Bonnie Miskel, Ele Zachariades and Christina Bilenki
Law Firm
Dunay, Miskel and Backman, LLP is a Boca Raton-based boutique land use and real estate firm that handles large land use and zoning cases in Broward and Palm Beach County. The firm represents an array of clients from individual residential homeowners to large national companies. The firm focuses on the acquisition or sale of large and small properties and the entitlement of those properties for commercial and residential purposes.
Having left a large firm in 2008, Bonnie Miskel wanted to combine a big firm’s experience with a smaller boutique firm’s service. While the firm has grown over the past 15 years, it continues to provide the service and attention of a smaller firm.
“We have a great team,” says Miskel. The team — now 10 lawyers, 5 legal assistants and 3 land planners — provides clients with quality service, representation and attention. “Our team is our work family. We not only enjoy what we do, but the clients that we are representing.”
The firm is selective about its caseload. Typically, their projects add value to the community. “We seek cases that are interesting and beneficial to the community.”
Miskel says that the firm takes a slightly different approach to practicing law — one that’s more holistic. “We don’t approach it as though our clients are necessarily entitled to what they’re asking for. Rather we strive to show that their projects are worthy of approval and meet the requirements for getting such an approval. We believe that you must demonstrate why it’s a good decision for a community to have these developments.” They conduct extensive community outreach to ensure that everyone is informed of what we are seeking.
“We advocate for our client in a sensitive and collaborative way — not adversarial.” Those efforts are why she loves her job. “At a project’s end, we may not have satisfied all surrounding neighbors, but know that we’ve worked with the community to deliver what was promised and ultimately approved.”
Miskel has been practicing land use, zoning and regulatory law for 32 years. Previously, she worked with one of the largest law firms in Broward County. A mother of three, she lives in Boca Raton with her husband.
Dunay, Miskel & Backman LLP, 14 S.E. 4th St., Ste. 36, Boca Raton, 561-405-3300, dmbblaw.com
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