Chamberlin Law Firm
Hunter H. Chamberlin, Esq. is a member of The Florida Bar and is admitted to practice before the United States District Court for Northern, Middle and Southern Districts, as well as the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. He received his B.A. from Hamilton College in Clinton, New York, and his J.D. from the University of Miami School of law, where he graduated cum laude, and also served on the Business Law Review.
He was admitted into the Florida Bar in 2001, and began his career as an associate at Steel Hector & Davis (now part of Squire Sanders), a global law firm with offices in over 20 countries. There, he worked as a legislative consultant for business and industry. From Steel Hector, Mr. Chamberlin joined the Miami-Dade State Attorneys’ Office, where he spent four years as a prosecutor developing and honing his trial skills. He has tried over 100 bench trials and approximately 30 jury trials for offenses ranging from petit theft and DUI to armed narcotics trafficking, armed home invasion, homicide, and armed robbery, including many cases with multiple co-defendants.
During his last year at the State Attorneys’ Office, Mr. Chamberlin was selected by his supervisors to serve in the specialized Career Criminal and Robbery unit where he handled cases involving repeat violent offenders. After Mr. Chamberlin left the State Attorneys’ Office, he formed Chamberlin Crowe, PA where he applied the skills he learned as a prosecutor to practice in the field of criminal defense, handling everything from simple traffic infractions to serious felony offenses.
Chairman, 13th Judicial Circuit Judicial Nominating Commission
Thomas Newcomb Hyde earned a Bachelor of Arts in philosophy from the Seminary of St. Vincent De Paul in Boynton Beach, Florida. He received his Masters of Education from South Carolina State University in Orangeburg, South Carolina. He was a teacher on the elementary and secondary level for four years. He also taught at Barry University in Miami Shores, Florida.
Mr. Hyde received his Juris Doctor from the University of Miami School of Law, where he completed an internship as a prosecutor in the Miami Dade County State Attorney's office. He worked for Liberty Mutual Insurance Company as a Trial Lawyer, Managing Attorney, Division General Attorney and the National Director of Legal Training.
Mr. Hyde has been responsible for the design, development and implementation of Liberty Mutual’s award winning Attorney Development Program. He presented training conferences in trial advocacy, expert witness testimony, deposition and discovery, negotiations and mediation, and legal ethics to lawyers and paralegals throughout the United States.
Mr. Hyde has served as an Arbitrator for the American Arbitration Association, the Better Business Bureau, and the Florida Attorney General’s Office. He was member of the Ethics Committee of Liberty Mutual's Legal Department from 2003 to 2013. He currently serves on the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit's Professionalism Committee. Mr. Hyde has also served as the Chairman of he Hillsborough County Bar Association Continuing Legal Education Committee and is currently the Chairman of the Senior Counsel Section.
In 2014, Florida Governor Rick Scott appointed Mr. Hyde to the Judicial Nominating Commission for the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit in Hillsborough County, Florida for a term beginning September 10, 2014 and ending July 1, 2018 and reappointed for a term beginning July 18, 2018 and ending July 1, 2022. He was elected Chairman of the Commission in July 2019.
Shareholder, Carlton Fields
A former federal and state prosecutor with over 37 years of legal experience, Ed Page has tried more than 100 jury trials in state and federal courts and more than 250 bench trials. In 1987, he became Tampa’s first Florida Bar Board Certified Criminal Trial Lawyer. Ed handles federal and state criminal and civil matters, including white collar criminal, aviation, product liability, personal injury, family law, and complex commercial litigation matters. His white collar criminal representation covers both individuals and corporate clients, health care fraud (including False Claims Act matters), criminal tax, environmental crimes, asset forfeiture, attorneys general investigations, and regulatory enforcement. In 2016, 2017 and 2018, The Best Lawyers in America named Ed as its Tampa Qui Tam Law "Lawyer of the Year." Ed is also the recipient of the Hillsborough County Bar Association's James H. Kynes Memorial In The Trenches Award for excellence in criminal litigation.
He is an instrument-rated, commercial pilot and flight instructor, and provides legal representation to pilots, mechanics, drone operators, and others involved in aviation matters, including FAA enforcement actions, TSA matters, airport matters, civil disputes, insurance, taxes, aircraft ownership, and U.S. Customs matters.
