Rick Geller has represented public and private clients in litigation for 25 years. Rick has litigated and gone to trial on a wide variety of issues, including allegations of fraud, breach of contract, breach of public and private construction contracts, breach of fiduciary duty, breach of trust, interference with business relations, deceptive and unfair trade practices, unfair debt collections, and civil racketeering. Rick has represented employers pursuing actions against former employees who have violated covenants not to compete, or who have violated confidentiality agreements. Rick has also defended architects and attorneys against claims of professional liability. Complex transactions often underlie these cases. Rick also handles appeals.
Rick has represented a diverse mix of businesses, including automobile auctions, automobile dealerships, banks, insurance institutions, pest control companies, rental car companies, medical practices, and resorts.
In the area of municipal and local government law, Rick has handled quasi-judicial and court proceedings involving construction defects and delays, cell tower denials, code enforcement appeals, competitive bid challenges, public contracts, billboard location denials, as well as zoning and comprehensive plan amendments. Rick monitors litigation conducted by insurance counsel for the firm’s municipal clients and will assume the defense when insurance coverage is not available.
Rick will selectively represent clients in the land use entitlement process. He was an adjunct professor, teaching Land Use Law in the Rollins College Master of Planning in Civic Urbanism program, where he taught cutting-edge form-based urban zoning codes. Rick served as an Orange County planning and zoning commissioner (2009-2012), where he helped shape myriad county ordinances, adjudicated zoning applications, and played a key role in rewriting the Horizon West Village Code. In connection with Fishback Dominick’s role as City Attorney for the City of Winter Garden, Florida, Rick assisted with the writing of the City’s downtown historic district code. He has also drafted ordinances regulating telecommunications, sign codes, a zoning overlay district, and establishing MSBUs to clean-up and maintain lakes.
Earlier in his career, Rick’s practice included defending businesses and quasi-governmental entities against claims of civil rights violations. He has litigated a myriad of alleged constitutional violations, including First Amendment, unlawful search and seizure, equal protection, and due process claims. He has also defended clients against allegations of discrimination based on pregnancy and the Americans with Disabilities Act.
PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES
Adjunct Professor teaching Land Use Law, Rollins College (Master of Planning in Civic Urbanism program) Winter Park, Florida (2011 – 2014)
· Speaker, “A Cycle Track for Winter Park” at the Florida Summit of the Congress for the New Urbanism, Sarasota, FL (Jan. 2014)
· Speaker, “Walkable Thoroughfares: Incorporating an ITE Recommended Practice in FDOT Standards,” at the Florida Statewide Conference of the Institute of Transportation Engineers, Naples, Florida (June 2011)
· Speaker, “Complete Streets: How do we Convince the Florida Legislature?” at the Florida Statewide Conference of the Congress for the New Urbanism, Seaside, Florida (January 2011)
· Guest participant, “What’s the Verdict?–A Mock Trial” on the topic of record documentation at the National Conference of the American Orthotic and Prosthetic Association, Hollywood, Florida
· Speaker, “Avoiding Toxic Tort Claims and Litigation,” Florida Pest Management Association, Gainesville, Florida
