TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — On June 2, 2022, HB 7027 became law and “the terms of all members of the judicial nominating commissions of the First District Court of Appeal, the Second District Court of Appeal, and the Fifth District Court of Appeal” were terminated to account for the change in boundaries caused by the creation of the Sixth District Court of Appeal. Ch. 2022-163, §17, Laws of Florida. Today, Governor DeSantis announces the following appointments to the First, Second, and Fifth District Courts of Appeal Judicial Nominating Commissions, as well as appointments to the newly created Sixth District Court of Appeal Judicial Nominating Commission.
First District Court of Appeal Judicial Nominating Commission
Nathan Adams IV, of Tallahassee, is a Partner at Holland & Knight, LLP. He received his bachelor’s degree from Wheaton College, his master’s degree from the University of Florida, and his law degree from the University of Texas. Adams is appointed from a list of nominees recommended by the Florida Bar for a term ending July 1, 2026.
Hayden Dempsey, of Tallahassee, is a Shareholder at Greenberg Traurig, LLP. He received his bachelor’s degree from Wake Forest University and his law degree from Nova Southeastern University. Dempsey is appointed from a list of nominees recommended by the Florida Bar for a term ending July 1, 2026.
Erik “Rick” Figlio, of Tallahassee, is a Shareholder at Ausley McMullen, PA. He received his bachelor’s degree from Davidson College and his law degree from the University of Georgia. Figlio is appointed from a list of nominees recommended by the Florida Bar for a term ending July 1, 2023.
Edward Fleming, of Milton, is a Partner at McDonald Fleming, LLP. He received his bachelor’s degree from Georgia State University and his law degree from the University of Georgia. Fleming is reappointed for a term ending July 1, 2023.
Benjamin Gibson, of Tallahassee, is a Partner at Shutts & Bowen, LLP. He received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida and his law degree from Florida State University. Gibson is reappointed for a term ending July 1, 2026.
Gary Hunter Jr., of Tallahassee, is a Partner at Holtzman Vogel Baran Torchinsky & Josefiak, PLLC. He received his bachelor’s and law degrees from the University of Georgia. Hunter is reappointed from a list of nominees recommended by the Florida Bar for a term ending July 1, 2024.
Amber Nunnally, of Tallahassee, is a Partner at Shutts & Bowen, LLP. She received her bachelor’s and law degrees from Florida State University. Nunnally is appointed for a term ending July 1, 2023.
Peter Penrod, of Tallahassee, is the Chief of Staff for the Florida Department of Financial Services. He received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida and his law degree from Florida Coastal School of Law. Penrod is reappointed for a term ending July 1, 2024.
James Percival II, of Tallahassee, is the Deputy Attorney General of Legal Policy for the Office of the Attorney General. He received his bachelor’s degree from the University of California Santa Barbara and his law degree from the University of Virginia. Percival is appointed for a term ending July 1, 2024.
Second District Court of Appeal Judicial Nominating Commission
Charbel Barakat, of Tampa, is the Regional General Counsel at D.R. Horton, Inc. He received his bachelor’s degree from John Hopkins University and his law degree from New York University. Barakat is reappointed for a term ending July 1, 2024.
Alexander Caballero, of Tampa, is a Managing Partner at Sessums Black, PA. He received his bachelor’s degree from the University of South Florida and his law degree from Florida State University. Caballero is reappointed from a list of nominees recommended by the Florida Bar for a term ending July 1, 2026.
Tyler Cathey, of Tampa, is the Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel at Franklin Street Financial Partners. He received his bachelor’s degree from Muhlenberg College and his law degree from the University of Florida. Cathey is reappointed for a term ending July 1, 2024.
Hunter Chamberlin, of Tampa, is the Owner of the Chamberlin Law Firm. He received his bachelor’s degree from Hamilton College and his law degree from the University of Miami. Chamberlin is reappointed for a term ending July 1, 2023.
Todd Jennings, of Belleair, is a Shareholder at Macfarlane Ferguson & McMullen, PA. He received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Tennessee and his law degree from the University of Florida. Jennings is appointed for a term ending July 1, 2026.
Ryan Owen, of Sarasota, is a Partner at Adams and Reese, LLP. He received his bachelor’s degree from Washington & Lee University and his law degree from the University of Miami. Owen is appointed from a list of nominees recommended by the Florida Bar for a term ending July 1, 2026.
Eliot Peace, of Tampa, is Assistant General Counsel at General Dynamics Ordnance & Tactical System, Inc. He received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Georgia and his law degree from the University of South Carolina. Peace is reappointed for a term ending July 1, 2023.
Samuel Salario Jr., of Tampa, is a Shareholder at Brannock Humphries & Berman. He received his bachelor’s degree from American University and his law degree from the University of Florida. Salario is appointed from a list of nominees recommended by the Florida Bar for a term ending July 1, 2024.