Ed is a Florida Supreme Court certified Circuit Civil Mediator. He focuses his mediation work on False Claims Act cases, aviation matters, and general civil cases. Ed has held numerous positions of bar leadership, including serving as Chair of the Second District Court of Appeal Judicial Nominating Commission and The Florida Bar's Criminal Law Certification Committee.
Governor, Florida
Ron DeSantis is the 46th Governor of the State of Florida. Since taking office in January 2019, he has worked hard to expand education opportunities, improve Florida’s water resources and Everglades, champion vocational training, bolster public safety, foster innovation in health care, assist with hurricane recovery, promote infrastructure development and support veterans – all while lowering taxes and being fiscally responsible.
A native Floridian, Governor DeSantis worked his way through Yale University, where he captained the university baseball team and graduated magna cum laude. He also gradated with honors from Harvard Law School. While at Harvard, he earned a commission in the U.S. Navy as a JAG Officer. During his active duty service, then- Lieutenant DeSantis deployed to Iraq as an advisor to a U.S. Navy SEAL Commander in support of the SEAL mission in Iraq. His military decorations include the Iraq Campaign Medal of the Bronze Star Medal (meritorious service).
Prior to serving as Governor, DeSantis served as the U.S. Congressman for Florida’s 6th District. As Chairman of the National Security Subcommittee, DeSantis spearheaded efforts to reform the UA, combat terrorism, identify government waste and relocate the American Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem. As a Congressman, DeSantis championed term limits, fiscal responsibility with a strong national defense.
Governor DeSantis is married to First Lady Casey DeSantis, a former Emmy Award winning television host. They are the proud parents of two children, Madison and Mason. They are the youngest family living in the Florida Governor’s Mansion in nearly fifty years.
Co-Chairman, The Federalist Society for Law and Public Policy Studies
Leonard is Co-Chairman and former Executive Vice President of the Federalist Society, joining the organization over 25 years ago. Since that time he has been instrumental in helping the organization top 70,000, focusing on the growth of lawyers membership, operations and activities advancing limited, constitutional government. In addition to his work at the Society, Leonard has advised President Trump on judicial selection, assisted with the Gorsuch and Kavanaugh Supreme Court selection and confirmation process, and served as a member of the transition team. He also organized the outside coalition efforts in support of the Roberts and Alito U.S. Supreme Court confirmations. Leonard was appointed by President George W. Bush to three terms to the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom as chairman. He was also a U.S. Delegate to the UN Council and UN Commission on Human Rights during the Bush Administration. Leonard was the recipient of the 2009 Bradley Prize, along with the other founders and directors of the Federalist Society, for his work in advancing freedom and the rule of law. He is the coeditor of Presidential Leadership: Rating the Best and the Worst in the White House, as well as the author of opinion editorials in the New York Times,The Wall Street Journal, and Washington Post. Leonard holds degrees from Cornell University and Cornell Law School. He presently resides in Northern Virginia, where he and his wife Sally have raised their seven children.
General Counsel & Wealth Advisor, Ullmann Wealth Partners
Patrick Kilbane is the General Counsel and a Wealth Advisor for Ullmann Wealth Partners headquartered in Jacksonville Beach, FL. Ullmann Wealth Partners is an independent wealth management firm that manages half a billion dollars of client assets in custody at Fidelity. Before joining Ullmann Wealth Partners, Pat was a Shareholder at Gray Robinson, P.A. where he had a thriving specialty litigation practice. Pat was recognized multiple times by Florida Trend and Super Lawyers Magazine for his skills and professionalism.
Pat serves the Northeast Florida Region in several roles. He’s received five gubernatorial appointments to the Judicial Nominating Commission for Florida’s Fourth Judicial Circuit and the Jacksonville Aviation Authority Board of Directors. His fellow board members elected him Chairman of both boards. Further, Pat is the President of the Jacksonville Lawyers Chapter of the Federalist Society. In 2014-2015, Pat was elected President of the Young Lawyers Section of the Jacksonville Bar Association.
In 2005, Pat received his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Notre Dame. He received his Bachelor of Business Administration degree, summa cum laude, from Adrian College, where he earned the full-ride, merit-based Dawson Scholarship and was named the Outstanding Graduate by faculty vote for the Class of 2002.
Director, Federal Government Affairs, Deloitte
The Honorable Thomas (Tom) M. Davis serves as a Director of Federal Government Affairs for Deloitte. He was first elected to office in 1979, serving on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. In 1994, Tom was elected to Congress to represent the 11th Congressional District of Virginia. Throughout his 14 years in Congress, Tom was widely recognized as a skilled legislator and an honest broker.
