Professional Background:
2005 to 2014 Assistant City Attorney, City of Bonita Springs, Florida.
Together with the City Attorney, represented the City of Bonita Springs, and advised its City Council, and its various boards and agencies, in all aspects of municipal law and local government; was personally involved in preparation of municipal ordinances and policies; on behalf of the city, appeared before the Code Enforcement Hearing Examiner/Special Magistrate and prosecuted all violations of city ordinances, city code enforcement violations, zoning laws, state and local building codes; responsible for litigation involving the city in Circuit Court in both the prosecution and defense of code enforcement lien foreclosure cases; responsible for collections of outstanding code enforcement liens; responsible for reviewing and approving all real estate development plats within the city, including all homeowners’ association documents; worked closely with City Council and staff, including the City Manager and other officials, the city’s Building, Code Enforcement, Public Works, Public Relations and Finance Departments; represented and advised various city boards and agencies. Retired October, 2014.
2004 to present Supreme Court of Florida Qualified Arbitrator
Completed Arbitrator Training under the auspices of the Dispute Resolution Center of the Florida Supreme Court.
2004 to present Certified Mediator, United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida
Certified as a Mediator by the Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida.
2003 to present Certified Circuit Civil Mediator and Certified County Court Mediator
Certified by the Florida Supreme Court as a Circuit Civil Mediator and as a County Court Mediator throughout the State of Florida.
Received Certificate in Circuit Civil Mediation Training, University of South Florida, 2003.
Received Certificate in County Court Mediation Training, University of South Florida, 2003.
Member, Florida Academy of Professional Mediators, Inc.
Member, Association for Conflict Resolution.
Member, Association for Conflict Resolution, Florida Chapter
Mediated Circuit Civil, County Court and Federal cases, and conducted Private Mediations and Arbitrations, pursuant to the consent of the parties and their counsel, in civil matters. Over 40 year’s experience in representing plaintiffs and defendants in personal injury, corporate, business, real estate, municipal law and other cases of all types.
2003 to 2005 Alternate Code Enforcement Hearing Officer (Special Magistrate), City of Bonita Springs, Florida, appointed 2003.
1994 to 2005 Joseph Faerber, Attorney and Counselor at Law
Engaged in private practice of Law, with emphasis upon Personal Injury, Trial Practice, Commercial, Corporate, Real Estate, Home Owners Associations and Condominium Law, Wills, Estates and Probate Law, and Municipal Law, providing legal services for clients in Florida and New York.
1992 to 2003 Deputy Village Attorney, Village of Chestnut Ridge, New York
Chief Prosecuting Attorney for the Village of Chestnut Ridge, prosecuted all violations of Village Laws, Zoning Local Laws, State and Local Building Code Violations, involving litigation before Village Court through Appellate Courts; represented and advised various Village Boards, Building Inspector and Code Enforcement Officer.
1990 to 1994 Barr and Rosenbaum, Attorneys at Law Offices in Manhattan, Chestnut Ridge, and White Plains, New York and Fort Myers, Florida
Supervising Partner in successor (by Merger) firm to Barr and Faerber. General practice law firm with emphasis upon Personal Injury, Medical Malpractice, Bankruptcy, Reorganization, Trial Practice, Commercial, Corporate, Matrimonial, Family, Real Estate, Probate, Criminal, Municipal, and Condominium Law.
1979 to 1990 Barr and Faerber, Attorneys at Law Offices in Manhattan, Chestnut Ridge, and White Plains, New York, and Fort Myers, Florida
Partner in general practice law firm. Extensive personal experience in areas of personal injury, matrimonial and family practice, commercial and residential real estate transactions in New York and Florida, condominium and land development, reorganization and debt work-outs, probate, commercial and finance transactions, contract and lease negotiations and landlord-tenant.
1970 to 1979 Law Offices of Harvey S. Barr Spring Valley, New York
Senior Associate Attorney in general practice law firm. Supervised and managed associates, paralegal, and secretarial staff.
Educational Background:
1967 to 1970 State University of New York at Buffalo School of Law, Buffalo, New York, Juris Doctor, awarded May, 1970.
1963 to 1967 Long Island University, Brooklyn, New York, B.A., awarded May, 1967.
1960 to 1963 Stuyvesant High School, New York, New York, Regent’s Diploma, awarded June, 1963
Bar Admissions:
New York State Bar, admitted February, 1971
Florida Bar, admitted July, 1979
United States District Courts:
Southern and Middle Districts of Florida
Southern, Eastern, Northern and Western Districts of New York
United States Court of Appeals:
Second Circuit, Fifth Circuit and Eleventh Circuit
United States Supreme Court
Professional Associations:
The Florida Bar
Lee County (FL) Bar Association
Florida Municipal Attorneys Association
Florida Academy of Code Enforcement (F.A.C.E.)
Florida Academy of Professional Mediators, Inc.
American Bar Association
Phi Alpha Delta, International Law Fraternity
The American Society of International Law
Lecturer:
Florida Municipal Attorneys Association
Rockland County Bar Association
New York State Legal Secretaries Association
Community Associations:
Past President and Director, Stoneybrook, a Golf Course Community of Estero (Stoneybrook Master Association)
Past President and Director, Stoneybrook Estates Homeowners Association, Inc.
Past Parliamentarian and Board Member, Temple Beth El, Fort Myers, Florida
Past President of Men’s Club, Temple Beth El, Fort Myers, Florida
Rotary Club of Estero (Past President and Board Member)
Past Assistant District Governor, Rotary International, District 7210
Rotary Club of Chestnut Ridge (Past President and Board Member)
Junior Achievements (Volunteer Consultant in local schools)
Worldfest New York, Inc. – International Dance Festival (Former Chairperson)