Douglas N. Burnett
Founder & Owner | Trial Attorney | Real Estate Development, Healthcare Business & Commercial Litigation Attorney
Helping Developers, Business Owners, Healthcare Professionals, Property Owners, Investors, and Individuals Solve Florida’s Most Complex Legal Challenges
For more than 25 years, Douglas N. Burnett has advised clients on high-value legal matters involving real estate development, commercial real estate, healthcare business law, land use and zoning, business transactions, and complex commercial litigation. As the founder and owner of St. Johns Law Group, Doug leads one of Northeast Florida’s largest and most experienced law firms, bringing together 14 attorneys with more than 300 years of combined legal experience across a broad range of practice areas.
Doug’s practice is built on the understanding that significant legal matters rarely fit neatly into a single area of law. A commercial development may require zoning approvals, entity formation, financing, construction contracts, environmental coordination, leasing, and litigation strategy. A physician acquiring a medical practice may need assistance with corporate structuring, commercial leasing, regulatory considerations, real estate acquisition, financing, employment agreements, and succession planning. Business owners often need counsel who can negotiate transactions, resolve disputes, and protect their investments throughout the life of their companies.
By combining extensive transactional experience with decades of courtroom advocacy, Doug provides clients with practical legal advice that supports informed business decisions while remaining prepared to protect their interests through negotiation, mediation, arbitration, trial, or appeal when necessary.
Trusted Counsel for Complex Legal Matters
Doug represents a diverse range of clients throughout Florida, including:
Residential and commercial developers
Business owners and entrepreneurs
Physicians, dentists, and healthcare practices
Hospitals and medical office developers
Commercial property owners and investors
Financial institutions and private lenders
Title companies and real estate professionals
Homeowners’ and condominium associations
Municipalities, public agencies, and special districts
Contractors, builders, and design professionals
Closely held companies and family-owned businesses
Individuals and families with significant real estate or business interests
Whether guiding a mixed-use development through the entitlement process, helping a physician acquire a medical practice, representing a lender in a commercial real estate transaction, defending a business in complex litigation, or advising a local government on public infrastructure projects, Doug focuses on delivering strategic solutions that align with each client’s long-term objectives.
2026 Firm & Practice Highlights
Doug’s practice continues to be defined by meaningful results, long-term client relationships, and leadership within the legal profession.
Experience at a Glance
More than 25 years of legal experience
Founder and Owner of St. Johns Law Group
Leader of St. Augustine’s largest law firm
More than 300 years of combined attorney experience across the firm
Representation in hundreds of millions of dollars in commercial and residential real estate transactions
Successful guidance of 100+ Planned Unit Development (PUD) approvals
Decades representing developers, investors, lenders, healthcare providers, businesses, and governmental entities
Extensive jury trial experience in complex civil litigation
Former Assistant State Attorney
Former Assistant County Attorney for St. Johns County
Former City Attorney for the City of St. Augustine Beach
Former General Counsel to the St. Augustine–St. Johns County Airport Authority
Recent Litigation Success
2026 Highlight: Three Jury Trials. Three Months. Three Successful Verdicts.
Doug continues to actively represent clients in complex commercial, business, real estate, construction, and property disputes. His recent jury trial successes reflect the firm’s commitment to thorough preparation, persuasive advocacy, and practical problem-solving. While many disputes resolve through negotiation or mediation, Doug believes every case should be prepared as though it will ultimately be decided by a judge or jury.
Why Clients Choose Douglas Burnett
Clients retain Doug not simply because of his legal knowledge, but because of his ability to understand the broader business, financial, and practical implications of every legal decision.
His approach emphasizes:
Strategic planning before disputes arise
Practical, business-oriented legal advice
Responsive communication and accessibility
Thorough preparation for negotiations and litigation
Efficient problem-solving focused on long-term success
Coordinated legal services through a full-service law firm
Trial readiness when settlement is not in the client’s best interests
Developers appreciate his understanding of governmental approval processes. Physicians and healthcare entrepreneurs value his ability to integrate business, real estate, and corporate legal services. Business owners rely on his experience negotiating complex transactions while protecting their interests in litigation when disputes cannot be resolved outside the courtroom.
