Byron Flagg Attorney At Law

Highly experienced land use attorney in North Central Florida. Dedicated to delivering exceptional client service.

Byron counsels landowners, business entities, individuals, and local governments on land use, zoning, environmental, regulatory, conservation, and real estate issues. Although having a statewide practice, he is focused on North Central Florida, based in GrayRobinson’s Gainesville office, his hometown. Byron has additional experience as outside counsel to several Florida municipalities and nonprofit organizations, advising on a variety of land use and coastal-related issues across the state of Florida.

For more than 15 years, Byron has advocated for his clients in all types of forums. He previously served as an assistant general counsel for the St. Johns River Water Management District handling Environmental Resource Permit matters, and as a felony assistant state attorney in the Eighth Judicial Circuit handling numerous jury trials. He has litigated criminal and civil jury trials, as well as a range of administrative hearings involving environmental, land use, property appraiser, and code enforcement issues. More recently, Byron served in a unique role as conservation land negotiator for Alachua County’s Office of Land Conservation and Management where he assisted in the administration of Alachua County’s taxpayer-funded land acquisition program Alachua County Forever.

• Notable Work
  • Lead negotiator for Alachua County’s purchase of over 12,000 acres of publicly-owned conservation land and conservation easements
• Recognition
  • Bill Sadowski Memorial Public Service Award, The Florida Bar Environmental and Land Use Law Section, 2022
  • Florida Trend Legal Elite, 2017-present
• Insights
  • “Florida’s Derelict Vessel Law: Reducing Flotsam and Jetsam in State and Local Waters,” Florida Bar CLE Course, April 28, 2022
  • "Florida's Conservation Easement Legal Framework, Proprietary, and Regulatory Conservation Easements," Florida Bar CLE Course, March 18, 2021
  • "Legal Basics of Impact Fees," Growth & Infrastructure Consortium Conference, 2019
  • Co-Author, “Boating, Waterways, and the Rights of Navigation in Florida.” 2019 (2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th editions)
  • "Ethics for Planners, Engineers, and Lawyers," Growth & Infrastructure Consortium Conference, 2018
  • "Water Supply Policy in Florida & The Water-Energy Nexus," MiamiGreen Expo & Conference, 2018
  • "The next wave of due diligence for coastal area properties." Presentation at American Bar Association Symposium, Orlando, May 2018
• Media
  • "Stem to Stern," University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Blog, March 28, 2024
  • "November 1, 2022 On the Move," The Florida Bar, October 31, 2022
  • "Personnel File --- People on the Move, October 11, 2022," The News Service of Florida, October 11, 2022
• Affiliations
  • Eighth Judicial Circuit Bar Association
  • The Florida Bar
    • Administrative Law Section
    • City, County, and Local Government Law Section
    • Environmental and Land Use Law Section, Executive Council Member
    • Real Estate, Probate and Trust Law Section
  • Community Weatherization Coalition, Board Member
  • Growth & Infrastructure Consortium, Vice-Chair; Board of Directors
  • Leadership Gainesville, Class 39; Greater Gainesville Chamber of Commerce
  • National Institute of Trial Advocacy, former Faculty Member
• Credentials
  • L.L.M., Environmental and Land Use Law, University of Florida Levin College of Law, 2011
  • J.D., University of Florida Levin College of Law, 2002
  • B.S., University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications, 1994
• Admissions
  • Florida
  • U.S. District Court for the Middle and Southern Districts of Florida
• Military Service
  • U.S. Coast Guard