By Terry Witt – Spotlight Senior Reporter
Levy County Commissioners have worked without a full-time in-house county attorney since Anne Bast Brown left the county in late June, but on Tuesday they will interview two prospects for the job, both with local ties.
Gainesville City Attorney Nicolle Shalley, who heads a legal team of 8 attorneys and 5 support staff has held this position from October of 2012 to the present.
Shalley, who said she lived for years in Gulf Hammock and Williston and has friends and family in Levy County, said she has 20 years of experience as an attorney, much of it in local government.
Walker W. Bullock grew up in Williston and owns Bullock Law Firm, PLLC. He said his ties to Levy County are strong, having grown up on local farms and actively participated in 4-H, FFA., and the Suwannee River Fair. Bullock has worked for several years as an attorney. He has owned his own law firm since 2017.
The two applicants for the county attorney position will be interviewed at 4 p.m. Tuesday by county commissioners.
Shalley has extensive experience as an attorney.
“I have been a Florida licensed attorney in good standing for almost 20 years now with the vast majority of my career spent with the City of Gainesville and DeSoto County. I am Board Certified in City, County, and Local Government Law since 2012 and have served on the Executive Council of the City, County, and Local Government Law Section of the Florida Bar,” she wrote in her Aug. 16 cover letter. “I believe the breadth and depth of my experience, my work ethic and my common sense and pragmatic approach to the practice of law makes me well suited to assist you, the County Coordinator and County staff in moving County business forward, protecting the County’s interests and minimizing legal risk for the county.”
“But why my interest in Levy County? As you will see on page 3 of my resume, I began my professional career working for Security Title Services in Bronson and it was my work and experiences there that led me to law school. I grew up in nearby Romeo, graduated from Dunnellon High School, and lived for years in Williston, and Gulf Hammock. I have friends, family, and roots in Levy County.”
Bullock said that he is well-suited not only to the position of county attorney but can provide many benefits to the Levy County Commission that other applicants cannot.
“One significant advantage I can offer is that I am local and invested in Levy County. My roots in the county trace back six generations and a large part of my family remains here today. I grew up in Williston and went from kindergarten through high school graduation in Levy County public schools,” he wrote in his Aug. 17 cover letter. “Like many of you, I grew up working on local farms, was an active participant in 4-H and FFA and every year exhibited a steer in the Suwannee River Fair. I now own a law firm in Levy County, where I employ and provide services to local residents.”
Bullock graduated from the University of Florida with an undergraduate degree in Food Resource Economics with a minor in Agricultural Law. He later earned a law degree from the University of Florida Levin College of Law, taking courses relevant to the county attorney position, such as Florida Land Use Law, Legal Drafting, Contracts, and Property Law.
“Since law school, I immediately went into business as a solo general practitioner. As an independent attorney, I have acquired knowledge and experience over the past several years that many attorneys do not receive in ten years at a corporate firm,” he said. “I have closed on numerous property transactions, administered large estates, and successfully litigated a number of cases before County and Circuit Courts. In addition, I have completed over 40 hours of continuing education including a recent 7-hour course in administrative law.”
Bullock noted that he is in the early stage of his career which would allow him to make adjustments and allocate more time to different practice areas as needed. If he worked for the Levy County Commission, he said the board would be the largest client and his practice would be shaped to dedicate the largest portion of his time to those services.
“Or, if this position were offered as an exclusive/full-time role, that is something I’m very interested in as well,” he said.
Shalley, the current Gainesville city attorney since 2012, also served as assistant city attorney and senior assistant city attorney from Aug. 2006 through September of 2012.
“As City Attorney, I lead an in-house legal team of 8 attorneys and 5 support staff that meet the corporate/proprietary, litigation and transactional legal needs of a city with a population of approximately 140,000 that is also home to the University of Florida,” her résumé states. “My practice areas are broad and complex, as City operations include a Community Redevelopment Agency, full-service utility that provides water, wastewater, electric and telecommunication services; Police and Fire Rescue; Public Works; Planning and Development; Equal Opportunity and many other municipal departments. I report directly to and serve as board counsel to the City Commission. I remain actively engaged in the practice of law, including providing daily legal counsel to the City Commission, Charter Officers (the management team of the City), City staff; advising on the impacts of case law (often throughout the United States) and Federal and State Legislation that affects the city; and preparing or reviewing all City ordinances, resolutions and many contract documents.”
Shalley worked earlier as an associate attorney for the law firm of Ferguson, Skipper, Shaw, Keyser, Baron & Tirabassi, P.A. Sarasota, FL from May 2004 to August 2006.
She was county coordinator for DeSoto County, October 2002 to May 2004, with her legal practice focused on the areas of land use, development, utilities, environmental issues, and real estate acquisition. She reported to the County Administrator and duties included drafting resolutions and ordinances; reviewing development plans, negotiating and drafting developer agreements, leases, easements, interlocal agreements, and voluntary eminent domain settlements in lieu of condemnation. Other significant responsibilities included assisting the county administration team in managing design, construction, and operation of the County’s $20 million water and wastewater utility project and establishment of the first utility department, and serving as the County staff liaison to the Southwest Florida Water Management District, the Peace River/ Manasota Regional Water Supply Authority, the Charlotte Harbor National Estuary Program and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and reporting to the Board on statewide and regional water and natural resources issues.
Prior to that, she served as an associate attorney for the law firm of Porges, Hamlin, Knowles & Prouty, P.A. Bradenton, FL From May 2001 to September 2002.
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Enterprise Reporting by Terry Witt September 3, 2021; Posted September 3, 2021
