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Board hires TG Law as county attorney; contract to match current retainer
Summary
After interviewing a single candidate in person and consulting staff, the Okeechobee County Commission voted unanimously to retain TG Law to serve as county attorney subject to a contract negotiated by the county administrator and reviewed by outgoing counsel.
The Okeechobee County Board of County Commissioners voted unanimously to hire TG Law as the county attorney firm, the board decided after a public interview and a short closed discussion about contract terms.
The board gave county administrator Deborah (Deb) Denton authority to negotiate a contract matching the county's current retainer with litigation carved out and assigned to outside counsel. TG Law representatives told commissioners they would accept the same retainer amount the county currently pays and recommended litigation be billed separately to protect the county from unanticipated expense.
TG Law partners introduced themselves at the meeting. Gemma Torsivia, a municipal lawyer who said she previously ran a community redevelopment agency and served in municipal administration, said the firm emphasizes being proactive with elected officials and staff. “We’re thrilled,” she said after the board vote. She said TG Law’s approach includes advance review of agenda items and regular training for officials and staff.
The contract language approved in principle by motion includes a flat-fee retainer (to be negotiated) with an explicit carve-out for litigation, bond counsel, federal-tax matters and any high-level internal investigations where outside counsel would be used. The motion that won the vote also directed Denton and county counsel to finalize transition details and timeline; the firm will begin receiving onboarding documents and briefings with the board’s permission prior to formal contract execution.
Why it matters: The county’s legal shop provides advice on land use, procurement, code enforcement and intergovernmental agreements. The new firm will assume those advisory duties when the contract is executed, and staff said a smooth transition is necessary because TG Law will advise on ongoing capital projects and regulatory matters.
The board’s adoption of TG Law followed a formal interview held in public. Commissioners asked about the firm’s experience with impact fees, community development districts (CDDs), procurement rules tied to grant-funded projects, code enforcement hearings and litigation management. TG Law said it has municipal experience across those areas, that it builds close working relationships with staff, and that it routinely handles land-acquisition and development agreements. The firm recommended annual contract adjustments (the parties discussed a 2–3% increase or a CPI tie for future years).
Next steps: The county administrator will negotiate the written contract and return it to the board for formal approval. The outgoing county attorney’s office will cooperate with transition work in the interim so legal coverage does not lapse.
Speakers quoted or referenced in this report include Gemma Torsivia, attorney with TG Law, and Zachary Goode, attorney with TG Law. The county administrator confirmed contract negotiations.
Ending note: Commissioners said they expected a brief phased handoff rather than an abrupt change, and thanked the outgoing county attorney for assistance during the transition.
