About Paul J. Schwiep

Paul J. Schwiep, Esq., serves as chair of the Citizens' Independent Transportation Trust (Transportation Trust). He is a partner with the law firm of Coffey Burlington, P.L. where his practice focuses on business and environmental litigation in federal and state courts. He has successfully tried numerous commercial cases including cases involving insurance coverage, distribution agreements, class action disputes and business and real estate contracts. His environmental practices focuses on representing environmental organizations in impact cases and he has also represented the Natural Resourced Defense Council, Friends of the Everglades and Biscayne Bay Water Keepers in local impact environmental cases. Schwiep attended law school at the University of Oregon, where he was class valedictorian and editor of the Oregon Law Review. After law school, he served as law clerk for the Honorable H. Theodore Milburn of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit and joined Coffey Burlington in 1995.

In addition to his legal practice, Schwiep has been active in Miami community services including serving as a member of Miami-Dade County's Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Committee and Citizens Transportation Advisory Committee before joining the Citizens' Independent Transportation Trust, representing District 8. He is a member of the boards of directors of the Urban Environment League and Friends of Biscayne Bay. Schwiep is most proud of being a regular bicycle commuter who has logged thousands of miles riding to and from work in Coconut Grove each day.

The Transportation Trust is the 15-member independent organization comprised of citizens who serve as volunteers with the mission to oversee expenditure of Charter County Transportation Surtax (Surtax) Funds and implementation of the People's Transportation Plan (PTP). The PTP is a broad based and long term program of transportation, roadway and transit improvements funded by the Surtax. The Transportation Trust works closely with members of the Board of County Commissioners (BCC), the County administration, staff at Miami-Dade Transit (MDT), the Public Works and Waste Management Department (PWWM) and officials in the municipalities to ensure that PTP funds are spent in the approved manner.