With nearly 40 years practicing law, a Jacksonville attorney who has been a development leader of the City and the region has decided to take a step back and focus more on family.
Bob Rhodes officially “retired” from Foley & Lardner Jan. 31.
“As we all know there’s a time for everything, and I felt it was time to step away from practice,” said Rhodes.
“Lawyers don’t step totally out when they ‘retire.’ I will be fairly selective in the consulting that I will provide for Foley & Lardner,” he said.
Rhodes, 69, was admitted to The Florida Bar in 1974 and his legal career has included positions as general counsel and executive
vice president of The St. Joe Co.; senior vice president and
general counsel to Arvida Corp. and Disney Development Co., the community development arms of The Walt Disney Co.; and partner at the law firm of Steel Hector & Davis.
“I have been very blessed to have a very full law career and very fortunate to have served in government at state and local levels,” said Rhodes.
“I enjoy problem-solving, understanding a problem and figuring out a solution,” he said.
“The amazing range of people that you meet over a 40-plus year law practice has been very enjoyable.”
Rhodes administered Florida’s growth management program, served as counsel to the speaker of the Florida House of Representatives and was assistant director of the Council of State Governments, Washington, D.C., office.
He chaired the Tallahassee-Leon County Planning Commission, the City of Jacksonville’s Downtown Development Authority and the Jacksonville Economic Development Commission, and served on the Capital Center Planning Commission.
Rhodes’ experience in real estate law and his public presence were two attributes that Foley & Lardner partner Kevin Hyde valued. He pursued Rhodes when he heard he was considering leaving The St. Joe Co.
”He has a wealth of real estate knowledge and we have a vibrant real estate practice. We thought that would be a great fit. We were also interested in the strong community presence that he could add to our office,” said Hyde, a former City Council member who met Rhodes during his first campaign for public office in Jacksonville.
Hyde also saw the value of Rhodes being able to mentor the firm’s young lawyers as Rhodes mentored Hyde during his campaign and practice of law.
“One of the things we wanted, and Bob did ably, was for him to be a mentor for our young lawyers. From working in government to private practice, he’s seen all sides of it,” said Hyde.
Rhodes recalled the development of Euro Disney as one of the highlights of his career, but he also reflected on the time he volunteered to help with the development of Jacksonville and the North Florida region.
He was chairman of the Northeast Florida Advisory Council for the Trust for Public Land, the JEDC and the DDA and the Florida Coastal School of Law Board of Advisors.
Rhodes plans to continue his involvement in promoting the “greater regional conversation” in bringing Northeast Florida communities together to improve regional development.
Rhodes has served on the Northeast Florida Regional Council, the Regional Community Institute of Northeast Florida Inc. and the Regional Transportation Study Commission and has contributed to the development of First Coast Vision.
Locally, Rhodes is a board member of the Jacksonville Civic Council and is involved with developing a report on the development of Downtown.
“Each time Bob would talk about retirement I have been able to talk him out of it, but this time I was not successful,” said Hyde. “He’s going to transition to grandfather-in-chief.”
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