Top Rated Land Use & Zoning Attorney in Tampa, FL

Attorney Mark S. Bentley is a partner with the law firm of Johnson Pope Bokor Ruppel & Burns, LLP, in Tampa, Florida. A top-rated attorney with over 30 years of legal experience, Mr. Bentley serves clients throughout Florida who have legal needs related to:

• Eminent domain and property rights
• Land use
• Real estate and finance
• Administrative law
• Alternative dispute resolution

Certified as a specialist in city, county and local government law by the Florida Bar, Mr. Bentley has represented the rights and interests of scores of property owners and real estate investors as they face complex condemnation actions by government authorities and other eminent domain challenges. He is also active with the American Institute of Certified Planners as well as numerous other local, state and national bar associations focused on eminent domain, land use, and environmental and real estate matters.

Well-versed in his practice areas, Mr. Bentley once served on the adjunct legal faculty at the University of South Florida, and he remains active on the planning advisory board for the university's urban and regional master's degree program. In addition, he routinely conducts lectures and seminars throughout the state and across the country on topics involving land use law, eminent domain and other related subjects.

After receiving both his bachelor's and master's degrees in political science from the University of Florida, Mr. Bentley attended Stetson University College of Law, where he obtained his law degree, cum laude, in 1987 and served as associate editor for the Stetson Law Review. He received his license to practice from the Florida Bar that same year.

Mr. Bentley holds an AV Preeminent peer-review rating* from Martindale-Hubbell and has received several awards for his professionalism and service, including being named among Florida's Legal Elite by Florida Trend magazine in 2015.

*AV®, AV Preeminent®, Martindale-Hubbell Distinguished and Martindale-Hubbell Notable are certification marks used under license in accordance with the Martindale-Hubbell certification procedures, standards and policies. Martindale-Hubbell® is the facilitator of a peer review rating process. Ratings reflect the anonymous opinions of members of the bar and the judiciary. Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Ratings™ fall into two categories – legal ability and general ethical standards.