Lara Tibbals, of Tampa, is Of Counsel at Hill Ward Henderson. She received her bachelor’s degree from Florida State University and her law degree from the University of Florida. Tibbals is reappointed from a list of nominees recommended by the Florida Bar for a term ending July 1, 2023.
Fifth District Court of Appeal Judicial Nominating Commission
Adam Brandon, of Jacksonville, is a Shareholder at Rogers Towers, PA. He received his bachelor’s degree from Wheaton College, his master’s degree from the United States Naval War College, and his law degree from the University of Notre Dame. Brandon is appointed for a term ending July 1, 2023.
Amanda Carl, of Osteen, is the Director of Legal & Government Affairs at Harrell’s, LLC. She received her bachelor’s and law degrees from the University of Florida. Carl is reappointed for a term ending July 1, 2024.
Carrie Eisnaugle, of Sanford, is Of Counsel at The Grosshans Group, PLLC. She received her bachelor’s degree from Luther College and her master’s and law degrees from Vanderbilt University. Eisnaugle is reappointed for a term ending July 1, 2024.
Alexandria Hill, of Fleming Island, is a Shareholder at Rogers Towers, PA. She received her bachelor’s degree from Stetson University and her law degree from the University of Florida. Hill is appointed from a list of nominees recommended by the Florida Bar for a term ending July 1, 2026.
Joe Jacquot, of Jacksonville, is a Shareholder at Gunster Yoakley and Stewart, PA. He received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Virginia and his law degree from the University of Florida. Jacquot is appointed for a term ending July 1, 2026.
Ned Price, of Jacksonville, is a Mediator at Ned I. Price, PA. He received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of South Florida and his law degree from Stetson University. Price is appointed from a list of nominees recommended by the Florida Bar for a term ending July 1, 2026.
Tance Roberts, of St. Augustine, is the Owner of the Matanzas Law Firm, PA. She received her bachelor’s and law degrees from Florida State University and her master of law degree from the University of Florida. Roberts is appointed from a list of nominees recommended by the Florida Bar for a term ending July 1, 2024.
Michael C. Sasso, of Oviedo, is a Partner at Sasso & Sasso, PA. He received his bachelor’s degree from Colgate University and his law degree from Northern Kentucky University. Sasso is reappointed for a term ending July 1, 2023.
Milo Scott Thomas, of Ponte Vedra Beach, is a Partner at Burr and Forman, LLP. He received his bachelor’s and law degrees from the University of Florida. Thomas is reappointed from a list of nominees recommended by the Florida Bar for a term ending July 1, 2023.
Sixth District Court of Appeal Judicial Nominating Commission
Jeff Aaron, of Maitland, is a Shareholder at GrayRobinson, PA. He received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Florida Gulf Coast University and his law degree from the University of Florida. Aaron is appointed for a term ending July 1, 2023.
Paul Davis Cooper, of Naples, is a Managing Partner at Cooper Law Partners, PLLC. He received his bachelor’s and law degrees from the University of Alabama. Cooper is appointed for a term ending July 1, 2026.
Ronald Edwards Jr., of Windermere, is a Shareholder at Lowndes Drosdick Doster Kantor & Reed, PA. He received his bachelor’s and law degrees from the University of Florida. Edwards is appointed for a term ending July 1, 2024.
Patricia Franklin, of Sebring, is President at the Law Office of Patricia Lynch Franklin, PA. She received her bachelor’s degree from Tulane University and her law degree from Loyola Marymount University. Franklin is appointed from a list of nominees recommended by the Florida Bar for a term ending July 1, 2023.
Josh Grosshans, of Winter Garden, is the Founder of The Grosshans Group, PLLC. He received his bachelor's degree from the University of Central Florida and his law degree from Florida State University. Grosshans is appointed for a term ending July 1, 2024.
Russell Kirshy, of Punta Gorda, is an Attorney at Russell T. Kirshy, Esquire, PA. He received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Massachusetts and his law degree from Suffolk University. Kirshy is appointed from a list of nominees recommended by the Florida Bar for a term ending July 1, 2024.
Jayne Skrzysowski Pittman, of Orlando, is a Managing Partner at Conroy Simberg. She received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Scranton and her law degree from the University of Miami. Pittman is appointed from a list of nominees recommended by the Florida Bar for a term ending July 1, 2026.
Michael A. Sasso, of Orlando, is a Managing Partner at Sasso & Sasso, PA. He received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida and his law degree from Barry University. Sasso is appointed for a term ending July 1, 2023.
Richard Straughn, of Lake Wales, is a Partner at Straughn and Turner, PA. He received his bachelor’s and law degrees from the University of Florida. Straughn is appointed from a list of nominees recommended by the Florida Bar for a term ending July 1, 2026.