Photo of Alexander Howell

Alexander Howell

Subscribe to Alexander Howell's Posts

Alexander is an associate in the firm’s Business Litigation division. He handles general litigation matters including contract disputes and landlord/tenant disputes, as well as bankruptcy and creditors’ rights matters. Alexander is admitted to practice in all Florida state courts.

While in law school, Alexander was a member of Stetson’s Law Review, was a Research Assistant to Professor Carliss Chatman, and helped her to publish two scholarly articles: Judgment Without Notice: The Unconstitutionality of Constructive Notice Following Citizens United and The Corporate Personhood Two-Step. He also served as a judicial intern to Judge James Pierce (Florida 6th Judicial Circuit), where he helped launch the Pinellas County’s Boys Court program under Unified Family Court. Alexander also served as President of Stetson Law Parents and Vice President of Stetson’s Business Law Society.

Alexander was the 2016 and 2017 recipient of St. Petersburg Bar Association Judge Frank H. White Scholarship. He was a 2015 1L Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (“LCLD”) Scholar and was a 2017 recipient of Tampa Bay Bankruptcy Bar Association Judge Alexander L. Paskay Scholarship. Prior to law school, Alexander was a personal banker in Miami.

Alexander was born and raised on the island of Jamaica and has called St. Petersburg Florida home for the last four years, however, recently relocated to Fort Myers. When not working, he enjoys spending time with his wife and son, cross-training, and trying new foods.

Professional and Civic Affiliations

Over the years, Alexander has volunteered as a tax preparer through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (“VITA”) program and for the Harry Chapin Food Bank of Southwest Florida. He is also a member of the Lee County Bar Association.

Follow: Alexander's Twitter Profile

Property Right

Can employers arbitrarily terminate a person’s employment in Florida? Florida is an “at will” state, meaning employers generally can terminate an employee for any lawful reason, just as employees may quit for any reason. Certain public employees, however, enjoy a property interest/right to their employment and may be terminated only for cause.

Both the United States and the Florida Constitutions provide that no person shall be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law. In the employment context, this guarantee of due process functions to protect certain public employees from being deprived of a protected property interest in their employment. Bd. of Regents of State Colleges v. Roth, 408 U.S. 564 (1972). Indeed, in Roth, the United States Supreme Court held that, where public employees have a property right or property interest in their continued employment, the employer may not terminate the employee without certain due process protections.

Continue Reading Property Rights in Continued Employment for Public Employees: The Basics