A Career Built on Public Service, Business Leadership, and Trial Advocacy
Doug’s legal career spans both the public and private sectors, giving him a unique perspective on how legal decisions affect businesses, property owners, healthcare providers, governmental agencies, and families.
Beginning his career as an Assistant State Attorney, Doug developed extensive courtroom experience prosecuting criminal cases before serving as an Assistant County Attorney for St. Johns County, where he advised county government on land use, real estate, contracts, public infrastructure, and local government matters.
He later entered private practice, became a shareholder in a regional law firm, and ultimately founded St. Johns Law Group with the vision of creating a multidisciplinary law firm capable of serving clients through every stage of their legal needs—from business formation and real estate acquisition to litigation, appeals, and long-term strategic counsel.
Today, Doug continues to represent clients throughout Northeast Florida while leading a team of experienced attorneys committed to delivering responsive, sophisticated, and results-oriented legal services.
Why Clients Hire Douglas N. Burnett
Selecting legal counsel is about more than finding an attorney with technical knowledge of the law. Clients facing significant business decisions, real estate investments, healthcare transactions, development projects, or complex litigation need an attorney who understands both the legal and practical consequences of every decision.
For more than twenty-five years, Douglas N. Burnett has served as a trusted advisor to developers, business owners, physicians, healthcare organizations, lenders, investors, property owners, homeowners’ associations, municipalities, and families throughout Florida. His clients rely on him not only to resolve legal issues, but also to anticipate problems before they arise, identify opportunities others may overlook, and develop practical strategies that support long-term success.
Doug’s practice combines transactional experience, government insight, business judgment, and courtroom advocacy to provide comprehensive legal counsel across the full life cycle of a project, business, or dispute.
A Comprehensive Legal Perspective
Many legal matters involve multiple disciplines rather than a single area of law.
A commercial development may require land acquisition, zoning approvals, environmental coordination, financing, construction contracts, leasing, title review, entity formation, and litigation planning.
A physician purchasing a medical practice may need assistance with the acquisition, commercial lease, shareholder agreements, employment contracts, financing, regulatory considerations, and future succession planning.
A business owner facing litigation often requires advice that protects not only the lawsuit itself but also ongoing operations, banking relationships, employees, contracts, and future growth.
Doug approaches each matter from this broader perspective, helping clients understand how today’s legal decisions affect tomorrow’s opportunities.
Experience That Extends Beyond the Courtroom
Doug’s experience includes service in both government and private practice, allowing him to understand legal issues from multiple perspectives.
His professional background includes:
Former Assistant State Attorney
Former Assistant County Attorney for St. Johns County
Former City Attorney for the City of St. Augustine Beach
Former General Counsel to the St. Augustine–St. Johns County Airport Authority
Former shareholder of a regional law firm
Founder and Owner of St. Johns Law Group
This experience enables Doug to understand how governmental agencies evaluate applications, how developers approach projects, how lenders analyze risk, how business owners make strategic decisions, and how judges and juries evaluate evidence when disputes proceed to trial.
Strategic Counsel for Businesses and Professionals
Doug regularly serves as outside general counsel for closely held businesses, developers, healthcare providers, investors, and professional practices that require ongoing legal guidance but do not maintain in-house legal departments.
Rather than simply responding to legal problems after they occur, he works proactively with clients to:
Evaluate legal risks before major business decisions
Structure transactions efficiently
Negotiate favorable agreements
Resolve disputes before litigation becomes necessary
Protect valuable business assets
Coordinate legal strategy across multiple practice areas
Support long-term business growth
This ongoing advisory relationship allows clients to make informed decisions with confidence while reducing unnecessary legal exposure.
Trial Experience That Strengthens Every Negotiation
Doug believes that effective trial lawyers often achieve favorable settlements because opposing parties recognize they are fully prepared to present their case in court.
Did You Know? Doug Won an 8-Figure Lawsuit in 2026
Although many disputes are resolved through negotiation, mediation, or arbitration, every significant matter is approached with the expectation that it could ultimately be decided by a judge or jury.
His litigation experience includes:
Business disputes
Land use appeals
Injunction proceedings
Declaratory judgment actions
Recent jury trial successes continue to reflect the firm’s commitment to preparation, strategic advocacy, and effective courtroom presentation.
