Kevin S. Hennessy is a shareholder at Johnson Pope Bokor Ruppel & Burns LLP who advises developers, property owners, municipalities, and special districts on high-value land use, environmental, and property rights matters. With nearly 40 years of experience, Kevin is known for helping clients secure entitlements, navigate regulatory risk, and resolve complex disputes that impact project viability and long-term asset value.
A founding shareholder of a boutique environmental law firm, Kevin has built and led practices across Florida and brings a practical, solutions-oriented approach to advancing projects and protecting client interests. He will continue his environmental practice with Johnson Pope with a focus on obtaining environmental permits, land use approvals and the litigation related to land ownership, land development and property rights.
What He Does
Kevin partners with clients at every stage of the project lifecycle—from acquisition and due diligence through permitting, development, and litigation. His work focuses on:
- Securing local, state, and federal approvals for complex development projects
- Navigating environmental permitting, wetlands, and coastal construction requirements
- Advising on land use strategy, zoning, and entitlement risk
- Resolving disputes involving property rights, riparian rights, and sovereign submerged lands
- Representing clients in eminent domain, inverse condemnation, and valuation matters
- Serving as general and special counsel to local governments, special taxing districts and community development districts
Results That Matter
Kevin is often brought in when projects face regulatory, political, or litigation challenges. His experience includes:
- Served as lead counsel to agricultural Special Taxing Districts in multi-forum litigation involving stormwater permitting and water quality impacts to the Everglades and Lake Okeechobee; participated in extended mediation and negotiation of Everglades settlement.
- Defended the Boy Scouts of America in property rights litigation; achieved mediated settlement and dismissal of claims, preserving ownership while establishing terms for a replacement camp if property is sold.
- Advised industrial, commercial, and residential property owners on environmental contamination matters, including liability, remediation, insurance coverage, due diligence, and cost recovery.
- Represented a Central Florida municipality in groundwater contamination litigation; secured outcome requiring responsible parties to design, construct, and fund advanced water treatment systems addressing VOC and 1,4-Dioxane contamination.
- Guided residential community developers through complex permitting and approval processes, including development, sewer and water, wetlands, coastal construction and environmental resource permits.
Representative Experience
- Led multi-forum litigation and negotiations on behalf of agricultural districts involving environmental permitting and water quality issues impacting the Everglades and Lake Okeechobee
- Secured favorable outcomes in high-profile property rights disputes, including litigation involving development restrictions and ownership claims
- Represented municipalities in contamination-related matters, resulting in implementation of funded, long-term water treatment solutions
- Advised developers on obtaining approvals for residential, commercial, and coastal projects, including wetlands, marina, and environmental resource permits
Education
- University of Miami School of Law, J.D., cum laude, 1986
- Wake Forest University, B.A Politics, 1983
Admissions
- Florida, 1986
- Florida Districts
- Northern
- Middle
- Southern
- U.S. Supreme Court
- 11th Circuit Court of Appeals
Recognition
- AV® Preeminent™ Rating, Martindale-Hubbell
- Best Lawyers in America since 2023 in Environmental Law, Land Use and Zoning Law and Litigation – Environmental
Community Involvement
- St. Petersburg Bar Association – Member, Health and Wellness Committee
- Natural Resources Leadership Institute – Fellow
- Leadership Pinellas
- Environmental Law Network – Past President
Outside the Office
Kevin is a lifelong sports enthusiast and has played competitive soccer, tennis, and softball. He is an active fan of both his alma maters and is a long time season ticket holder for the Tampa Bay Rowdies. Kevin has shared his passion for sports with his three children, Kaitlyn, Meghan, and Ryan, and looks forward to attending the World Cup with them this summer, 2026.
- Represented public and private coastal property owners in permitting and litigation involving water rights, riparian rights, erosion, beach restoration, and inverse condemnation claims.
- Obtained environmental resource permit for Lee County municipality from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and successfully defended against permit challenges and appeal by environmental organizations and citizen groups.
- Successfully challenged expansion of a construction and demolition debris landfill on behalf of timber landowner; administrative action resulted in denial of expansion permit and defeat of subsequent challenges and alternative applications.
- Represented Jupiter Island landowners in challenging coastal construction permits; secured permit denials from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.
- Served as general and special counsel to numerous special taxing districts and community development districts, advising on governance, regulatory compliance, taxation, assessments, and district formation; also served as special magistrate for a Pinellas County municipality.
- Represented public officials and candidates before the Florida Ethics Commission and the Florida Elections Commission.
- Led condemnation of a two-mile waterway project for a water control district and represented landowners in eminent domain litigation related to expansion of Fort Lauderdale airport.
- Defended a Palm Beach County municipality in a multi-million dollar environmental claim; achieved favorable settlement, secured jury verdict against insurer for full recovery of damages, fees, costs, and interest, and successfully defended outcome on appeal.
By JP Firm — May 2026
Johnson Pope Bokor Ruppel & Burns LLP is pleased to announce that Kevin S. Hennessy has joined the firm as a shareholder in its St. Petersburg office. Hennessy joins the firm’s litigation practice with a primary focus on environmental law. With nearly 40 years of experience, Hennessy advises developers, property owners, municipalities, and special districts […]
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