Nicholas "Nick" J.P. Meros

Nicholas “Nick” J.P. Meros is a Partner in the Tallahassee office of Shutts & Bowen LLP, where he is a member of the Appellate Practice Group.

Nick represents public and private clients in high profile, high stakes litigation and appeals, specializing in complex constitutional, administrative, and environmental litigation. Nick has briefed and argued dispositive motions before state and federal trial courts and has briefed and argued appeals before Florida’s district courts of appeal, the Florida Supreme Court, and the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals.

Government & Administrative Litigation

Nick regularly represents Florida state agencies and private clients in constitutional and administrative litigation in state and federal courts. Nick litigates all forms of complex statutory and constitutional challenges, including separation of powers, freedom of speech and assembly, due process, equal protection, election law, public records and sunshine law violations, and environmental law.

Before joining Shutts & Bowen, Nick was Senior Deputy General Counsel and chief litigator for Governor Ron DeSantis. In that role, he defended the Florida Governor in constitutional challenges to his authority and policies, the Florida Department of State in challenges to Florida’s election laws and redistricting litigation, the Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation in constitutional challenges to assignment of benefit and other property insurance statutes, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection in permitting challenges and environmental litigation, and the Florida Department of Transportation in constitutional challenges to its spending authority.

In addition to his active litigation portfolio, Nick provided legal counsel to the Governor, his senior staff, and the senior leadership of Florida’s executive agencies while overseeing the strategic legal policy and litigation portfolios for the Florida Department of State, Department of Transportation, Department of Environmental Protection, Department of Business and Professional Regulation, Department of Revenue, Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Office of Insurance Regulation, Office of Financial Regulation, and the Florida Lottery. Nick also advised the Governor and his General Counsel on the appointment of 207 judges to Florida’s trial and appellate courts, including two justices to the Florida Supreme Court.

Land Use Litigation

Nick represents landowners and developers in land use, eminent domain, and other real property litigation in state and federal courts and before the Division of Administrative Hearings. He also represents private clients in their administrative and regulatory matters before Florida’s state agencies, especially the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Department of Transportation, the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, and the Office of Insurance Regulation and Office of Financial Regulation.

Appellate Practice

Nick has handled numerous civil litigation and original writ proceedings before Florida’s appellate courts, including cases of first impression in the areas of Florida constitutional law and environmental law. He has presented oral argument before the Florida Supreme Court and the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit.

Background

Nick graduated from the University of Virginia with a Bachelor of Arts in Government and History, and a Master of Arts in International Affairs and was a member of the University’s 3-time ACC Championship Men’s Tennis Team. Nick graduated from Vanderbilt University Law School, after which he clerked for the First District Court of Appeal and the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida. After his clerkships, and before joining the Executive Office of the Governor, Nick was a litigation associate for a national Am Law 75 firm.