Fellow Appellate Section Members:
As we continue our “Year of Connections,” I’ve been reminded repeatedly that one of the greatest strengths of our Section is not simply the quality of the work we do, but the people who choose to do it together.
Over the last several weeks, that spirit of connection has been on full display. At the end of April, the Section hosted the William A. Van Nortwick Advanced Appellate Workshop at Barry University School of Law in Orlando, expertly chaired by Professor Courtney Brewer and Judge Carrie Ann Wozniak—both past Section Chairs and believers in the proposition that appellate lawyers can survive on little sleep and extensive redlining.
Over three intensive days, participants drafted mock briefs; received individualized feedback from an extraordinary faculty of appellate judges, former judges, and board-certified appellate practitioners; and then put those lessons into action during mock oral arguments. I had the opportunity to attend the final oral argument round on the last day and came away genuinely amazed—not only by the quality of the advocacy, but by the sheer amount of preparation, mentorship, and care that faculty and participants alike invested in the program. It is truly a signature Section event and unlike anything else we do all year.
Then, just last week, many of us gathered in Tallahassee for Beyond the Bar at the Supreme Court of Florida, co-chaired by Bailey Howard and Eleanor Sills. The program gave attendees a rare behind-the-scenes look at appellate practice at the state’s highest court, beginning with a live oral argument and followed by a Q&A with the arguing attorneys, a lunchtime conversation with the Justices, presentations from the Court’s Director of Central Staff and Clerk of Court, panels on brief-writing and jurisdiction, and even a tour of the historic courthouse. Special thanks also to CLE Committee Co-Chair Garrett Tozier, who organized yet another informal post-program meet-up for Section members.
One of the unexpected successes of our “Year of Connections” has been the growth of these informal gatherings—proof that appellate lawyers are, occasionally, willing to talk about something other than preservation of error.
Looking ahead, we are excited for the upcoming release of the next episode of Bench Briefs, our on-demand podcast-style program featuring practical advice from appellate judges to appellate lawyers. The next episode features ten appellate judges answering a deceptively simple question: what makes for a good oral argument? Spoiler alert: reading your brief verbatim did not make the final cut.
I also encourage everyone to continue checking out the excellent articles being published in the Florida Bar Journal and The Record, available on our newly redesigned Section website. And as we head into the summer months, please consider volunteering for a pro bono appeal—it might make for good beach reading!—and joining the Section’s pro bono list-serv if you have not already done so. These opportunities make an enormous difference both to litigants and to our appellate community.
Speaking of making a difference, I also want to share that the Sixth District Court of Appeal is currently seeking applicants for a new Central Staff director. Anyone interested can find additional information here.
Finally, our Section year will culminate at the Florida Bar Annual Convention in June, and we hope to see many of you there. Our schedule includes:
• Wednesday, June 17
– 3 p.m.: Leadership Summit
– 5 p.m.: Chair’s Reception and Presentation of the Adkins and Hamilton Awards
• Thursday, June 18
– 8:45 a.m.: New Member Orientation and Committee Meetings
– 10 a.m.: Executive Council Meeting (agenda coming soon, to include an introduction to our newest Section Fellow)
– 9 p.m.: “Boston Tea Party” Dessert Reception. Sponsorship opportunities remain available here.
Thank you all for everything you do for the Section, for the profession, and for one another. The connections we build through this community continue to strengthen appellate practice across Florida, and it has been a privilege to see that firsthand throughout this year.
