Office of the City Attorney

The City Attorney is the chief legal officer of the City. The office of the City Attorney is instrumental in guiding the City Commission and Administration in the development and implementation of policies and procedures.

The Office of the City Attorney provides legal counsel and representation to the City Commission, City Boards and Committees, the City Clerk and City Manager as well as the various City departments and agencies.

The office presents continuous educational courses to its boards, committees, officers and employees and has developed and implemented numerous preventive law programs. The City Attorney represents or oversees representation of the City in all litigation matters affecting the city including zoning disputes, contract and bid disputes, tort claims, workers compensation matters, commercial litigation and constitutional challenges to the City Charter and Codes. The office drafts city contracts, ordinances, resolutions and the various legal documents required by the Charter, Code or City Commission.

Please note that because the City Attorney's Office represents and advises the City, the City Attorney's Office cannot provide legal advice or recommend an attorney to anyone. Moreover, the content on this site is offered only as a public service and does not constitute solicitation or provision of legal advice. As such, this site should not be used as a substitute for obtaining legal advice from an attorney licensed or authorized to practice in your jurisdiction.

Jennifer Merino has served as the City Attorney for Hallandale Beach since 2017.   She is Board Certified by the Florida Bar in City, County, and Local Government Law.  Board certification is Florida’s official, independent determination of a lawyer’s expertise to practice in a specialty field of law. It is the gold standard for Florida lawyers, with only approximately 7% of all attorneys obtaining the designation, according to the Florida Bar.

Ms. Merino has over 15 years of local government experience.  Prior to her appointment as City Attorney, she was General Counsel for the Broward Office of the Inspector General, an independent agency that investigates the county and municipal governments in Broward County for fraud, waste, abuse, misfeasance and malfeasance.   Ms. Merino provided chief legal officer representation to the agency and also oversaw an investigative team that specialized in public procurement and contract management reviews.  Ms. Merino was awarded a Certified Inspector General designation by the national Association of Inspectors General in 2015.  She also served as an Assistant Legal Counsel at the Miami-Dade Office of the Inspector General through 2011.