Serving Florida’s Healthcare Community
As healthcare continues to evolve, physicians, dentists, practice owners, and healthcare entrepreneurs face increasingly sophisticated legal and business challenges.
Doug represents healthcare professionals in matters involving:
Dental practice transactions
Medical office development
Healthcare real estate acquisitions
Operating agreements
By combining experience in commercial real estate, business law, financing, construction, and litigation, Doug helps healthcare providers build, expand, protect, and transition successful practices throughout Florida.
Building Long-Term Relationships
Many clients have relied on Doug and St. Johns Law Group for years because they value consistency, accessibility, and trusted legal counsel.
Whether representing a first-time entrepreneur, a multi-generational family business, a physician acquiring a new practice, or a developer planning a large-scale community, Doug approaches every engagement with the same commitment to professionalism, responsiveness, and practical problem-solving.
His objective is not simply to resolve the legal issue at hand, but to become a long-term advisor who understands each client’s business, investments, and goals.
The St. Johns Law Group Advantage
Clients who work with Doug also gain access to the resources of one of Northeast Florida’s most comprehensive law firms.
Through St. Johns Law Group, clients benefit from coordinated legal representation in:
- Construction law
- Appeals
When a matter expands beyond a single legal issue, Doug is able to assemble a team of attorneys with focused experience to provide efficient, seamless representation while maintaining a single strategic vision for the client’s objectives.
Practice Areas & Representative Experience
Throughout his career, Douglas N. Burnett has advised individuals, families, developers, healthcare providers, investors, financial institutions, businesses, contractors, title companies, municipalities, and public agencies in matters involving complex transactions, litigation, governmental approvals, and strategic business planning.
His practice combines decades of courtroom advocacy with sophisticated transactional experience, allowing clients to work with one attorney capable of guiding projects from initial planning through successful completion—and, when necessary, defending those interests in court.
Real Estate Development & Land Use
Real estate development requires far more than obtaining permits. Successful projects demand experienced legal counsel capable of navigating zoning regulations, comprehensive planning, governmental approvals, infrastructure requirements, financing, environmental considerations, and construction issues.
Doug has represented developers throughout Northeast Florida in connection with residential, commercial, industrial, mixed-use, hospitality, healthcare, and institutional developments.
His experience includes:
Planned Unit Developments (PUDs)
Rezoning applications
Comprehensive Plan Amendments
Future Land Use Map Amendments
Development Agreements
Special Exceptions
Variances
Conditional Use approvals
Concurrency determinations
Proportionate Fair Share Agreements
Site plan approvals
Subdivision approvals
Utility agreements
Easements and dedications
Development order amendments
Annexations
Historic preservation approvals
Development due diligence
Doug has successfully guided more than 100 Planned Unit Development (PUD) approvals, helping shape residential neighborhoods, commercial centers, mixed-use developments, healthcare facilities, and business communities throughout Northeast Florida.
Commercial Real Estate
Commercial real estate transactions involve significant financial investments and often require careful coordination among lenders, surveyors, engineers, title professionals, accountants, architects, and governmental agencies.
Doug regularly represents:
Commercial developers
Investors
Buyers and sellers
Landlords
Tenants
Banks
Private lenders
Title companies
Real estate investment groups
Representative matters include:
Commercial acquisitions and sales
Office buildings
Retail shopping centers
Industrial properties
Warehouses
Mixed-use developments
Apartment communities
Hotels and hospitality projects
Medical office buildings
Land assemblage
Commercial leasing
Ground leases
Construction financing
Due diligence
Title defect resolution
Easement agreements
Quiet title actions
Over the course of his career, Doug has represented clients in hundreds of millions of dollars in commercial and residential real estate transactions.
Healthcare Business Law & Medical Practice Representation
Doug has developed one of the firm’s fastest-growing practice areas by representing physicians, dentists, healthcare entrepreneurs, practice owners, healthcare investors, and medical developers throughout Florida.
Healthcare providers frequently require legal counsel that extends well beyond regulatory issues. Successful medical practices often involve commercial real estate, business acquisitions, financing, employment agreements, construction projects, partnership planning, and succession strategies.
