions for individuals, businesses, and public companies. This work frequently involved review of land titles and surveys, and advising clients with respect to zoning, concurrency and comprehensive planning issues, and representation before government agencies. Paul also served as title agent for various title companies and issued title insurance commitments and policies in connection therewith.
Paul also represented home builders in connection with real estate acquisitions and sales, land development matters, and the formation of homeowner associations.
The representation of governmental entities was a significant part of Paul’s practice. He has served as city attorney for the City of Ocoee since 1988. Paul served as assistant city attorney for the City of Orlando and was later appointed the chief assistant to the mayor and city council. While Foley & Lardner was board counsel for the St. Johns River Water Management District, Paul handled all district real estate acquisitions. Subsequently, Paul represented the district as special counsel for land acquisition related to the Lake Apopka Restoration Project.
Paul has applied his governmental experience to the effective representation of real estate developers. Illustrating the type of legal matters entrusted to him, he has represented clients in connection with the real estate due diligence for the acquisition of a major theme park, the purchase by a national franchisor of multiple locations of one of its franchisees, and the disposition of a $100 million multistate real estate portfolio. He has also represented national and local clients in the sale and disposition of lands for commercial and residential developments, including developments of regional impact.
Paul served on the board of directors of Goodwill Industries of Central Florida from 1996 to 2002, including a term as treasurer of the organization. He was also appointed by the governor as a member and eventually chair of the Ninth Judicial Circuit Nominating Commission. Paul has also been active in his college fraternity and has served on its International Board of Directors.
Paul is a graduate of the University of Florida, where he received his law degree, with honors, in 1976 and his bachelor’s degree in political science, with high honors, in 1973. While in college, Paul served as president of Omicron Delta Kappa, captain of the Debate Team, secretary of Florida Blue Key, and president of Delta Upsilon Fraternity.
Paul has been Peer Review Rated as AV® Preeminent™, the highest performance rating in Martindale-Hubbell’s peer review rating system and was selected by his peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® in the field of real estate law. In 2005, he was recognized as one of Florida’s Legal Elite™ by Florida Trend magazine, and was selected for inclusion in the 2006 – 2013 Florida Super Lawyers® lists.