Florida Municipal Attorneys Association Presents Douglas J. Sale with Lifetime Distinguished Service Award

Former Panama City Beach City Attorney Honored with Claude L. Mullis Lifetime Distinguished Service Award

Douglas “Doug” J. Sale, former city attorney for the City of Panama City Beach, has been honored with the Claude L. Mullis Lifetime Distinguished Service Award by the Florida Municipal Attorneys Association (FMAA).

“Doug has devoted a lifetime to the practice of municipal law, has spent untold hours providing legal counsel to city officials and his colleagues, lectured repeatedly and written numerous articles on municipal law,” said Florida League of Cities General Counsel Chip Morrison. “He has given tirelessly and unselfishly to his community and to Florida’s municipal community. Doug exemplifies the reasons this award was created.”

This award, which is given to an attorney whose achievements and dedication to the field of municipal law are extraordinary, recognizes a lifetime of significant achievements and distinguished service in this field. There have only been nine recipients of this award during the past 18 years, including its inaugural recipient, the late Claude L. Mullis in 1999.

This honor is only bestowed upon an outstanding municipal lawyer who has demonstrated integrity and honesty throughout his career, has achieved significant career success and has reflected the basic values of those who have excelled in the practice of municipal law. 

“I worked side by side with Doug for 18 years while serving as mayor and we attended many local, regional and state government meetings. Doug was always completely prepared. He was very involved and his guidance was instrumental in bringing Panama City Beach from a little sleepy village to a world class resort,” said Philip Griffitts, former mayor of Panama City Beach. “Many ordinances had to be redone or created and they were done by a man that cares. As our city attorney for over 35 years, Doug has been invaluable in shaping our coastal city into one that residents and tourists are proud of and love. He is well-liked and respected.”

Sale served as the city attorney for the City of Panama City Beach from 1981 until 2016 and is a founding partner of the Harrison Sale McCloy law firm. His primary areas of practice are local government, public finance, and land use law. Sale also serves as general counsel for the Panama City Beach Community Redevelopment Agency, the Bay County Tourist Development Council and the Panama City Beach Convention and Visitors Bureau, Inc. He was named FMAA Attorney of the Year in 1999 and is a past president of the association.