Michael W. Larkin

Michael Larkin is a leading land use and zoning attorney in Miami-Dade County, widely recognized for his deep expertise in Miami Beach and his role in shaping some of the community’s most high-profile and design-sensitive projects. He regularly represents developers, property owners, and institutional clients before the City of Miami Beach’s City Commission, Historic Preservation Board, Design Review Board, Planning Board, and Board of Adjustment, where his command of process, precedent, and political context is highly regarded.

Michael’s practice extends throughout coastal and urban municipalities including Bay Harbor Islands, Sunny Isles Beach, Key Biscayne, Aventura, and Bal Harbour. In addition to his entitlement work, he is a seasoned appellate advocate, handling land use and zoning matters before the Eleventh Judicial Circuit Appellate Division and the Third District Court of Appeal, bringing a rare combination of trial-level strategy and appellate precision to complex development issues.

His work includes securing approvals for architecturally significant developments in historic districts, guiding large-scale mixed-use and hospitality projects through Miami Beach’s rigorous design and preservation review processes, and advising on high-value waterfront and coastal developments where regulatory, environmental, and resiliency considerations intersect. He is frequently engaged on matters that set precedent—projects that require not only technical compliance, but strategic navigation of public process, community input, and political sensitivity.

Before joining the firm and becoming a shareholder, Michael began his legal career clerking for the Honorable David L. Levy at the Third District Court of Appeal, an experience that continues to inform his strategic and analytical approach to advocacy.

Michael has been consistently recognized by The Best Lawyers in America and The Legal 500 United States as a leading land use and zoning attorney for more than a decade, reflecting both his technical expertise and influence in the field.

Deeply embedded in the Miami Beach community, Michael was elected to the Board of Governors of the Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce in 2019. He also serves on the advisory boards of The Wolfsonian–FIU and FIU Miami Beach Urban Studios, contributing to the intersection of design, preservation, and urban policy that defines the character of Miami Beach.

Michael earned his Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service from Georgetown University School of Foreign Service and his J.D., with honors, from the University of Miami School of Law.

Michael is known for advancing projects that define Miami Beach—where design, preservation, and regulation converge, and where outcomes shape both skyline and community character.