Kent Safriet is a partner with Holtzman Vogel. From arguing before the U.S. Supreme Court to small claims matters, Kent has represented clients in a wide variety of forums.  His experience in both trial and appellate courts is diverse and varied: from assisting local Florida clients relating to beach and coastal issues, private property rights, takings, contract disputes, business litigation, and class action defense, to challenging federal halibut fishing regulations in Alaska. Kent assists clients in a variety of trial or appellate cases. His goal is to use his experience to bring a fresh voice and perspective to every case.

Representative Matters

  • Argued seminal property rights takings case before the United States Supreme Court, “Stop the Beach Renourishment, Inc. v. Fla. Department of Environmental Protection”, No. 08-1151 (argued December 2, 2009).
  • Represents clients in civil litigation and appeals before State and federal courts.
  • Obtained a verdict of $4.4 million after an eight-day trial on behalf of a client suing a biomass electric plant for breach of contract.
  • Obtained a verdict of $741,496 after a seven-day jury trial for a client against the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Forestry for gross negligence in conducting a prescribed burn.
  • Represents private landowners pursuing claims under the Bert J. Harris, Jr., Private Property Rights Protection Act, §70.001, Fla. Stat.
  • Represents clients before local governments seeking land use and development approvals.
  • Represents telecommunication clients seeking land use approvals for towers and facilities.
  • Represents clients before the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission on endangered species / manatee issues.
  • Represents clients before the Florida Department of Environmental Protection on beach and coastal issues.

Representative Published Decisions

  • US: Stop the Beach Renourishment v. Florida Dept of Environmental Protection, 130 S. Ct. 2592 (2010)
  • 4th Cir: American Whitewater v. Tidwell, 70 F. 3d 1108 (2014)
  • D.C: Charter Operators of Alaska v. Blank, 844 F. Supp 2d 122 (2012)
  • N.D. Fla: Democratic Senatorial Campaign Comm. v. Detzner, 347 F. Supp 3d 1033 (2018)
  • M.D. Fla: Grand Palisades Loan Holdings LLC v. Lake Austin Props. I, Ltd, 2014 US Dist LEXIS 192520
  • S.D. Fla: St. Andrews Park, Inc. v. US Dept of the Army Corps of Engineers, 314 F. Supp 2d. 1238 (2004)
  • S.D. Fla: St. Andrews Park, Inc. v. US Dept of the Army Corps of Engineers, 299 F. Supp. 2d. 1264 (2003)
  • Fla: Hardee Cnty v. FINR II, Inc., 221 So 3d 1162 (2017)
  • Fla: Bainter v. League of Women Voters of Fla, 150 So. 3d 1115 (2014)
  • Fla: League of Women Voters of Fla. v. Data Targeting, Inc., 140 So. 3d 510 (2014)
  • Fla: Donovan v. Okaloosa County, 82 So. 3d 801 (2012)
  • Fla: Walton County v. Stop the Beach Renourishment, Inc., 998 So. 2d 1102 (2008)
  • Fla. 1st DCA: Non-Parties v. League of Women Voters of Fla., 150 So. 3d 221 (2014)
  • Fla. 1st DCA: Department of Agric & Consumer Servs., Forestry Div. v. Shuler, 139 So. 3d 914 (2014)
  • Fla. 1st DCA: Board of Trustees of Internal Improvement Trust Fund v. Walton County, 121 So. 3d 1166 (2013)
  • Fla. 1st DCA: Jetty E. Condo Ass’n v. United States Army Corps of Eng’rs, 45 So. 3d 465 (2010)
  • Fla. 1st DCA: Cherry v. City of Destin, 956 So 2d 459 (2007)
  • Fla. 1st DCA: Save Our Beaches, Inc. v. Florida Dept of Environmental Protection, 27 So. 3d 48 (2006)
  • Fla. 2d DCA: Rehill v. Manatee County, 49 So. 3d 759 (2010)
  • Fla. 2d DCA: Collier County Board of County Comms v. Fish and Wildlife Conservation Comm., 993 So. 2d 69 (2008)
  • Fla. 3d DCA: Royal World Metropolitan, Inc. v. City of Miami Beach, 863 So. 2d 320 (2003)
  • Fla. 5th DCA: Pantry, Inc. v. Mijax Manager, LLC, 2020 Fla. App. LEXIS 18678
  • Fla. 5th DCA: Louis De Favero Orchids, Inc. v. Fla. Dept. of Health, 290 So. 3d 464 (2020)
  • The Florida Bar, Member of Environmental and Land Use Law Section
  • William H. Stafford Inn of Courts, Alumni Member
  • Leon County Teen Court Volunteer
  • Best Lawyers in America, for Litigation – Land Use & Zoning Law, 2016-2024 
  • Florida Super Lawyers, 2014, 2016-2023
  • Florida Super Lawyers, Rising Star, 2009, 2011-2013 
  • Florida Trend Magazine, Legal Elite, 2022
  • Miguel Collazo, III and D. Kent Safriet, “When Fire Breaks Out” Recognizing the Inherently Dangerous Activity of Prescribed Burning in Florida,” University of Florida Journal of Law and Public Policy, Vol 26, No. 1 (April 2015).
  • "Returning to Pre-Hurricane Status: What Does the United States Supreme Court’s Ruling in Stop the Beach Forecast for Litigants Seeking to Protect Private Property Rights?", 61 Syracuse L. Rev. 261, 2011 (co-author).

Related Practice Areas
  • University of South Carolina, J.D., 1999
    • South Carolina Law Review, publications editor
  • Clemson University, B.S., 1995, Aquaculture, Fisheries and Wildlife Biology
  • The Florida Bar
  • South Carolina Bar
  • District of Columbia Bar
  • U.S. Court of Appeals (Eleventh Circuit)
  • U.S. District Court (Northern District of Florida, Middle District of Florida, Southern District of Florida, District of Columbia)
  • U.S. Supreme Court
Kent Safriet