HomeMy WebLinkAboutOAB Letter and Memotitg a 4iliami
Victoria Mendez
City Attorney
September 21, 2015
Edduard Prince
1603 NW 7th Avenue
Miami, Florida 33136
RE: NOTICE OF REQUEST FOR REMOVAL FROM
OVERTOWN ADVISORY BOARD
Dear Mr. Prince:
Telephone: (305) 416-1800
Telecopier: (305) 416-1801
E-MAIL: Law@miamigov.com
This letter is intended to provide you with notice that the Honorable Commissioner Keon
Hardemon has formally requested your removal from the Overtown Advisory Board due to a
conflict of interest as more particularly described in the attached memorandum. You may avail
yourself of a public hearing in regards to such removal, or waive your right to such hearing. The
hearing is currently scheduled on October 8, 2015.
Please contact me if you wish to discuss this matter further.
. SineGr-e,1,7
-lDarii�l D:'IYiaz
Assistant City Ate
DDD/yei
cc: Keon Hardemon, Honorable Commissioner District 5
Victoria Mendez, City Attorney
Todd Hannon, City Clerk
T.L. Coverson, Overtown Advisory Board Liaison
Prince removal letter
OFFICE OF THE CITY ATTORNEY / 444 S.W. 2nd Avenue, Suite 945 / Miami, Florida 33130-'1910
CITY OF MIAMI
MEMORANDUM
TO: Honorable Members of the City Commission
FROM: Office of the Honorable Commissioner Keon Hardemon
DATE: September 16, 2015
RE: Cause for Removal of Edduard Prince as member of the
Overtown Advisory Board
I have been made aware of a possible conflict of interest issue concerning one of the
members of the Overtown Advisory Board ("OAB"). Edduard Prince ("Prince"), a current
member, had several outstanding lawsuits against the City when appointed. At the time it was
not an issue; however, matters raised in the course of carrying out his duties as a member of
OAB have begun to create conflicts for the City Attorney's Office. As counsel to OAB and the
City of Miami ("City"), the City Attorney's Office must represent its clients in compliance
with The Florida Bar's Rules of Professional Conduct.
Rule 4-1.7(a) of the Florida Bar Rules of Professional Conduct states:
(a) Representing Adverse Interests. Except as provided in subdivision (b), a
lawyer must not represent a client if:
(1) the representation of 1 client will be directly adverse to another client; or
(2) there is a substantial risk that the representation of 1 or more clients will be
materially limited by the lawyer's responsibilities to another client, a former
client or a third person or by a personal interest of the lawyer.
Although subdivision (b), of The Florida Bar Rule cited would allow a conflict to be waived
and procuring outside counsel would correct any conflicts, I propose the removal of Prince as a
member of OAB. I believe it is the most prudent, cost-effective route to ensure the City's legal
defense is neither jeopardized, nor limited and to prevent the City Attorney's representation of
OAB from becoming adverse to the City's current litigation.
Doc. No.: Prince removal memo