Doug advises clients regarding:
Medical practice acquisitions and sales
Dental practice acquisitions
Medical office building acquisitions
Commercial leasing
Professional Associations (P.A.)
Professional Limited Liability Companies (PLLCs)
Limited Liability Companies (LLCs)
Operating agreements
Shareholder agreements
Buy-sell agreements
Letters of intent
Due diligence investigations
Asset and stock purchase transactions
Healthcare real estate development
Medical office construction projects
Financing transactions
Practice succession planning
Physician partnership disputes
Restrictive covenant disputes
Healthcare business litigation
He also has represented healthcare professionals across numerous specialties, including physicians, dentists, oral surgeons, orthodontists, endodontists, behavioral health providers, physical therapists, chiropractors, ophthalmologists, optometrists, ambulatory surgery centers, imaging facilities, urgent care centers, and medical office developers.
Doug’s ability to integrate business law, commercial real estate, land use, construction, and litigation provides healthcare clients with comprehensive legal counsel throughout every stage of practice ownership and growth.
Business & Corporate Law
Doug advises closely held businesses and entrepreneurs throughout every stage of the business lifecycle—from formation and financing to expansion, succession, and ownership transitions.
His corporate practice includes:
Business formation
Limited liability companies
Professional entities
Corporate governance
Operating agreements
Shareholder agreements
Buy-sell agreements
Business acquisitions
Business sales
Asset purchases
Stock purchases
Joint ventures
Commercial contracts
Letters of intent
Succession planning
Corporate restructuring
Many business owners rely upon Doug as outside general counsel, receiving ongoing legal advice that supports long-term strategic growth.
Complex Commercial Litigation
Doug has spent decades representing businesses, developers, investors, healthcare providers, lenders, contractors, and property owners in sophisticated commercial litigation.
His litigation practice includes:
Breach of contract actions
Partnership disputes
Shareholder litigation
LLC member disputes
Business torts
Fraud claims
Fiduciary duty litigation
Commercial collections
Construction litigation
Real estate disputes
Development litigation
Title disputes
Easement litigation
Boundary disputes
Quiet title actions
HOA litigation
Declaratory judgment actions
Injunction proceedings
Appeals
Doug believes that thorough preparation and trial readiness often produce stronger settlements and more favorable outcomes for clients.
Government & Public Sector Law
Doug’s governmental experience provides clients with valuable insight into public decision-making and regulatory processes.
His experience includes serving as:
Assistant State Attorney
Assistant County Attorney
City Attorney
General Counsel to a regional airport authority
He has advised municipalities, counties, and governmental agencies on matters involving:
Ordinances
Public procurement
Public infrastructure
Utility agreements
Comprehensive planning
Public finance
Bond transactions
Real estate acquisitions
Government contracts
Sunshine Law
Public Records Law
Economic development initiatives
This background allows Doug to effectively represent both governmental entities and private clients interacting with government agencies.
Homeowners’ Associations & Condominium Law
Doug advises homeowners’ associations, condominium associations, developers, and community associations on governance, development, covenant enforcement, collections, amendments, transition issues, construction disputes, and litigation.
Representative services include:
General counsel representation
Covenant enforcement
Governing document amendments
Developer turnover
Construction defect disputes
Collections
Lien foreclosures
Declaratory actions
Community governance
A Full-Service Approach
Complex legal matters rarely involve only one area of law.
Because Doug leads a multidisciplinary team at St. Johns Law Group, clients benefit from coordinated legal representation across real estate, healthcare, business law, litigation, construction, probate, mediation, family law, personal injury, and appellate practice.
Whether representing a developer seeking governmental approvals, a physician acquiring a medical practice, a business owner involved in litigation, or a lender financing a commercial project, Doug assembles the right legal team to deliver comprehensive, strategic, and efficient representation focused on achieving each client’s long-term goals.
Representative Matters, Career Highlights & Professional Experience
Over more than two decades of practice, Douglas N. Burnett has represented clients in some of Northeast Florida’s most significant real estate developments, commercial transactions, healthcare business matters, governmental projects, and complex litigation. While every matter is unique and past results do not guarantee future outcomes, the breadth of his experience demonstrates his ability to guide clients through sophisticated legal issues involving substantial financial investments and important business decisions.
