V. James Dickson

With construction law experience working with issues that involve geotechnical engineering and the clean-up of contaminated building sites, Jim was an obvious choice to take on environmental matters and grow that practice when his firm first started handling Superfund litigation in the late 1980s.

Today, Jim helps clients navigate a broad array of environmental issues, including those concerning hazardous substances, contaminated property, Brownfields, asbestos, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), toxic torts, surface and waste water discharges, air emissions, notices of violations and consent decrees.

Jim routinely advises owners on risk associated with development, environmental wetland, storm water and natural resource issues. A longtime advocate of conservation and rational stewardship of the planet, he believes strongly that, for the sake of ourselves and our children and grandchildren, we need to preserve our natural resources by increasing density on existing developed infrastructure rather than building upon natural wildlands, and to counter the causes of rising sea levels.

Jim also advises business clients in land use, title, trade regulation, commercial litigation and general business negotiations. He has served as the General Counsel and a member of the Executive of the St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce for over a decade.

Jim writes and speaks extensively on construction and environmental law issues. As a longtime Adjunct Professor at Stetson University College of Law, he believes teaching makes him a better lawyer because law students often raise difficult questions, which requires him to stay on top of any and all new developments. He conveys to his students that a good attorney deciphers the key economic and psychological issues between parties in a dispute or negotiation, anticipates potential points of contention and suggests options to avoid such problems.

In keeping with his commitment to community service and because he feels lawyers need to ensure that everyone has access to the legal system, regardless of background, Jim serves as General Counsel to the St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce and member of the Board and Executive Committee of the St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce. He is also an officer, Board Member and pro bono volunteer of the Community Law Program Inc. (CLP), the local Legal Aid Society.  From 2015 to 2021 he also served as the CLP President.

Jim has also served as the Chair or President of The Early Learning Coalition of Pinellas County Inc. (frequently known as the Pinellas School Readiness Coalition), the St. Petersburg Community Alliance, the Leadership St. Petersburg Alumni Association and Gulfcoast Legal Services Corporation.

He has also served as a Board Member of the Florida International Museum, Greenlight Pinellas Council, City of St. Petersburg Committee to Advocate Persons with Impairments, St. Petersburg Police Advisory Council, Tampa Water Resource Recovery Project Task Force, Foundation Academy in Construction Trades, Affordable Housing of Pinellas, Inc., City of St. Petersburg Human Relations Review Board and  Florida Legal Service Corporation.