Miguel A. De Grandy

Miguel De Grandy is a partner in Holland & Knight's Miami office and the practice group leader for the South Florida Government Advocacy and Development Group. Mr. De Grandy practices in the area of litigation and dispute resolution with particular emphasis on governmental, administrative, land use and procurement law.

Mr. De Grandy has an in-depth understanding of the governmental, regulatory and administrative processes in the state of Florida as a result of serving as a member of the Florida House of Representatives from 1989-1994, including being the ranking member of the Judiciary Committee and chairman of the Cuban-American Caucus of State Legislators from 1992-1993. Mr. De Grandy has spearheaded significant legislation, including the Rosewood Claims Bill that recognized the losses suffered by the residents of a small town in Levy County, Florida, due to racial violence in the 1920s, and was rated in the top 10 percent of Florida legislators for four consecutive years by the Miami Herald.

Mr. De Grandy represents clients before governmental, administrative and regulatory agencies at all levels on a variety of matters as well as related litigation before administrative bodies and the courts. For governmental and private entities, he also counsels on redistricting, complex annexation and incorporation issues. Mr. De Grandy has represented clients in some of the largest public procurement processes in Miami-Dade County and has litigated some of the most complex bid protests both locally and at the state level. He has also represented clients in judicial appellate proceedings resulting from bid protests. Routinely, Mr. De Grandy helps to guide his clients through the regulatory issues that affect their business interests.

With more than four decades in the practice of law, and having served as lead counsel in scores of civil and administrative trials, Mr. De Grandy is well versed in high-profile trials and highly contested matters. He has also served in several capacities in disputes dealing with redistricting and the Federal Voting Rights Act. In 1992, while serving as a member of the Florida House of Representatives, Mr. De Grandy became lead plaintiff and co-counsel in De Grandy, et al v. Wetherell, a Federal Voting Rights Act action against the Florida legislature. The successful challenge to the legislature's redistricting plan resulted in creating several Black American majority districts in Florida's congressional delegation. Consequently, for the first time in 100 years, Florida elected three Black Americans to Congress, and doubled Florida's Hispanic representation. Ten years later, during the 2000-2002 redistricting cycle, Mr. De Grandy was appointed by the speaker of the Florida House of Representatives as lead special counsel on redistricting. He managed a dream team of lawyers that successfully guided the House through the redistricting process and was lead counsel for the House in subsequent litigation, successfully defending the legislature in the federal suit challenging the enacted Redistricting Plan.

Media Coverage

• Law360, "Ethics Claim Dismissed Over Beckham's Miami Stadium Plan," March 13, 2019
• Daily Business Review, "Does Miami-Dade's Living Wage Ordinance Apply to Airport Contractors? Appeal Court Says No," February 15, 2019
• Law360, "Miami-Dade Wage Ordinance Doesn't Apply to Airline Servicer," February 14, 2019
• Daily Business Review, "Big Law Partner Saves the Music by Relocating Iconic Miami Festival," November 21, 2018
• Law360, "Deja Vu: Recount Veterans Back at It in Florida," November 15, 2018
• Fox News - Ingraham Angle, "Florida Recount Expert on 'Troubling' Voting Irregularities," November 12, 2018
• Daily Business Review, "Big Law Mustering for Suit Over Florida Recount in Race Between Rick Scott and Bill Nelson," November 9, 2018