Doug’s practice is defined by long-term client relationships. Many developers, business owners, physicians, lenders, investors, contractors, title professionals, and public agencies continue to rely upon his counsel through multiple projects, acquisitions, transactions, and disputes over many years.
Industries Served
Doug’s clients represent a broad cross-section of Florida’s economy, including:
Real estate developers
Commercial property owners
Homebuilders
Healthcare systems
Physicians and physician groups
Dentists and dental specialists
Medical office developers
Investors and investment groups
Banks and financial institutions
Title insurance companies
Contractors and construction companies
Engineers and architects
Homeowners’ associations
Condominium associations
Hospitality businesses
Manufacturing companies
Professional service firms
Family-owned businesses
Municipal governments
Special districts
Nonprofit organizations
A Reputation Built on Trust
Many of Doug’s clients have worked with him for years—often across multiple business ventures, real estate developments, acquisitions, and litigation matters. That continuity reflects more than legal knowledge; it reflects confidence in his judgment, accessibility, responsiveness, and commitment to understanding each client’s long-term goals.
Whether assisting with a major commercial development, advising a physician on practice expansion, negotiating a complex business transaction, or defending a client in court, Doug approaches every engagement with the same philosophy: provide practical advice, prepare thoroughly, communicate clearly, and pursue solutions that create lasting value for the client.
Leadership, Professional Recognition & Community Involvement
Douglas N. Burnett believes that leadership extends beyond representing clients in the courtroom or negotiating successful business transactions. Throughout his career, he has remained committed to strengthening the legal profession, supporting local organizations, mentoring future professionals, and serving the Northeast Florida community.
His professional and civic involvement reflects the same values that guide his legal practice—integrity, service, responsiveness, and a commitment to building stronger communities.
Leadership at St. Johns Law Group
As Founder and Owner of St. Johns Law Group, Doug has guided the firm’s growth from a small practice into St. Augustine’s largest law firm, bringing together 14 attorneys with more than 300 years of combined legal experience.
Under his leadership, the firm has expanded into a multidisciplinary practice serving clients throughout Northeast Florida in:
Commercial Real Estate
Real Estate Development & Land Use
Healthcare Business Law
Business & Corporate Law
Complex Commercial Litigation
Personal Injury
Family Law
Probate & Estate Administration
Asset Protection
Construction Law
Local Government Law
Mediation
Appeals
Title & Closing Services
Doug’s leadership philosophy is straightforward:
Build a team of exceptional attorneys who are dedicated to delivering responsive service, practical legal advice, and outstanding results for every client.
That philosophy continues to shape the firm’s culture and long-term vision.
Professional Leadership
Doug has served in numerous leadership positions within the legal profession and local community, including:
Former President, St. Johns County Bar Association
Member, The Florida Bar
Admitted to practice before the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida
Former shareholder of a respected regional law firm
Founder and Owner, St. Johns Law Group
Throughout his career, Doug has worked closely with attorneys, judges, developers, business leaders, engineers, architects, healthcare professionals, and public officials to resolve complex legal matters and advance projects that benefit the communities they serve.
Public Service
Before entering private practice, Doug served in several public-sector legal positions that continue to influence his approach to representing clients today.
His government experience includes service as:
Assistant State Attorney
Assistant County Attorney for St. Johns County
City Attorney for the City of St. Augustine Beach
General Counsel for the St. Augustine–St. Johns County Airport Authority
These positions provided firsthand experience with:
Municipal governance
Public infrastructure
Land development regulation
Government contracts
Public procurement
Comprehensive planning
Bond financing
Public records compliance
Sunshine Law
Economic development initiatives
Today, that experience enables Doug to help private clients navigate governmental processes while understanding the legal and practical responsibilities faced by public agencies.
Supporting Northeast Florida
Doug has long believed that attorneys should invest in the communities where they live and work.
Over the years he has served, supported, or volunteered with organizations including:
St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum
American Cancer Society – St. Johns County Cattle Barons’ Ball
Salvation Army Advisory Council
St. Johns County Education Foundation
Flagler College
Colonial Church
Jacksonville Area Legal Aid
Local schools, nonprofit organizations, and community initiatives throughout Northeast Florida
Whether supporting charitable organizations, mentoring students, or assisting community leaders, Doug remains committed to helping strengthen the region that has been home to his family and practice for decades.
