(Black PR Wire) MIAMI GARDENS, FL, June 17, 2009 – Mayor Shirley Gibson and the City Council have retained the services of City Attorney, Sonja K. Dickens, as full-time counsel for the City of Miami Gardens. 

Ms. Dickens, a Riviera Beach native, has served as the contracted City Attorney since 2004 through her partnership with Arnstein & Lehr LLP in Fort Lauderdale, FL. In her official capacity as City Attorney for the City of Miami Gardens, Ms. Dickens will continue to provide full legal service to the City in all legal areas, including the interpretation, drafting and administration of municipal ordinances, contracts, litigation matters, real estate transactions, land use matters, planning and zoning, employment, procurement, code enforcement, community redevelopment, and other areas. 

Ms. Dickens has a remarkable professional track record in representing public and private clients that supports the Mayor and City Council’s decision to bring her on board full time. Ms. Dickens has prosecuted code enforcement cases on behalf of the City of West Palm Beach, and has served as City of Lauderdale Lakes’ Board Counsel for the Code Enforcement Board. She has also served as legal advisor to the City of West Palm Beach's Plan and Plats Review Committee (DRC), and various other City departments. 

In addition, she has served as Board Counsel to the Zoning Board of Appeals for the City of West Palm Beach, Board Counsel for the Downtown Action Committee for the City of West Palm Beach, and has drafted hundreds of municipal ordinances, resolutions and contracts. In 2006, Governor Jeb Bush appointed Ms. Dickens to serve a four-year term as a Commissioner on the Judicial Nominating Commission for the Fourth District Court of Appeals. 

Ms. Dickens will manage two full-time attorneys and administrative support staff that will assist her with providing the best legal counsel. Ms. Dickens states, "It is my goal to establish a professional City Attorney's Office that proactively serves the needs of the City Council, City Staff and residents."