Nathan A. Adams, IV is a partner with Holland & Knight's Tallahassee office, practicing in appellate and general litigation and assisting or serving as general counsel for a number of institutions with special emphasis on educational, healthcare and religious institutions. Dr. Adams has briefed and argued dozens of appeals in federal courts nationwide and Florida state courts and advised clients on topics as diverse as First Amendment rights, contractual rights, diversity, restrictive covenants, the economic loss rule, separation of powers, adequacy and uniformity in education, public records, appropriations and the church autonomy doctrine. He has represented small and large Fortune 500 companies, secondary and post-secondary educational institutions, hospitals and religious institutions to include denominations, diocese, churches, synagogues, para-churches and associations.
Dr. Adams has served as counsel for the Executive Office of the Governor, Department of Education, Division of Community Colleges, State Board of Education, Board of Governors, and Center for Law and Religious Freedom. For the State of Florida, he represented the Governor and supervised the general counsel offices of the Governor's agencies in constitutional, education, election, emergency management, ethics and public record matters. He led the Governor's community and faith-based initiative. In addition, he was chief litigation counsel for the Center for Law and Religious Freedom and engaged in trial and appellate litigation on behalf of Religious Institutions, as well as assisted with the enactment of legislation pertaining to education and religious institutions. He serves on the Board of the Florida Education Foundation and as vice-chair of the Education Law Committee of The Florida Bar. His extensive experience with educational, healthcare and religious institutions includes the following:
Educational Institutions
- licensing and accrediting post-secondary institutions and defending adverse licensure actions against educational programs including distance learning programs
- advising post-secondary institutions on compliance with Titles IV, VI, VII, and IX including diversity in admissions and hiring
- representing secondary and post-secondary institutions at all levels of litigation in state and federal courts in constitutional discrimination, intellectual property, and other disputes
- assisting secondary and post-secondary institutions with hiring, advancement, and adverse employment decisions and academic freedom questions
- providing opinion letters regarding the constitutionality of education initiatives
- advising charter schools and assisting them with adverse determinations
- consulting on FERPA compliance and records management
- advising on campus security plans and emergency protocols
- lobbying for public educational reform and on behalf of postsecondary educational institutions
Healthcare Institutions
- licensing and defending adverse licensure actions against healthcare, pharmaceutical, and drug companies
- defending health care institutions and tax districts against constitutional claims.
- assisting with legal opinions relating to acquisitions and mergers of healthcare institutions
Religious Institutions
- structuring domestic and international ministries, mergers, acquisitions, and faith-based contracts
- assisting with legal audits and policies including employee, alternative dispute resolution, personnel, safety, and counseling policies, protocols, and investigations
- representing religious institutions in constitutional, land use and zoning, employment, property, and taxation disputes
- assisting with the establishment and enforcement of intellectual property rights
- reviewing real estate, construction, and personal property contracts and leases
- consulting on tax-exempt bond financing and writing related opinions
- assisting with federal, state, and municipal community and faith-based grant writing and compliance
- assisting with governance and board issues including church property disputes and modifications to bylaws and articles of incorporation