Governor, Florida
Ron DeSantis is the 46th Governor of the State of Florida. Since taking office in January 2019, he has worked hard to expand education opportunities, improve Florida’s water resources and Everglades, champion vocational training, bolster public safety, foster innovation in health care, assist with hurricane recovery, promote infrastructure development and support veterans – all while lowering taxes and being fiscally responsible.
A native Floridian, Governor DeSantis worked his way through Yale University, where he captained the university baseball team and graduated magna cum laude. He also gradated with honors from Harvard Law School. While at Harvard, he earned a commission in the U.S. Navy as a JAG Officer. During his active duty service, then- Lieutenant DeSantis deployed to Iraq as an advisor to a U.S. Navy SEAL Commander in support of the SEAL mission in Iraq. His military decorations include the Iraq Campaign Medal of the Bronze Star Medal (meritorious service).
Prior to serving as Governor, DeSantis served as the U.S. Congressman for Florida’s 6th District. As Chairman of the National Security Subcommittee, DeSantis spearheaded efforts to reform the UA, combat terrorism, identify government waste and relocate the American Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem. As a Congressman, DeSantis championed term limits, fiscal responsibility with a strong national defense.
Governor DeSantis is married to First Lady Casey DeSantis, a former Emmy Award winning television host. They are the proud parents of two children, Madison and Mason. They are the youngest family living in the Florida Governor’s Mansion in nearly fifty years.
Vice President, Networks, The Federalist Society for Law and Public Policy Studies
Nathan Kaczmarek is Vice President for Networks at the Federalist Society. He began his legal career in Detroit representing nationwide clients in all phases of healthcare litigation and complex medical malpractice claims. He has since served as a Senior Legal and Policy Advisor in the U.S. House of Representatives and as Counsel for the Subcommittee on Regulatory Affairs and Federal Management in the U.S. Senate. Prior to overseeing the Networks, he was Director of the Practice Groups, the Regulatory Transparency Project, and the Article I Initiative for the Federalist Society.
Nathan holds degrees from Hillsdale College and Thomas M. Cooley Law School. He is a Liaison Representative for The Administrative Conference of the United States. He also serves as Vice President of the Associates of St. John Bosco, a Virginia based non-profit dedicated to Catholic high school and college students.
U.S. House of Representatives, Georgia 11th District
Congressman Barry Loudermilk represents Georgia’s 11th Congressional District, which includes all of Bartow and Cherokee counties as well as portions of Cobb and Fulton counties.
In the 115th Congress, Rep. Loudermilk serves as a member of three important U.S. House Committees: Financial Services, House Administration, and Space, Science and Technology. Barry also serves on the steering committee for the Republican Study Committee (RSC), conservative caucus of the House Republicans.
Before being elected to Congress in 2014, Barry Loudermilk was a small business owner for over 20 years. He also served in the Georgia State House and Senate for over 9 years.
A Georgia native, Rep. Loudermilk holds an Associate Degree in Telecommunications Technology, and a Bachelor of Science in Occupational Education and Information Systems Technology. He proudly served in the U.S. Air Force for eight years.
Loudermilk is the former owner of an Information Technology services business, and is an author, historian, and motivational speaker.
David McIntosh is a leader for the principles of limited constitutional government and individual freedom. He is president of the Club for Growth, the leading advocate for economic liberty.
Former Congressman David McIntosh represented Indiana's 2nd Congressional District in the United States Congress from 1995-2001. As a Freshman, David chaired the Subcommittee on Regulatory Relief. He passed the Congressional Review Act and held extensive oversight and field hearings to build a record of public support for regulatory relief initiatives in energy, biotechnology, pharmaceutical, healthcare, transportation and technology sectors. Another issue that he championed was the elimination of the marriage penalty in the Federal Tax Code.
David served during the Reagan administration as special assistant to Attorney General Edwin Meese III, and as special assistant to President Reagan for Domestic Affairs. During the first Bush administration, he served as executive director of the President's Council on Competitiveness and assistant to the Vice President. The Competitiveness Council coordinated the cost/benefit review of major regulations and promoted legal reform measures.
