Joanne O’Connor Featured in Palm Beach Civic Association Coverage of State Court Ruling in Beach Access Dispute

Jones Foster Litigation Shareholder Joanne M. O’Connor, a Florida Bar Board Certified Business Litigation attorney and Town Attorney for the Town of Palm Beach, was featured in a July 2026 Our Town column by William Kelly, published by the Palm Beach Civic Association, following her successful representation of the Town in a state court dispute over public access to privately owned beachfront property.

In the article, Ms. O’Connor called the decision “a complete victory for the town on its defenses against the lawsuit.” She further explained the significance of the ruling, telling the Civic Association, “The core issue was whether the public, through no act by the town, had acquired customary use rights to use this stretch of beach. The court correctly found it did.”

Jones Foster litigation attorneys Roberto M. Vargas and Lainey W. Francisco also represented the Town in the matter. The ruling is one of two recent victories for the Town in related litigation involving public use of the same stretch of beachfront. Ms. O’Connor also represented the Town in a separate federal case in which a U.S. District Court judge ruled against a homeowner’s Fifth Amendment takings claim.

Read the full article: Our Town by William Kelly: State court rules for Palm Beach in beach access dispute