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Joel Brown
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Joel Brown

Before joining the firm in 2013, Joel H. Brown was elected by his colleagues to serve as Chief Judge for the 11th Judicial Circuit of Florida in 2009. Joel was admitted to the Florida Bar in 1971 and had been practicing personal injury law as a civil trial lawyer prior to his appointment by former Governor Bob Martinez to the County Court in 1990. Following his appointment, Joel served as Associate Administrative Judge of the County Court, Criminal Traffic Division, and then served as Administrative Judge of the County Court, Criminal Division.

In 1994, he was appointed by former Governor Lawton Chiles to the Circuit Court of the 11th Judicial Circuit of Florida, and in that capacity, he served in several different divisions, including Administrative Judge of the Family Division (2001–2009). He later served as the Chair of the Chief Judges Judicial Administration Committee (2011–2012).
Joel is a Board Certified Civil Trial Lawyer and a Florida Supreme Court Certified Mediator. Board certification recognizes lawyers’ special knowledge, skills, and proficiency in various areas of law and professionalism, and ethics in practice.

As a native Floridian, Joel was born, raised, and spent his formative years in Miami Beach, Florida. He majored in accounting and graduated from the University of Florida with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. He continued his education and graduated with his Juris Doctorate degree from the University Of Florida Levin School of Law. Joel served his country as a member of the U.S. Army Reserves for six years, from 1969-1975.

Why did you decide to become an attorney? – Joel Brown

Vimeo Video

When I was in High-school, I was looking for a career, something that would be a profession. I came from a family where my dad was a truck driver my mom worked at night. I read a book by the name of “My Life in Court” by Louis Nizer and I realized that the legal profession would provide all the challenges and a rewarding life career. So I decided at that point when I was about sixteen, this is what I would do in life.