David is a co-founder of the Federalist Society for Law and Public Policy and serves on the Board of Directors. He remains active with several free market and conservative think tanks and grassroots organizations. David has also had stints at the Hudson Institute and as a Professor of Economics at Ball State School of Business.
Prior to the Club for Growth, David was a partner at Mayer Brown, LLP in Washington, DC.
David graduated from the University of Chicago Law School in 1983, and Yale University, BA, cum laude, in 1980. He and his wife, Ruthie, are the proud parents of Ellie age 17 and Davey age 13.
Governor, Florida
Ron DeSantis is the 46th Governor of the State of Florida. Since taking office in January 2019, he has worked hard to expand education opportunities, improve Florida’s water resources and Everglades, champion vocational training, bolster public safety, foster innovation in health care, assist with hurricane recovery, promote infrastructure development and support veterans – all while lowering taxes and being fiscally responsible.
A native Floridian, Governor DeSantis worked his way through Yale University, where he captained the university baseball team and graduated magna cum laude. He also gradated with honors from Harvard Law School. While at Harvard, he earned a commission in the U.S. Navy as a JAG Officer. During his active duty service, then- Lieutenant DeSantis deployed to Iraq as an advisor to a U.S. Navy SEAL Commander in support of the SEAL mission in Iraq. His military decorations include the Iraq Campaign Medal of the Bronze Star Medal (meritorious service).
Prior to serving as Governor, DeSantis served as the U.S. Congressman for Florida’s 6th District. As Chairman of the National Security Subcommittee, DeSantis spearheaded efforts to reform the UA, combat terrorism, identify government waste and relocate the American Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem. As a Congressman, DeSantis championed term limits, fiscal responsibility with a strong national defense.
Governor DeSantis is married to First Lady Casey DeSantis, a former Emmy Award winning television host. They are the proud parents of two children, Madison and Mason. They are the youngest family living in the Florida Governor’s Mansion in nearly fifty years.
Co-Chairman, The Federalist Society for Law and Public Policy Studies
Leonard is Co-Chairman and former Executive Vice President of the Federalist Society, joining the organization over 25 years ago. Since that time he has been instrumental in helping the organization top 70,000, focusing on the growth of lawyers membership, operations and activities advancing limited, constitutional government. In addition to his work at the Society, Leonard has advised President Trump on judicial selection, assisted with the Gorsuch and Kavanaugh Supreme Court selection and confirmation process, and served as a member of the transition team. He also organized the outside coalition efforts in support of the Roberts and Alito U.S. Supreme Court confirmations. Leonard was appointed by President George W. Bush to three terms to the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom as chairman. He was also a U.S. Delegate to the UN Council and UN Commission on Human Rights during the Bush Administration. Leonard was the recipient of the 2009 Bradley Prize, along with the other founders and directors of the Federalist Society, for his work in advancing freedom and the rule of law. He is the coeditor of Presidential Leadership: Rating the Best and the Worst in the White House, as well as the author of opinion editorials in the New York Times,The Wall Street Journal, and Washington Post. Leonard holds degrees from Cornell University and Cornell Law School. He presently resides in Northern Virginia, where he and his wife Sally have raised their seven children.
Governor, Florida
Ron DeSantis is the 46th Governor of the State of Florida. Since taking office in January 2019, he has worked hard to expand education opportunities, improve Florida’s water resources and Everglades, champion vocational training, bolster public safety, foster innovation in health care, assist with hurricane recovery, promote infrastructure development and support veterans – all while lowering taxes and being fiscally responsible.
A native Floridian, Governor DeSantis worked his way through Yale University, where he captained the university baseball team and graduated magna cum laude. He also gradated with honors from Harvard Law School. While at Harvard, he earned a commission in the U.S. Navy as a JAG Officer. During his active duty service, then- Lieutenant DeSantis deployed to Iraq as an advisor to a U.S. Navy SEAL Commander in support of the SEAL mission in Iraq. His military decorations include the Iraq Campaign Medal of the Bronze Star Medal (meritorious service).
Prior to serving as Governor, DeSantis served as the U.S. Congressman for Florida’s 6th District. As Chairman of the National Security Subcommittee, DeSantis spearheaded efforts to reform the UA, combat terrorism, identify government waste and relocate the American Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem. As a Congressman, DeSantis championed term limits, fiscal responsibility with a strong national defense.
