Robert Lincoln

Robert K. Lincoln joined SLG as “of counsel” in January 2024. He concentrates his practice in the areas of land use law and local government litigation and is one of 310 attorneys (in 2023) certified by the Florida Bar in City, County and Local Government Law. Prior to opening his own firm in 2015, Mr. Lincoln spent almost a decade leading the land use litigation practice in one of the area’s largest law firms. He provides trial and appellate court representation and consultation services to public and private clients in state, federal and administrative litigation matters. Mr. Lincoln’s litigation experience, academic scholarship, and planning background distinctively serve to comprehensively protect the long-range interests of the clients he represents in obtaining zoning, planning and development regulatory approvals involving the most complex land use and local government matters.

Best Lawyers® has named Mr. Lincoln one of the “Best Lawyers in America” in Land Use and Zoning since 2010 and in Land Use and Zoning – Litigation since 2013, and named him 2020’s “Lawyer of the Year” in Sarasota in Land Use and Zoning Law. Since 2022, Mr. Lincoln has been recognized as a Florida “Super Lawyer” in the area of Land Use and Zoning and as one of Florida Trend’s “Legal Elite” in the area of Environmental and Land Use Law.  Mr. Lincoln earned his law degree with High Honors (Order of the Coif) and his Master of Science in Planning from Florida State University, where he received numerous academic awards and honors. He is a former Assistant Professor of Planning at Michigan State University and the author of Florida’s first land use blog, numerous published articles, and a frequent lecturer on land use and development issues, policy and related litigation.

Mr. Lincoln is active in the Sarasota community as an award winning pro bono attorney and avid supporter of higher education. He previously served as the Treasurer and Finance Chair of the New College Foundation Board of Directors, and served on the boards of the New College Alumni Association and then the New College Foundation between 1997 and 2019. Mr. Lincoln is the Chair of CLE International’s annual Florida Land Use Law Conference, a past Chair of the Sarasota County Bar Association Local Government Law Section, and a frequent author and speaker on land use issues. He is a graduate of the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce Leadership Program Class of 2012 and a long-time volunteer for the Leadership Program.