Wayne M. Pathman

Managing Partner, Pathman Schermer Tandy, Miami

Pathman has been the law firm’s managing partner for 25 years. Pathman practices throughout Florida, specializing in commercial and residential real estate transactions. It also focuses on land use, zoning, banking and environmental law, commercial and complex litigation and water law. The firm, which employs 15, supports a number of charitable, civic and religious organizations. Pathman has chaired the City of Miami Climate Resilience Committee for seven of its eight years and also created the first public meetings and forums through the Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce to bring issues related to sea level rise and its economic impact on South Florida to the forefront for government, developers and residents.

EDUCATION: University of South Florida (BS), Florida State University (JD)

READING: The End of Faith, by Sam Harris

INSPIRING FLORIDIAN: My father Lee Pathman, who was an Army Air Corps pilot during World War II, always inspired me. Even when you think things are at their lowest, like what he did and the experience going through combat in World War II as a 19-, 20-year-old pilot, know that there’s always better times ahead and that to work hard, to persevere is most important.

MOTIVATIONAL MANTRA: Don’t dwell on what could be, because the best way to get something done is to begin. You don’t plan to fail. You fail to plan. So, if the plan doesn’t work, change the plan, but never the goal.

IF I WERE GOVERNOR
“The first thing on my list would be to prepare Florida for the impacts of climate change, the impacts of sea level rise and stormwater impacts, which will affect every aspect of the state of Florida, from development to agriculture to the quality of life throughout the state.”