County Attorney

Lex Taylor

Deputy County Attorney

LEX TAYLOR was appointed as Deputy County Attorney for St. Johns County, Florida in April 2022. Immediately prior to becoming Deputy County Attorney, Mr. Taylor worked as City Attorney for the City of Saint Augustine Beach and the School Board Attorney for Putnam County. Mr. Taylor also served as senior legislative aide for a County Commissioner in Hillsborough County and as Senatorial Staff of the U.S. Congressional Joint Economic Committee. In between public service, Mr. Taylor has been a partner in a general practice law firm.

Mr. Taylor received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and minor in English from the University of Florida in 1998, when he was also induced into the University of Florida Hall of Fame. He obtained his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Florida in 2011. Mr. Taylor is a member of the Florida Bar.

Kealey West

Senior Assistant County Attorney

KEALEY WEST joined the County Attorney’s Office in March 2022. Prior to joining the County Attorney’s Office, Ms. West worked as Assistant General Counsel for the City of Jacksonville and an Assistant General Counsel with the St. Johns River Water Management District.

Ms. West earned her law degree from the University of South Carolina School of Law.

Prior to starting her law career, Ms. West served as a Non-Commissioned Officer in the United States Army Military Police Corps.

Ms. West is admitted to the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida, and is a member of the Florida Bar Association, the Florida Association of County Attorneys, and the Jacksonville Bar Association.

Jalisa Ferguson

Senior Assistant County Attorney

JALISA FERGUSON joined the Office in September 2021. Prior to joining the Office, Ms. Ferguson served as an Assistant Public Defender in the 7th Judicial Circuit of Florida. Ms. Ferguson received her Bachelors of Arts from Flagler College. She obtained her Juris Doctorate from Michigan State University College of Law.

Ryan Ross

Assistant County Attorney

RYAN ROSS joined the County Attorney’s Office in July 2024. Mr. Ross previously worked for the Office of the Escambia County (FL) Attorney from 2003 to 2014.

He has served as an Assistant State Attorney for the First Judicial Circuit in Pensacola, Florida, and has been employed with law firms in Florida and New Jersey.

He received his Juris Doctorate from the Frederic G. Levin College of Law at the University of Florida and a Bachelor of Arts with Honors from the University of Florida.

Carly Meek

Assistant County Attorney

Carly Meek joined the office in October of 2024.  Ms. Meek has over ten years of experience with serving local governmental entities and has been board certified by the Florida Bar in City, County, and Local Government Law since 2019.

Ms. Meek obtained her Bachelor of Science from the University of Central Florida and her Juris Doctorate from Florida Coastal School of Law.  Ms. Meek began her legal journey as a Trial Court Law Clerk (Staff Attorney) for the judges of the Seventh Judicial Circuit.