Jones Foster Shareholder Michael J. Gore Appointed to Palm Beach County’s Fair Housing/Equal Employment Board

Jones Foster Litigation Shareholder Michael J. Gore, LL.M., was recently appointed by the Board of County Commissioners (BCC) to serve a three-year term as an at-large member of the Palm Beach County Office of Equal Opportunity’s Fair Housing/Equal Employment Board.

Board members are selected based on community representation, integrity, experience, and interest in the area of equal opportunities. In this role, Mike will meet with other Board members on a regular basis to conduct Administrative Hearings.

The Board is tasked with referring or accepting the referral of complaints and to cause, through the OEO, investigations of tension, prejudice, and/or discrimination in relation to all housing, public accommodation, and employment matters involving race, sex, color, religion, national origin, disability, familial status, sexual orientation, age, marital status, or gender identity or expression. Additional duties include proposing reasonable rules and regulations as necessary to enforce policies; holding hearings, adjudicating alleged complaints, and recommending methods for eliminating any injustices; administering oaths, subpoenaing witnesses, and compelling production of evidence pertaining to a hearing or as requested by the OEO; and to issue remedial orders prohibiting violations and providing relief from the effects of any violations.

The mission of Palm Beach County’s Office of Equal Opportunity is to promote a discrimination-free quality of life for Palm Beach County residents through educating and advocating a policy of nondiscrimination and enforcing local, state, and federal civil rights laws, according to its website. The Office is responsible for the County's Disability Accessibility program and is a federally recognized equivalent agency under the federal civil rights laws - Title VII (employment discrimination cases) and Title VIII (fair housing cases). Palm Beach County residents have access to civil rights protections through the office.

Mike concentrates his practice in the areas of employment, construction, and securities law. He represents clients in a wide variety of industry sectors as well as municipalities, providing counsel in employment law and practices, corporate investigations, contract review, and drafting, and drafting employment policies and handbooks. In the area of construction law, he represents developers, builders, contractors, homeowners, business owners, and design professionals in matters involving construction delays, contract disputes, claims of construction defects, and construction liens.

Additionally, Mike advises clients on issues involving complex and ever-changing securities laws and regulations for traditional securities as well as emerging technologies such as cryptocurrencies. He has represented issuers of securities, brokerage firms, and investors, and draws on his unique experience of working in the Investor Protection Bureau at the New York State Attorney General’s Office. He earned his LL.M. in Securities & Financial Regulation from the Georgetown University Law Center.

Mike is actively involved in several community and industry organizations. He is currently the Campaign Cabinet Legal Lead for the United Way of Palm Beach County; a member of the Associated General Contractors of America East Coast Chapter; and a member of The Florida Bar’s Labor and Employment Section and Real Property, Probate & Trust Law Section. He has also co-authored several Florida Bar publications including "Expert Witnesses," Florida Construction & Practice, 8th Ed., (FL Bar, 2015) and “Trial Preparation,” Florida Construction Law & Practice, 9th Ed. and 10th Ed., (FL Bar, 2018, 2021).