Even though the rising temperatures make clear the always-too-early Florida summer has settled in, it is hard to believe we are almost halfway through 2025. It is harder still for me to believe that we are quickly approaching the end of The Florida Bar’s year, meaning my term as Chair of the Appellate Practice Section is coming to an end. Such transition offers the valuable opportunity to pause and reflect on my APS journey.
Serving as Chair has been an honor because APS has meant so much to me throughout my career. When I first joined the Executive Council, I was pregnant with my youngest child (who is set to turn ten this year!). But the benefits I received from APS started well before that, first as an attendee at events like the dessert reception when I was a law clerk and, as I transitioned to practice, at invaluable CLEs like the Judge William A. Van Nortwick, Jr. Advanced Appellate Workshop. In just a few years, I was helping plan CLEs and webinars and introducing new members to this wonderful community.
That community is what draws me—and so many others—back to continue the work of the Section. In APS, I have found people who, though they may be on the other side of the aisle in a case, share a dedication to the rule of law, the belief that mentoring other appellate lawyers is a critical purpose of our Section, and a love for the collegiality that is a hallmark of appellate practice. As opposing counsel, we share lunch after oral argument and collaborate on articles about our area of the law. We can respectfully disagree on how a case should have been decided and agree that the opinion was well-written. Such collegiality, as Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg noted, “is crucial to the success of our mission. We could not do the job the Constitution assigns to us if we didn’t—to use one of Justice Antonin Scalia’s favorite expressions—‘Get over it!’” Just as it is for appellate judges, so it is for appellate lawyers.
If this community of talented and supportive appellate lawyers sounds like one you’d like to become more involved with, you’re in luck. APS has several opportunities to get involved coming up at the annual Florida Bar convention in Boca Raton. We kick things off with our leadership summit on Wednesday, June 25, from 3–5 p.m., for anyone already in or interested in taking on a leadership role in the Section. The Chair’s reception will take place immediately after that from 5–7 p.m. Join us for light refreshments, good conversation, and the presentation of the Section’s James C. Adkins Award and John R. Hamilton Pro Bono Award.
If you are new to APS, don’t miss our orientation on Thursday, June 26, at 8:45 a.m., where committee leaders will introduce you to the good work of the Section. Stick around for committee meetings at 9:00 a.m., followed by our Executive Council meeting at 10:00 a.m. Cap off a great year by indulging in mystery, bellinis, and a cannoli or two at our Venetian Masquerade-themed dessert reception at 9–11 p.m.
And if you can’t make it to the Convention, never fear! There will be many more opportunities to connect soon. The Section is in first-rate hands with incoming chair Joe Eagleton and the other officers, and I look forward to continuing to be a part of this remarkable community.
Many thanks to everyone who has made this year such a success for APS. Notably, we were so fortunate to welcome Amy Walker as our program administrator in October, and we owe her special thanks for consistently helping the Section shine. To the officers, committee leaders, Executive Council, judicial liaisons, past chairs, event planners, and anyone who planned a CLE, wrote an article, spoke at a webinar, took on a pro bono case, attended a meeting or virtual happy hour, or otherwise contributed to the work of this Section, thank you for making APS a unique community of camaraderie and unmatched appellate expertise.
Courtney Brewer