Governor DeSantis is married to First Lady Casey DeSantis, a former Emmy Award winning television host. They are the proud parents of two children, Madison and Mason. They are the youngest family living in the Florida Governor’s Mansion in nearly fifty years.
Co-Chairman, The Federalist Society for Law and Public Policy Studies
Leonard is Co-Chairman and former Executive Vice President of the Federalist Society, joining the organization over 25 years ago. Since that time he has been instrumental in helping the organization top 70,000, focusing on the growth of lawyers membership, operations and activities advancing limited, constitutional government. In addition to his work at the Society, Leonard has advised President Trump on judicial selection, assisted with the Gorsuch and Kavanaugh Supreme Court selection and confirmation process, and served as a member of the transition team. He also organized the outside coalition efforts in support of the Roberts and Alito U.S. Supreme Court confirmations. Leonard was appointed by President George W. Bush to three terms to the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom as chairman. He was also a U.S. Delegate to the UN Council and UN Commission on Human Rights during the Bush Administration. Leonard was the recipient of the 2009 Bradley Prize, along with the other founders and directors of the Federalist Society, for his work in advancing freedom and the rule of law. He is the coeditor of Presidential Leadership: Rating the Best and the Worst in the White House, as well as the author of opinion editorials in the New York Times,The Wall Street Journal, and Washington Post. Leonard holds degrees from Cornell University and Cornell Law School. He presently resides in Northern Virginia, where he and his wife Sally have raised their seven children.
Director, Federal Government Affairs, Deloitte
The Honorable Thomas (Tom) M. Davis serves as a Director of Federal Government Affairs for Deloitte. He was first elected to office in 1979, serving on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. In 1994, Tom was elected to Congress to represent the 11th Congressional District of Virginia. Throughout his 14 years in Congress, Tom was widely recognized as a skilled legislator and an honest broker.
Governor, Florida
Ron DeSantis is the 46th Governor of the State of Florida. Since taking office in January 2019, he has worked hard to expand education opportunities, improve Florida’s water resources and Everglades, champion vocational training, bolster public safety, foster innovation in health care, assist with hurricane recovery, promote infrastructure development and support veterans – all while lowering taxes and being fiscally responsible.
A native Floridian, Governor DeSantis worked his way through Yale University, where he captained the university baseball team and graduated magna cum laude. He also gradated with honors from Harvard Law School. While at Harvard, he earned a commission in the U.S. Navy as a JAG Officer. During his active duty service, then- Lieutenant DeSantis deployed to Iraq as an advisor to a U.S. Navy SEAL Commander in support of the SEAL mission in Iraq. His military decorations include the Iraq Campaign Medal of the Bronze Star Medal (meritorious service).
Prior to serving as Governor, DeSantis served as the U.S. Congressman for Florida’s 6th District. As Chairman of the National Security Subcommittee, DeSantis spearheaded efforts to reform the UA, combat terrorism, identify government waste and relocate the American Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem. As a Congressman, DeSantis championed term limits, fiscal responsibility with a strong national defense.
Governor DeSantis is married to First Lady Casey DeSantis, a former Emmy Award winning television host. They are the proud parents of two children, Madison and Mason. They are the youngest family living in the Florida Governor’s Mansion in nearly fifty years.
Vice President, Networks, The Federalist Society for Law and Public Policy Studies
Nathan Kaczmarek is Vice President for Networks at the Federalist Society. He began his legal career in Detroit representing nationwide clients in all phases of healthcare litigation and complex medical malpractice claims. He has since served as a Senior Legal and Policy Advisor in the U.S. House of Representatives and as Counsel for the Subcommittee on Regulatory Affairs and Federal Management in the U.S. Senate. Prior to overseeing the Networks, he was Director of the Practice Groups, the Regulatory Transparency Project, and the Article I Initiative for the Federalist Society.
Nathan holds degrees from Hillsdale College and Thomas M. Cooley Law School. He is a Liaison Representative for The Administrative Conference of the United States. He also serves as Vice President of the Associates of St. John Bosco, a Virginia based non-profit dedicated to Catholic high school and college students.
U.S. House of Representatives, Georgia 11th District
Congressman Barry Loudermilk represents Georgia’s 11th Congressional District, which includes all of Bartow and Cherokee counties as well as portions of Cobb and Fulton counties.
In the 115th Congress, Rep. Loudermilk serves as a member of three important U.S. House Committees: Financial Services, House Administration, and Space, Science and Technology. Barry also serves on the steering committee for the Republican Study Committee (RSC), conservative caucus of the House Republicans.