Mentoring the Next Generation
Doug enjoys mentoring young attorneys, law students, business owners, and entrepreneurs who are beginning their professional careers.
As the leader of St. Johns Law Group, he believes developing future legal professionals is one of the firm’s greatest responsibilities. He encourages collaboration, preparation, professionalism, and client-focused advocacy while helping attorneys build the judgment and practical skills necessary for long-term success.
He has also shared his experience through educational programs, professional presentations, and community discussions involving:
Real estate development
Land use and zoning
Business law
Trial advocacy
Professional ethics
Local government law
Commercial real estate
Healthcare business development
A Reputation Built on Relationships
Many of Doug’s professional relationships extend well beyond individual legal matters.
Developers return with new projects.
Business owners seek counsel as their companies grow.
Physicians rely on him as they expand practices, acquire additional locations, and plan for succession.
Families return across generations for trusted legal guidance involving businesses, investments, and real estate.
That continuity reflects the trust clients place in his judgment, accessibility, responsiveness, and commitment to understanding their long-term goals.
Doug believes the most successful attorney-client relationships are built on communication, preparation, and mutual respect—principles that continue to guide his practice every day.
Education
Doug earned his Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of North Florida before receiving his Juris Doctor from Widener University School of Law.
His education in business, combined with decades of legal practice, allows him to approach legal matters with both legal precision and practical business insight.
Family & Personal Commitment
Outside the practice of law, Doug is a devoted husband and father whose faith, family, and community remain central to his life.
He and his wife, Araan Burnett, are proud parents of four daughters and have built both their family and professional lives in St. Johns County.
Doug’s commitment to service was shaped by his parents:
Major General Douglas Burnett (Ret.), former Adjutant General of Florida
Judith Burnett, respected college professor and lifelong educator
Their examples of leadership, integrity, and public service continue to influence his approach to practicing law, serving clients, and giving back to the community.
Doug enjoys working daily with his mentor, John L. Whiteman, an attorney at St. Johns Law Group.
Today, Doug remains active in his church, professional organizations, charitable initiatives, and the continued growth of St. Johns Law Group, while helping clients throughout Florida navigate some of the most significant legal decisions of their lives.
Frequently Asked Questions
General Questions
Why should I hire Douglas N. Burnett?
Clients hire Douglas N. Burnett because he offers more than legal analysis—he provides strategic business advice backed by more than 25 years of experience in real estate development, commercial transactions, healthcare business law, local government law, and complex litigation. His background in both government and private practice allows him to anticipate legal issues before they become costly problems while remaining prepared to protect clients’ interests in court when necessary.
What types of clients do you represent?
Doug represents:
Business owners
Developers
Investors
Physicians and healthcare practices
Dentists and dental specialists
Commercial property owners
Banks and lenders
Contractors
Engineers and architects
Homeowners’ associations
Condominium associations
Municipalities and public agencies
Individuals and families involved in significant real estate or business matters
Do you represent clients throughout Florida?
Yes. While St. Johns Law Group is headquartered in St. Augustine, Doug represents clients throughout Northeast Florida and, depending on the matter, throughout the State of Florida.
Real Estate Development & Land Use
What does a land use attorney do?
A land use attorney helps property owners and developers obtain governmental approvals necessary for development. This may include rezoning, Planned Unit Developments (PUDs), Comprehensive Plan Amendments, variances, special exceptions, development agreements, concurrency issues, and representation before local boards and commissions.
When should I hire a land use attorney?
The best time is before purchasing property or submitting a development application. Early legal involvement can identify zoning issues, entitlement risks, environmental concerns, and contractual matters that may affect the project’s feasibility.
How can an attorney help with a Planned Unit Development (PUD)?
A PUD requires extensive coordination among developers, engineers, planners, architects, consultants, and local governments. Doug assists clients with strategy, application preparation, negotiations, public hearings, development agreements, and obtaining final approvals.
Can you represent me before city and county boards?
Yes. Doug regularly appears before city commissions, county commissions, planning and zoning agencies, boards of adjustment, architectural review boards, and other governmental bodies.
