Thanks to Jacksonville Business Journal coverage of former St. Johns County Commission Chair Jeremiah Ray Blocker's law firm resigning and blowing the whistle on a pattern of Sunshine and ethics violations and retaliation by our two members of Airport Authority board:
Airport authority's top lawyer resigns, citing ethical violations by board members
The top attorney for the St. Johns County Airport Authority is stepping down, alleging a pattern of legal and ethical violations by two board members that have compromised his firm’s ability to provide legal counsel.
In a letter to the board Thursday released to the Business Journal Saturday, legal counsel Jeremiah Blocker announced that his firm, the Douglas Law Firm, would be withdrawing from its role, citing ethical obligations under Florida Bar rules.
Blocker accused Board Chair Reba Ludlow and board member Len Tucker of repeated violations of Florida’s Sunshine Law, failure to disclose conflicts of interest and ignoring legal warnings — actions that, he wrote, have created a hostile environment and obstructed legal oversight.
“This letter is to inform the Board that the Douglas Law Firm will be withdrawing as legal counsel to the Airport Authority,” Blocker wrote in the letter. “Our withdrawal is based on ethical obligation under Florida Bar rules to withdraw when there is a clear legal and ethical conflict.”
The board’s top lawyer alleges that Ludlow and Tucker engaged in a pattern of violations of Florida Sunshine Law, failure to disclose conflicts of interest and other ethical violations.
Attorneys with the firm have identified violations of Florida Public Meetings and Records law and issues involving Florida Voting Conflicts law, according to Blocker.
“These violations are alarming, concerning and have created a conflict of interest that prevents our firm from continuing to represent the Airport Authority as legal counsel,” Blocker wrote.
Board members have received ethics training and are required to certify the training on financial discolosures. Lawyers from the firm have advised Ludlow and Tucker on refraining from real and perceived violations to protect the authority and board, according to the letter.
“Those warnings and legal advice have been ignored. As a result, our ability to advise the Board has been impeded, compromised and obstructed,” Blocker wrote. “In addition, individual board members have engaged in what is perceived as retaliatory behavior against our attorneys for raising legal concerns about potential violations of Florida statutes. This has created a perception of a hostile environment for our legal professionals.”
The firm is ethically obligated to required to withdraw from representation and notify the board of our reasons because of the conduct of Ludlow and Tucker, according to the letter.
Additionally, the law firm may have an obligation under Florida Bar rules to report potential crimes and illegal conduct to law enforcement, Blocker wrote.
Ludlow did not respond to an immediate request for comment. Tucker declined to comment Saturday.
Blocker confirmed with the Business Journal that he wrote and sent the letter, but declined to comment further on the matter.
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