Before being elected to Congress in 2014, Barry Loudermilk was a small business owner for over 20 years. He also served in the Georgia State House and Senate for over 9 years.
A Georgia native, Rep. Loudermilk holds an Associate Degree in Telecommunications Technology, and a Bachelor of Science in Occupational Education and Information Systems Technology. He proudly served in the U.S. Air Force for eight years.
Loudermilk is the former owner of an Information Technology services business, and is an author, historian, and motivational speaker.
David McIntosh is a leader for the principles of limited constitutional government and individual freedom. He is president of the Club for Growth, the leading advocate for economic liberty.
Former Congressman David McIntosh represented Indiana's 2nd Congressional District in the United States Congress from 1995-2001. As a Freshman, David chaired the Subcommittee on Regulatory Relief. He passed the Congressional Review Act and held extensive oversight and field hearings to build a record of public support for regulatory relief initiatives in energy, biotechnology, pharmaceutical, healthcare, transportation and technology sectors. Another issue that he championed was the elimination of the marriage penalty in the Federal Tax Code.
David served during the Reagan administration as special assistant to Attorney General Edwin Meese III, and as special assistant to President Reagan for Domestic Affairs. During the first Bush administration, he served as executive director of the President's Council on Competitiveness and assistant to the Vice President. The Competitiveness Council coordinated the cost/benefit review of major regulations and promoted legal reform measures.
David is a co-founder of the Federalist Society for Law and Public Policy and serves on the Board of Directors. He remains active with several free market and conservative think tanks and grassroots organizations. David has also had stints at the Hudson Institute and as a Professor of Economics at Ball State School of Business.
Prior to the Club for Growth, David was a partner at Mayer Brown, LLP in Washington, DC.
David graduated from the University of Chicago Law School in 1983, and Yale University, BA, cum laude, in 1980. He and his wife, Ruthie, are the proud parents of Ellie age 17 and Davey age 13.
Shareholder, Carlton Fields
Bruce Berman focuses his nationwide practice on large and complex commercial disputes in federal and state trial and appellate courts, and in domestic and international arbitration tribunals. He represents U.S. and international clients in cases spanning a wide range of substantive law including aviation, corporate finance, securities, mergers and acquisitions, health law, intellectual property (copyright, trademark and unfair competition), and real estate and commercial lending (real estate, asset-based and lease financing). Mr. Berman heads the firm’s Aviation Industry Group.
A legal scholar and author of a leading state treatise, "Berman’s Florida Civil Procedure" (published annually by West), Mr. Berman has been recognized by the Florida Supreme Court and The Florida Bar by long-term appointment to numerous committees, including the Committee on Standard Jury Instructions in Civil Cases, the Civil Procedure Rules Committee and the Rules of Judicial Administration Committee.
Mr. Berman has been recognized as a leading lawyer, internationally, nationally, and locally, by, among others, Chambers USA (for commercial litigation, since first issuing Florida rankings), the National Corporate Counsel Edition of Super Lawyers (for Florida Business Litigation), Florida Trend’s Legal Elite and Florida Super Lawyers, in addition to being selected for biographical reference in Who’s Who in the World, Who’s Who in America, and Who’s Who in American Law.
Chief of Staff, USDA, Office of Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
Elena Crosby is an executive with over 20 years of experience in compliance, corporate governance, and government relations within both publicly-held and private corporations. She currently serves as the Chief of Staff for the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights at the USDA.
Previously, Elena worked for U.S. Senator Marco Rubio for ten years, holding various positions, with her most recent role being State Director. Prior to that, she was the Deputy State Director for Constituent Services, where she oversaw the constituent services team across Florida, managed state projects, and maintained relationships with federal agencies. Additionally, Elena acted as a liaison between federal agencies in Washington, D.C., and state government agencies and leaders in Tallahassee.
Before entering the legislative realm, she spent five years at AdventHealth handling research compliance and healthcare law. Before that, Elena held leadership positions with Digital Fusion, Inc., a publicly-held information technology firm providing services to government and commercial customers, as Corporate Secretary and Director of Legal and Government Affairs, responsible for its corporate governance and public policy efforts. Elena also worked for Connextions, Inc., a technology and business services provider to the healthcare industry, where she served as Compliance and Contracts Officer.
