Holland & Knight’s Miguel De Grandy Elected Chair of Miami-Dade Domestic Violence Oversight Board

MIAMI (February 12, 2018) – Miguel De Grandy, a partner with Holland & Knight and former member of the Florida House of Representatives, was unanimously elected by his peers as chairman of the Miami-Dade County Domestic Violence Oversight Board. The election took place on Jan. 25.

As a legislator, De Grandy sponsored a proposal which guaranteed that 15 percent of the one-penny tax on restaurants in Miami-Dade County be dedicated exclusively to augment the capacity of domestic violence shelters and services for domestic violence victims.

In furtherance of this legislation, Miami-Dade County created the Domestic Violence Oversight Board in 2004. De Grandy was appointed to the board and became its founding chairman. He retired from the board in 2006, after the site selection for the first domestic violence shelter to be funded with this revenue source was completed. Recently, efforts by third parties to divert this funding source for other purposes led De Grandy to seek reappointment to the board.

To date, the funding source secured by De Grandy has produced over $42 million dollars, which has been used for construction of two domestic violence shelters and provided a comprehensive range of services to victims of domestic violence. More than 5,600 women and children have sought refuge and have been provided shelter and comprehensive support services in the facilities funded by this revenue stream. 

De Grandy currently serves as the head of Holland & Knight's South Florida Government Advocacy and Development Group. He practices in the area of litigation and dispute resolution with particular emphasis on governmental, administrative, land use and procurement law. He served as a member of the Florida House of Representatives from 1989 to 1994.