Colin M. Roopnarine

.  I am currently a partner with the law firm of Berger Singerman on its government and regulatory team.  I practice administrative law and am board certified.  I previously served as general counsel to the Commissioner of the Office of Financial Regulation ("OFR") and render advice and counsel to the OFR’s executive leadership and management personnel. I represents the OFR in matters that are common across the agency, including but not limited to human resources/personnel, public records law compliance, contracting, ethics and legal actions against the agency and its employees.  I provide legal advice and counsel to the Divisions’ Chief Counsels and other staff for matters within the OFR’s jurisdiction. I also provide  reviews and recommendations for all OFR contracts, inter-agency agreements, proposed legislation, proposed administrative rules and proposed final civil and administrative actions, may establish legal policy within the OFR, and oversee the agency informal administrative hearing process.  I manage and direct the day-to-day operations of staff in the Office of General Counsel which includes the agency clerk, an administrative assistant, the public records coordinator and senior level attorney positions.  I also serve as the OFR’s Ethics Officer and provide legal advice and counsel to all OFR employees regarding ethics compliance issues.

As Deputy General Counsel for the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (July 2011-June 2013), I was chief legal counsel for program enforcement activities and directed the legal work of all construction, professions and real estate attorneys, supervising chief attorneys for each section and attorneys for the Florida Building Commission and Child and Farm labor programs, by assigning work, reviewing and performing evaluations.  I tracked the progress of each section and was Chief of the Litigation Team which I helped create.  My duties included analysis of statutes, caselaw, rules and precedent considerations.  I prepared  an Attorney Litigation Manual (and update) which has since been distributed to other state agencies for use and reference, and instituted a CLE Litigation Training Program for the Office of the General Counsel.  I was the senior legal advisor to the Secretary, Deputy Secretary of Professions, General Counsel and Division Directors (ranges from analysis of law and rules to recommendations on settlements to creation of policy), and was a consultant on personnel matters and labor and employment issues for the Department.  I was also the informal Hearing Officer in complex Division of Business matters relating to declaratory statements.

As a Hearing Officer at the Public Employees Relations Commission  (September 2009-July 2011), I functioned as an Administrative Law Judge for labor and employment cases, hearing cases, ruling on motions; conducting pre-hearing conferences; maintaining order and proper decorum; administering oaths; taking testimony; issuing subpoenas, ruling on admissibility of evidence and other matters of law; drafting all orders, and issuing a recommended order, including findings of fact, evidentiary rulings, legal analysis, and conclusions of law.  I performed legal research and drafted orders for the Commissioners' review and in cases presented to the Commission for a final order and cases assigned to the General Counsel for sufficiency review.  Represented the Commission in appellate oral argument.  Provided other assistance to the Chairman, Commissioners, and General Counsel as required.

As the Managing Attorney  for the Litigation Section of the Workers' Compensation Se ction at Department of Financial Services, Division of Legal Services  (February 2008-September 2009), I supervised the litigation unit and office, and formulated policy and procedure for the Division of Workers’ Compensation.  I reviewed and assigned cases and charted progress, major pleadings and appellate briefs prior to filing with the relevant courts; drafted litigation forms and implemented a training program for all new attorneys; advised investigators on statutory and rule interpretation, and advised on a wide range of subjects.  I lectured at investigator seminars on litigation basics and tips for effective investigation, and was consultant to the General Counsel and various division directors.  Prior to this position, I was an Assistant General Counsel at the Department of Financial Services (April 2003-January 2008) where I provided legal advice to the Division of Workers’ Compensation, and represented it in all matters of litigation before the Division of Administrative Hearings, and in Circuit Court.  I drafted appellate briefs and represented the Division at oral argument, and trained all new attorneys in the Division in matters relating to the Division, and in litigation before DOAH. 

As an Assistant General Counsel at the Department of Community Affairs  (April 1996-April 2003), I administered the Growth Management Act for the State, and advised staff members and the Secretary thereon.  I was involved in all aspects of litigation, appeals and rulemaking for the Department