Roopnarine, Colin

Colin Roopnarine

Colin Roopnarine
Of Counsel

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PRACTICE AREAS:

  • Administrative & Regulatory
  • Government
  • Health Care

BACKGROUND:
Colin was born in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad, West Indies. After moving to the United States and graduating from high school at the age of 16, he attended and graduated from the University of South Florida with a degree in Zoology (minor in Medieval History). He spent two years working in the Master’s program at the University of South Florida and then attended law school at the Florida State University College of Law from which he graduated in 1995.

EXPERIENCE:
Colin’s career began at the Department of Community Affairs, where he specialized in Administrative Law, Land-Use Law and Emergency Management. He worked for the Department of Financial Services where he litigated workers’ compensation cases and served as appellate counsel, arguing before several district courts of appeal. He is an experienced practitioner before the Division of Administrative Hearings in administrative matters. Colin was also a member of the Administrative Judiciary by serving as a Hearing Officer at the Public Employees’ Relations Commission where he presided over labor and employment cases, involving unions and state employees. He also served as the Commission’s Appellate Counsel. In 2011, Colin joined the Department of Business and Professional Regulation as the Deputy General Counsel of Professions, wherein he was also selected to lead DBPR’s Litigation Team as its Chief. While serving as the agency’s Deputy General Counsel Colin organized several CLE programs. In 2013, was appointed by the Governor of the State of Florida to serve as the General Counsel for the State of Florida Office of Financial Regulation. In that capacity he also served as the agency’s Chief Ethics Officer. Most recently he was a Partner at the statewide law firm of Berger Singerman LLP.

Colin is AV® Rated Preeminent by Martindale Hubbell and Florida Bar Board Certified Specialist in State and Federal Government and Administrative Practice. He is an active member of the Executive Committee of the Florida Bar’s Administrative Law Section and is the former Chair of the Board Certification Committee for State and Federal Government and Administrative Practice. He currently serves on the Florida Bar’s Board of Legal Specialization and Education. In 2012, he was appointed to the 2nd Judicial Circuit’s Professionalism Committee. He is also the former President of the Florida General Counsels’ Association, and has been named to Florida Trend magazine's Legal Elite list.

Colin is also a former Adjunct Professor at the Florida State University College of Law where he taught “Depositions” and “Florida Administrative Litigation.”

Colin has represented clients before several state agencies in licensing and regulatory matters including ADA accessibility, cryptocurrencies/ATM’s, financial institutions, Florida Retirement System, general contracting, HVAC, hemp, insurance agents/agencies, investment advisers, medical professionals, medical cannabis, money transmitters, mortgage brokerage and lending, nursing, real estate, revenue audits, securities, underground utility contracting, workers’ compensation compliance/stop-work orders, and many others.

PROFESSIONAL:

  • Board of Legal Specialization & Education of The Florida Bar (2017-Present)
  • Executive Council, Administrative Law Section of The Florida Bar
  • Florida Government General Counsels’ Association (2013-Present) (President 2015-2016)
  • Board Certification in State and Federal Government and Administrative Practice (SFGAP) (2007-Present)
  • SFGAP Board Certification Committee (2013-2017) (Chair 2016-2017)
  • Administrative Law Section of The Florida Bar
  • Member, Florida Bankers Association (FBA) (2016-2020)
  • Tallahassee Bar Association – 2010-2011
  • Labor and Employment Law Section of The Florida Bar - Long Range Planning Committee (2010-2011)
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
  • Administrative Law Section of The Florida Bar - CLE Committee (2012-Present)
  • Second Judicial Circuit Professionalism Panel (2012-Present)
  • Florida Trend, “Legal Elite” 2014 – 2018
  • 850 Magazine, Recognition for Board Certification 2014

COMMUNITY:

  • Maclay High School Mock Trial Team Attorney Coach (2011-2016)
  • Florida Elite Soccer Academy U15 Boys’ Premier Head Soccer Coach (2017-2021)
  • Tallahassee Tottenham Hotspur Football Club Youth Soccer Coach (2016)
  • Top of Florida Youth Soccer Coach (2015-2016)
  • ASG/Warner Youth Soccer Coach (2015)
  • Tallahassee Parks and Rec. Youth Soccer Coach (2012-2015) YMCA Youth Soccer Coach (2013)
  • Capital Soccer Association Coach/Assistant Coach (2010-2012)
  • Boy Scouts of America - Pack 109 Tiger Cub Leader (2011-2012) - Pack 112 Cub Scout Parent Assistant/ Co-Den Leader (2012-2016)
  • Rotary Club of Tallahassee (2015-2020)
  • Salvation Army Bell Ringer (2015 and 2012)
  • Shriners International (2009-2017)

IN THE NEWS:

PUBLICATIONS:

EVENTS AND SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS:

  • "Brokering the Disputes: Evidentiary Issues in Administrative Hearings," Pat Dore Conference (October 2021)
  • Pat Dore Conference Speaker (2016)
  • Moderator – “The Road Ahead – Advising Financial Institutions About Transacting With State-Legal Marijuana Businesses.” (July 2014)
  • Moderator – “Tribal Ownership of a State-Chartered Bank With A Perspective On Tribal Sovereign Immunity” (June 2014)
  • “Overview of Florida’s Office of Financial Regulation” – Florida Bar CLE (June 2014)
  • “Management and Leadership Skills” – Florida Office of Financial Regulation (June 2014)
  • “Pro Se Litigants, Difficult Lawyers and Uncooperative Witnesses” and “Pre-Trial Conferences and Stipulations”– Interactive Trial Skills at DOAH CLE (May 2014)
  • “Business and Professional Etiquette” - Florida State University College of Law (Spring 2014)
  • “Leadership Skills” – Florida Department of Financial Services’ Leadership Excellence Training Program (December 2013)
  • “Statutory Interpretation and Constitutional Challenges” – Short Course in Administrative Litigation CLE (July 2013)
  • “Expert Witnesses” – Florida Bar Webinar CLE (December 2012)
  • “PERC Update” – 36th Annual Public Employment Labor Relations Forum (Co-Chair) (September 2010)
  • “Investigatory Skills; DOAH Practice and Procedure” – Florida Department of Financial Services (2008)

CONTINUING LEGAL EDUCATION:

  • Organizer/Panelist “Interactive Trial Skills at DOAH” (May 2014)
  • Organizer/Panelist “Short Course in Administrative Litigation” (July 2013)
  • CLE Program Organizer/Director for DBPR
  • CLE Webinar – “Deposing the Expert Witness” (December 2012 – Lecturer)
  • Assistant Chair, Presenter and Lecturer for the 36th Annual Public Employment Relations Forum – “PERC Update” (2010)

"DOING BUSINESS IN FLORIDA" BLOGS:

Our Location and Operating HoursFind

Office on the corner of Raymond Diehl Road and Barrington Circle Our Address:
 2022-2 Raymond Diehl Rd.
Tallahassee, FL 32308
 Hours of Operation:
 Mon. to Fri. 9:00am to 5:00pm
Telephone: (850) 385 - 1314

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