Awards and Recognition:
  • Best Lawyers in America 2021- Family Law & Personal Injury Litigation
  • 2020 Florida Super Lawyers Recognition- Personal Injury: Celebrating 5 Consecutive Years
  • Best Lawyers Personal Injury Litigation — Plaintiffs, 2015 – 2020
  • Best Lawyers Family Law, 2016 – 2020
  • Who's Who in American Law, 3rd Edition
  • Board Certified Civil Trial Lawyer, 1989
  • Martindale Hubbell Directory – AV rating
  • Award of Excellence, Dade County Bar Association, 2013
  • Person of the Year Award, South Florida Shomrim Society, 2012
  • Inductee, Miami Beach High School Alumni Association Hall of Fame, 2012
  • The Rodef Sholom Award (Pursuer of Peace), The Florida Jewish Legal Society, 2012
  • Paver Award, Cuban American Bar Association, 2012 – Present
  • Diversity in the Judiciary Award, Spanish American League Against Discrimination, 2011
  • Sabadell's Community Service Award, Sabadell United Bank, 2011
  • Judicial Leadership Award, The First Family American Inns of Court, 2008
  • Avvo rating of 10 – Superb!
  • Best Lawyers in America 2015 – 2017
  • Florida Super Lawyers 2015, 2018
  • The National Trial Lawyers Top 100, 2015
Associations and Memberships
  • Florida Dade Justice Association
  • Dade County Trial Lawyers Association, Past Member
  • Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers, Past Member
  • American Arbitration Association, Past Member
  • Florida Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, Past Member
  • National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Past Member
  • Florida Bar, Criminal Law Ethics Committee, Past Member
  • Florida Bar, Member, Grievance Committee I, 11th Judicial Circuit, 1985 – 1988
  • Coconut Grove Bar Association, Member, Board of Directors, 1984
  • Florida Bar, Chairperson, Grievance Committee I, 1986 – 1988
  • Florida Bar, Past Member, Ethics Committee
  • Lakeridge Townhome Association, Member, Board of Directors, 1988 – 1990
  • Dade Traffic Oversight Committee, Chairperson, 1992 – 1994
  • Supreme Court Select Committee on the Study of D.U.I. Programs, Member, 1993
  • Unified Family Court Advisory Board, Chairperson, 2001 – 2002
  • Non-Custodial Parent Employment Program Advisory Board, Past Member
  • Florida Bar, Family Court Rules Committee, Past member
  • Optical Imaging Executive Committee, Co-Chairperson, Past Member
  • College of Advanced Judicial Studies, Past Faculty Member
  • Dade Traffic Oversight Committee, Chairperson, Past Member
  • College of Advance Judicial Studies, No Fault Law, Faculty Member, 1993
  • Dade County Bar Association YLS
  • Super Lawyers Mock Trial, Presiding Judge, 2011
  • Super Lawyers Mock Trial, Presiding Judge, 2010
  • Judge, University of Florida Moot Court, 1998
  • Eleventh Judicial Circuit, Member, Education Committee, Circuit and County Courts, 1991 – 1994
  • Community Oriented Rehabilitation and Education Program, DUI School, Dade County, Chairperson, Board of Directors, 1992 – 1994
  • Florida Conference of County Court Judges, Education Committee, Legislative Committee, and Traffic Court Rules Committee, Past Member
  • Eleventh Judicial Circuit, Circuit and County Courts, Education Committee Education, Past Member
  • Community Oriented Rehabilitation and Education Program DUI School – Dade County, Past Member
Lectures & Seminars:
  • Faculty Lecturer: Florida Conference of County Court Judges
  • Lecturer: The Obstructive Litigator, Summer Conference of County Court Judges, 1991
  • Lecturer: Civil Procedure and Practice, St. Thomas School of Law, 1991
  • Lecturer: Use of Florida No Fault Law in Auto Negligence Claims and Criminal Restitution, County Court Judges, Winter Conference, 1992
  • Faculty Member, Florida No Fault law, College of Advanced Judicial Studies, 1993
  • Lecturer: “Depositions-Preparation and Procedures in Civil Cases”, St. Thomas School of Law, 1994
  • Lecturer: “Advanced Legal Research and Writing”. Subject-Preparation, St. Thomas School of Law
  • Faculty Lecturer: D.U.I. Programs, Florida Conference of County Court Judge, Supreme Court Select Committee
  • Keynote Speaker: Tenth Annual Judges and Lawyers Event, January 26, 2012
  • Keynote Speaker: “Diversity on the Bench”, Spanish American League Against Discrimination S.A.L.A.D., August 25, 2011
  • Speaker: Preservation of our Court History, Cuban American Bar Association, August 19, 2011
  • Speaker: Dade County Bar Association 95th Annual Installation Ceremony Speaker and Award Recipient, June 3, 2011
  • Speaker: Eleventh Judicial Circuit Centennial Gala, May 21, 2011
  • Faculty Lecturer: Florida Conference of Circuit Judges, 2010
  • Outline of Court Programs: Dade Community Foundation, November 4, 2009
  • Update to Policies and Procedures in the various divisions of the Circuit and County Courts, Coral Gables Bar Association, September 16, 2009
  • State of the Courts, Dade County Defense Bar Association, July 15, 2009
  • Florida Dade Chapter Induction of Officers: Florida Association for Women Lawyers, July 9, 2009
  • Keynote Address and Effectiveness of Argument: County Lawyer’s Office Litigation Training Seminar, April 29, 2009
  • Family Division Practice: DCBA Young Lawyers Courthouse 101, March 27, 2009
  • Family Law Issues: Fifteenth Annual Nuts & Bolts of Divorce, December 8, 2006
  • Speaker: “Service Above Self”, Florida Rotary Club of Florida, FL, January 15, 2004
  • Speaker: “Put Something Back” Program, View From the Bench 2002- 2004
  • FICPA Litigation and Valuation Services Conference, 2001
  • Family Court Self Help Project Orientation, January 21, 1977
  • Special Presenter: “Technology in Today’s Courts”, The National Judicial College, March 12, 1996
  • Speaker: “Depositions-Preparation and Procedures in Civil Cases”, University of Florida School of Law, October 16, 1995
  • Speaker: “Depositions, Preparation and Procedures in Civil Cases”, St. Thomas School of Law, 1994
  • Speaker: “Use of Florida No Fault Law in Auto Negligence Claims and Criminal Restitution”, Winter Conference of County Court Judges, 1992
  • Speaker: “The Obstructive Litigator”, Summer Conference of County Court Judges, 1991
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