James R. Mitchell joined Baker Hostetler in 2000 following 12 years as general counsel for the Florida Real Estate Commission. With its creation in 1991, Mr. Mitchell also served as general counsel to the Florida Real Estate Appraisal Board. For four years prior to becoming general counsel to the Commission, Mr. Mitchell was a senior lawyer with the Florida Department of Professional Regulations where he handled the prosecution of real estate license law violations.

During his time with the Commission, Mr. Mitchell drafted and helped implement many of the administrative regulations and statutes which govern the real estate brokerage industry in Florida. He was also instrumental in writing and shaping the real estate brokerage agency relationship disclosure law in effect today.

Although Mr. Mitchell engages in a variety of real estate-related matters, a major focus of his practice is the handling of administrative complaints filed against real estate brokers, sales associates and real estate appraisers with the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulations. He handles all aspects of the administrative proceeding from the filing of a complaint and the investigation of the charges and facts to the defense of formal charges before the Commission and Appraisal Board, as well as appeals of disciplinary actions to the Florida District Courts of Appeal.

Mr. Mitchell is also counsel to numerous real estate brokerage firms throughout the state of Florida, counseling clients on a wide variety of real estate license law issues, contract issues, ethical considerations and other issues that arise in the daily practice of real estate brokerage.

Mr. Mitchell has spoken at various local, state, national and international conferences and seminars on all aspects of real estate regulation and agency law and is a frequent presenter of the FAR/BAR Real Estate Contract for Sale and Purchase to REALTOR^® Associations, brokerage offices, and for continuing legal and real estate education including the annual Florida Bar Real Estate Certification Continuing Education Seminar.

Mr. Mitchell is a member of the American, Florida Bar and Orange County Bar Associations and is rated AV by Martindale-Hubbell.