Neale Montgomery joined Pavese Law Firm in 1986 and became a partner in the firm in 1991. Her practice areas are land use, zoning and local government; environmental and water; and real estate law. She focuses primarily on real estate and environmental issues related to the development of land, including, but not limited to, permitting at the local, state, regional and federal levels.
Ms. Montgomery is a Florida Land Use Dispute Resolution Special Master and represents clients in administrative hearings before local and regional entities, and the Division of Administrative Hearings. She is a member of the Lee County Bar Association.
After graduating from law school, Ms. Montgomery worked for the Public Defender’s office for two years and at the Lee County Attorney’s office for six years. While there, Ms. Montgomery was very involved in the crafting and adoption of Lee County’s 1984 Comprehensive Plan. She was also responsible for advising the county on transportation, utility, zoning and other issues related to land development. She also routinely advised the Board of County Commissioners, Local Planning Agency, Zoning Board and Code Enforcement Boards on legal issues.
She holds an AV® Preeminent™ rating by Martindale-Hubbell and has also been selected to the list of Florida Super Lawyers for 2017-2023, a consumers’ guide that recognizes the top 5 percent of attorneys in each of 31 states as selected by their peers and through the independent study of Law & Politics magazine.
Ms. Montgomery has been selected to the list of Best Lawyers in America for 2013-2022 for her practice area in land use and zoning. A listing in Best Lawyers is widely regarded by both clients and legal professionals as a significant honor, conferred on a lawyer by his or her peers. For three decades, Best Lawyers® lists have earned the respect of the profession, the media, and the public, as the most reliable, unbiased source of legal referrals anywhere. Ms. Montgomery was recognized by Florida Trend Magazine’s Legal Elite in 2013, 2015 and 2018.
Practice Areas
- Agriculture
- Environmental & Water
- Land Use, Zoning & Local Government
Admitted to Practice
- U.S. District Court of the Middle District of Florida
- The Florida Bar
Education
- Stetson University, B.A., J.D.
Bar and Professional Association Memberships
- The Florida Bar
- Lee County Bar Association
- Lee Building Industry Association, Board Member
- Tiger Bay Club of Southwest Florida, Inc., Board Member
- Verity, Board Member
- Real Estate Investment Society, Member, Past President
- Leadership Florida Regional Committee
- STARS, Board Member
- Real Estate Committee for FGCU Foundation, Special Appointee
Awards & Recognition
- Florida Super Lawyers in the Land Use/Zoning Edition
- Best Lawyers in America®, Land Use & Zoning
- Florida Trend Magazine – Legal Elite
- Naples Illustrated Top Lawyer
- Florida Trend Magazine- Legal Elite Notable Women Leaders in Law