Fort Myers Attorney Cody Vaughan-Birch Receives U.S. Green Building Council LEED AP Distinction

Fort Myers, FL, July 02, 2009 --(PR.com)-- The law firm of Henderson, Franklin, Starnes & Holt, P.A. is pleased to announce that Cody Vaughan-Birch, an associate in the Land Use & Environmental law division, has received the U.S. Green Building Council LEED Accredited Professional (LEED AP) distinction. LEED Accredited Professionals must demonstrate a thorough understanding of green building practices and principles and the LEED Rating System. Currently, there are about fifty attorneys throughout Florida with LEED Accreditation, and only two in Fort Myers. To become a LEED Accredited Professional, candidates must pass an exam given by the U.S. Green Building Council. LEED Accredited Professionals assist in validating a project's green features and verifying that the building is operating in the manner for which it was designed.

Vaughan-Birch's legal practice encompasses all areas of local government law including zoning, administrative appeals, development agreements, real property tax appeals, planning, and negotiating infrastructure agreements for large-scale commercial and residential developments. He is a member of the Real Estate Investment Society (REIS) of Lee County, the Coastal Conservation Association, serves on the board of directors of Special Equestrians, Inc. Vaughan-Birch received his undergraduate degree from the University of Florida and his law degree from Stetson University, cum laude.

Henderson, Franklin, Starnes & Holt, P.A., is one of the largest law firms between Tampa and Miami. A full-service firm, Henderson Franklin has 55 attorneys practicing in the areas of business and tax planning, estate planning, family law, commercial and civil litigation, workers' compensation, employment law, real estate, and land use and environmental law. One of the state's oldest firms, Henderson Franklin was founded in Fort Myers in 1924 and operates offices in Fort Myers, Bonita Springs, and on Sanibel Island. For more information on Vaughan-Birch or Henderson Franklin, please visit www.henlaw.com.

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