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.

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.