The head of a real estate development company pointed to land-use and zoning attorney Alicia Lewis as a key player in convincing Dania Beach residents, who strongly disagreed with a new, nearly 200 apartment project, that it was in their best interests.

"Members of the association would literally come out to meetings with pitchforks," Larry Baum, managing partner at developer Stellar Communities LLC, said about the Emerald Hills Apartments project. "They came out with 200 people threatening and becoming violent, so they had to pull us out of there. But she helped me turn them around, do a 180 on them. She was great."

Lewis was successful, Baum said, due to her commitment to the process, which over a period of three years, involved more than just drafting legal documents. For instance, Baum said Lewis stayed at numerous association meetings till nearly midnight, talking with neighbors and resolving any trepidation they had about the projects. He said Lewis was polished, bright and did not "straight out contradict people," but smoothly changed minds.