Overview

Pedro Gassant is a Miami governmental advocacy and development attorney who focuses his practice on land use, zoning and procurement matters. Specifically, Mr. Gassant handles Comprehensive Development Master Plan (CDMP) amendments, zoning district boundary changes, variance applications, Environmental Quality Control Board applications concerning septic tank and diesel fuel variances and approvals of sewage treatment package plants, and other matters in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach Counties.

As an undergraduate at Florida State University, Mr. Gassant was elected president of the Black Student Union and founded the East Gadsden Initiative, which implemented programs to assist students in preparing for the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test. He was also initiated into the Chi Theta Chapter of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc. and was recognized as the Humanitarian of the Year by Florida State University.

Mr. Gassant attended law school at the University of Pennsylvania. While there, he served as an editor of the Journal of International Law and helped develop a program teaching Kenyans their rights under the 2010 Kenyan Constitution. In spring 2011, Mr. Gassant traveled to Mombasa, Kenya, and helped teach the same program to women living in the Mtongwe community.

Mr. Gassant's representative engagements include:

  • As lead counsel, obtained approval for a sewage treatment package plant outside of the urban development boundary
  • As lead counsel, obtained land use and zoning approval for one of the first horizontally mixed-use projects in the City of Florida City
  • As lead counsel, obtained approval for the first 100 percent committed and restricted workforce housing development in Miami-Dade County
  • As lead counsel, obtained approval for 264 multifamily units in Miami-Dade County on a former industrial site
  • As lead counsel, obtained approval of the first modern ready-mix facility in the city of Miami Gardens
  • As lead counsel, negotiated numerous agreements concerning the purchase of Severable Use Rights (SURs) for utilization in development
  • As lead counsel, obtained approval for over 2.5 million square feet of industrial space in the town of Medley, Florida
  • As lead counsel, obtained approval for 323 townhome units in the City of Florida City
  • As lead counsel, obtained approval for 150 single-family homes in the City of Florida City
  • As lead counsel, successfully defended a client against code enforcement proceedings, which sought in excess of $160,000 in code enforcement fines
  • As co-counsel, obtained approval for several premier convenience store and service stations in Miami-Dade County
  • As co-counsel, obtained approval for the rezoning of property that allowed for the development of 1,170 multifamily units in unincorporated Miami-Dade County
  • As co-counsel, obtained approval for the first stand-alone electronic commercial billboard in Miami-Dade County

Credentials

Education
  • University of Pennsylvania Law School, J.D.
  • University of Pennsylvania, Certificate, Business Economics and Public Policy, Wharton School of Business
  • Florida State University, B.A., with honors
Bar Admissions/Licenses
  • Florida
Court Admissions
  • U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida
  • U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida
Memberships
  • United Way of Miami-Dade Young Leaders, Executive Committee
  • Haitian Lawyers Association, President, 2018
  • Haitian Lawyers Association, Vice President, 2016
  • Haitian-Americans for Progress, Board of Directors, 2015
Honors & Awards
  • The Legal 500 USA, Real Estate – Land Use/Zoning, 2022
  • The Best Lawyers in America guide, Miami Land Use and Zoning Law Ones to Watch, 2022, 2023; Miami Real Estate Law, 2023
  • Leadership Florida Connect Class 11, 2020-2021
  • Holland & Knight Emerging Leader, Class of 2019
  • Daily Business Review Professional Excellence Award, On the Rise Honoree, 2018
  • 40 Under 40 Black Leaders of Today and Tomorrow, Legacy Miami, 2017
  • Top 20 Under 40 Young Professionals, Haitian American Chamber of Commerce, 2017 
  • Leadership Miami, Class XXXVII, Best Team Project, 2016
  • Holland & Knight Public and Charitable Service All-Star, 2014
  • Humanitarian of the Year, Florida State University, 2009
Spoken Languages
  • English
  • Haitian Creole

Publications

News