Dan Fernandez practices environmental and land use law with particular emphasis on water law.

Prior to entering private practice, Dan had extensive experience as legal counsel for key environmental regulatory agencies in Florida, including the Southwest Florida Water Management District and the Florida Department of Environmental Regulation. In private practice he assists both public and private sector clients with permitting, compliance, and other land use and environmental issues. He handles cases involving water use permitting, environmental resource permitting, enforcement, rulemaking, rule challenges, groundwater contamination, petroleum and hazardous waste (Superfund), and wetland permitting and enforcement. For example, Dan has represented clients regarding permitting and litigation involving water use permits for large municipal well fields, as well as challenges to rules of the Southwest Florida Water Management District.

Dan has lectured and written on a variety of legal issues. He has co-authored: “The Proposed Florida Fresh Water Boundary determination Act of 1976”, accompanied by the proposed Act - HB 3202, Report to the Florida Department of Natural Resources and the Florida Legislature (1976); “Merging Two Systems: NPDES and Tennessee Water Quality Control,” Report to the Division of Water Quality Control, Department of Public Health, State of Tennessee (1977); “Public Beach Access: A Guaranteed Place to Spread Your Towel”, 29 University of Florida Law Review 853 (Fall, 1977); “Legal Alternatives For Effective Management of Stormwater Runoff And Related Pollution Problems”, Eastern Water Law Center, Final Report to the Southwest Florida Regional Planning Council (1979); “Florida’s State-owned Lands – A Management Study,” Florida Senate Natural Resources and Conservation Committee (December, 1979); “Arbitration Award for Proposed Tampa Bay Regional Reservoir, Environmental Protection Commission of Hillsborough County, et al., v. Tampa Bay Water (May 15, 2001). Presentations: “Wetlands and Water Law Conference For Engineers, Surveyors, and Attorneys,” (Environmental Law Section of the Florida Bar, Orlando, Florida 1977); “Land Planning and Regulation of Development,” (American Law Institute and American Bar Association Course, New York, May 1978); “Current Environmental Legal Issues Seminar,” (Florida Bar, 1978); “Private Property Rights Seminar,” (Atlantic Legal Foundation, West Palm Beach, Florida, April, 1979); “Administrative Law Course,” (Department Of Public Administration, Florida State University, 1980); “Public Interest Representation: Environmental and Land Use Issues,” (Florida Bar, Environmental and Land Use Law Section, Gainesville, Florida, March, 1983). Dan was qualified as an expert with regard to water law, water boundaries, and environmental regulatory jurisdictions in Lyons v. Silver, Case No. 98-8801, 13th Judicial Circuit, Hillsborough County, Florida (2001).

Dan is rated "AV," the highest rating for a lawyer given by Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory. His service to the community has included serving: on the Advisory Board of the Bob Sierra Family YMCA; on the Staff Parish Relations Committee and in the youth ministry of his church; and in teaching the Japanese art of self-defense called Aikido. For several years he taught a course entitled “Intervention Strategies For Dealing With Aggressive Individuals,” Course No. EEX 6615, with Dr. Clint Van Nagel, University of North Florida (1980-1984). Dan is the Chief Instructor of the Tampa Aikido Association.

Dan is a member of The Florida Bar and also is admitted to the bar of the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals. He is also a member of the Environmental and Land Use Law Section of The Florida Bar and the Hillsborough County Bar Association, and a member of the Administrative Law Section of the Florida Bar. Dan received his undergraduate degree from the Florida State University and his law degree from the University of Florida.