What happens if my zoning request is denied?
Depending upon the circumstances, options may include revising the application, pursuing additional negotiations, filing administrative appeals, seeking judicial review through a petition for writ of certiorari, or evaluating alternative development strategies.
Commercial Real Estate
Should I hire a real estate attorney before signing a commercial contract?
Yes. Commercial contracts often involve due diligence periods, financing contingencies, title issues, survey matters, environmental concerns, lease obligations, easements, restrictive covenants, and closing requirements. Early legal review can significantly reduce risk.
Do you handle commercial closings?
Yes. Doug has represented buyers, sellers, lenders, investors, and developers in commercial real estate transactions involving office buildings, shopping centers, industrial facilities, medical offices, multifamily developments, hospitality projects, and investment properties.
Can you resolve title defects?
Yes. Doug regularly assists clients with title objections, easement issues, quiet title actions, boundary disputes, restrictive covenant interpretation, and other title-related matters.
Healthcare Business Law
Do you represent physicians and healthcare practices?
Yes. Doug advises physicians, dentists, healthcare entrepreneurs, medical practice owners, and healthcare investors on business, real estate, and transactional matters.
Can you help me buy or sell a medical practice?
Yes. Representation may include letters of intent, due diligence, purchase agreements, financing, entity formation, employment agreements, commercial leases, real estate acquisition, and closing coordination.
Do you represent dental practices?
Yes. Doug advises dentists, orthodontists, oral surgeons, endodontists, pediatric dentists, and other dental professionals regarding acquisitions, commercial leasing, ownership agreements, practice transitions, and business disputes.
Can you help with medical office leasing?
Yes. Doug negotiates and reviews commercial leases for physicians, dentists, ambulatory surgery centers, behavioral health providers, urgent care centers, imaging facilities, and other healthcare businesses.
Can you help form a medical practice?
Yes. Doug assists healthcare professionals with professional entities, operating agreements, shareholder agreements, buy-sell agreements, governance documents, and succession planning.
Business Law
Do you serve as outside general counsel?
Yes. Doug regularly serves as outside general counsel for closely held businesses, healthcare practices, developers, and investors, providing ongoing legal guidance without the cost of maintaining an in-house legal department.
Can you help buy or sell a business?
Yes. Doug represents buyers and sellers in asset purchases, stock purchases, business acquisitions, mergers, ownership transitions, and commercial contract negotiations.
Do you prepare operating agreements and shareholder agreements?
Yes. Properly drafted governance documents help establish ownership rights, management authority, dispute resolution procedures, buyout provisions, and succession planning.
Commercial Litigation
What types of business disputes do you handle?
Doug represents clients in matters involving:
Breach of contract
Partnership disputes
Shareholder disputes
LLC member disputes
Fiduciary duty claims
Fraud
Business torts
Construction litigation
Commercial real estate litigation
Title disputes
Easement litigation
Declaratory judgment actions
Injunctions
Appeals
Will every lawsuit go to trial?
No. Many disputes resolve through negotiation, mediation, or arbitration. However, Doug prepares every significant case as though it will ultimately be tried before a judge or jury.
Government Law
How does your government experience benefit private clients?
Doug’s experience as a former Assistant County Attorney, City Attorney, and Airport Authority General Counsel provides valuable insight into governmental procedures, public decision-making, regulatory compliance, and administrative processes. This perspective often helps clients navigate approvals and resolve issues more efficiently.
Choosing the Right Attorney
What makes St. Johns Law Group different?
Clients benefit from a multidisciplinary law firm that combines attorneys with experience in commercial real estate, healthcare business law, litigation, family law, probate, construction law, mediation, local government law, appellate practice, title services, and personal injury. This collaborative approach allows clients to receive coordinated legal advice across multiple practice areas while maintaining a consistent legal strategy.
📞 Contact Douglas N. Burnett
You may call (904) 495-0400, complete the contact form on our website, or visit our office at 104 Sea Grove Main Street, St. Augustine, Florida 32080 to schedule a confidential consultation. During your meeting, Doug will discuss your legal issue, answer your questions, explain potential strategies, and help you determine the most effective path forward.