William W. Merrill

Administrative / Regulatory Law

0.0 (0 reviews)

Sarasota, Florida

43+ years experience

Icard, Merrill, Cullis, Timm, Furen & Ginsburg PA

Updated: Dec 25, 2025

Contact Information

941-366-8100

https://icardmerrill.com/william-merrill/

2033 Main Street, Suite 600, Sarasota, FL 34237

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Bio

William W. Merrill, III is a shareholder at Icard Merrill. His nationally recognized practice in land use, planning, transportation and environmental law includes representation of both developers and public sector clients. He has received the "AV" rating, the highest rating available, from Martindale-Hubbell, which is recognized as the most respected source of authoritative and dependable information about members of the legal community and reflects confidential ratings by other lawyers and the judiciary. Mr. Merrill has been listed in TheBest Lawyers in America each year since 2007.Mr. Merrill has particular skill and practical daily experience with state, regional and local development approval processes, including rezonings, comprehensive plan amendments, redevelopment, mixed use projects, developments of regional impact, environmental, coastal and water-related permitting, subdivision and platting, vested rights, and lobbying efforts. He also represents developers and lenders in complex real estate transactions.Mr. Merrill's extensive land use litigation experience complements his practice. He has litigated the "taking" issues, concurrency (adequate public facilities), quasi-judicial government decisions and other land use issues. Mr. Merrill has been a regular speaker at growth management and land use conferences and has published a number of articles relating to land use law. He served as President of the Sarasota County Bar Association and has actively served his community as a board member on local civic and charitable organizations.Mr. Merrill's public sector work has enhanced his effectiveness as a land use and environmental lawyer. From a public sector perspective, he has focused his practice on land use, planning and growth management law with particular emphasis on the preparation of land development regulations, impact fees and implementation. He has successfully represented over 35 governmental entities in eight states. Land development codes and regulations prepared by Mr. Merrill have received the highest state awards from the Florida and Colorado Chapters of the American Planning Association as well as a national award and recognition from the American Planning Association.He received his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Florida.

Practice Areas

Administrative / Regulatory Law

Awards & Recognition

Lawyer of the Year: Land Use and Zoning Law, Sarasota (2025)
Lawyer of the Year: Land Use and Zoning Law, Sarasota (2021)
Lawyer of the Year: Land Use and Zoning Law, Sarasota (2018)
Lawyer of the Year: Land Use and Zoning Law, Sarasota (2016)
Lawyer of the Year: Administrative / Regulatory Law, Tampa (2015)
Lawyer of the Year: Litigation - Land Use and Zoning, Tampa (2013)
Recognized: Administrative / Regulatory Law
Recognized: Land Use and Zoning Law
Recognized: Litigation - Land Use and Zoning
Practice Area: Environmental Law
Practice Area: Litigation - Environmental
Special Focus: Administrative
Special Focus: COVID-19
Special Focus: Development
Special Focus: Environmental
Special Focus: Government Relations
Special Focus: Land Use
Special Focus: Real Estate
Special Focus: Zoning
Legal Elite
Super Lawyers
Martindale-Hubbell AV Rated
Best Lawyers-Lawyer of the Year (Litigation-Land Use and Zoning 2013) (Administrative/Regulatory Law 2015) (Land Use and Zoning 2016)
Best Lawyers Since 2007