Elena served as President of the Orlando Lawyers Chapter of the Federalist Society for seven years and as a member of the James Madison Institute's Regional Leadership Council. She serves by appointment as the Chair of the Orange County Minority and Women Business Enterprise Advisory Board. Elena received her law degree from Barry University, Dwayne O. Andreas School of Law.
Governor, Florida
Ron DeSantis is the 46th Governor of the State of Florida. Since taking office in January 2019, he has worked hard to expand education opportunities, improve Florida’s water resources and Everglades, champion vocational training, bolster public safety, foster innovation in health care, assist with hurricane recovery, promote infrastructure development and support veterans – all while lowering taxes and being fiscally responsible.
A native Floridian, Governor DeSantis worked his way through Yale University, where he captained the university baseball team and graduated magna cum laude. He also gradated with honors from Harvard Law School. While at Harvard, he earned a commission in the U.S. Navy as a JAG Officer. During his active duty service, then- Lieutenant DeSantis deployed to Iraq as an advisor to a U.S. Navy SEAL Commander in support of the SEAL mission in Iraq. His military decorations include the Iraq Campaign Medal of the Bronze Star Medal (meritorious service).
Prior to serving as Governor, DeSantis served as the U.S. Congressman for Florida’s 6th District. As Chairman of the National Security Subcommittee, DeSantis spearheaded efforts to reform the UA, combat terrorism, identify government waste and relocate the American Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem. As a Congressman, DeSantis championed term limits, fiscal responsibility with a strong national defense.
Governor DeSantis is married to First Lady Casey DeSantis, a former Emmy Award winning television host. They are the proud parents of two children, Madison and Mason. They are the youngest family living in the Florida Governor’s Mansion in nearly fifty years.
Milton R. Underwood Chair in Free Enterprise, Vanderbilt University Law School
Brian Fitzpatrick is the Milton R. Underwood Chair in Free Enterprise and Professor of Law at Vanderbilt Law School, where his research focuses on class action litigation, federal courts, judicial selection, and constitutional law. He is best known for his empirical studies of class action settlements as well as his book The Conservative Case for Class Actions (University of Chicago Press, 2019). Professor Fitzpatrick joined Vanderbilt's law faculty in 2007 after serving as the John M. Olin Fellow at New York University School of Law. He graduated first in his class from Harvard Law School and went on to clerk for Judge Diarmuid O'Scannlain on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and Justice Antonin Scalia on the U.S. Supreme Court. After his clerkships, Professor Fitzpatrick practiced commercial and appellate litigation for several years at Sidley Austin in Washington, D.C., and served as Special Counsel for Supreme Court Nominations to U.S. Senator John Cornyn. Before earning his law degree, Fitzpatrick graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor's of science in chemical engineering from the University of Notre Dame. He has received the Hall-Hartman Outstanding Professor Award, which recognizes excellence in classroom teaching, for his Civil Procedure and Federal Courts courses.
Partner, Conroy Simberg
Hinda Klein is a partner with the firm and has been the head of Conroy Simberg’s appellate department since she joined the firm in 1991. She was one of the first attorneys in Florida to become board certified in appellate practice.
Hinda supervises all of the appellate attorneys at the firm, and has been involved in more than 500 civil appeals and extraordinary writs. She practices in all District Courts of Appeal and the Florida Supreme Court. Hinda also handles dispositive motions and trial support, including the preparation of jury instructions, and often attends hearings motions in limine and charge conferences in order to ensure that the record has been properly preserved for appeal.
Judge, United States Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit
On November 19, 2019, Judge Robert J. Luck was appointed to the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit by President Donald Trump. Prior to serving on the federal bench, he was appointed to the Florida Supreme Court by Governor Ron DeSantis on January 14, 2019. He previously served on the Third District Court of Appeal in Miami after his appointment there by Governor Rick Scott in March 2017.
Earlier, Judge Luck served on the Eleventh Judicial Circuit Court of Florida from September 2013 to March 2017. He presided in the Criminal, Civil, and Appellate Divisions. Judge Luck, in his years as a trial court judge, tried seventy jury trials, and heard dozens of appeals from the county court and municipal agencies. Judge Luck was appointed to the circuit court in 2013 and was elected by the voters of Miami-Dade County to retain his seat in 2016.
Prior to his service on the bench, Judge Luck was an Assistant United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida. In his years as a federal prosecutor, he was assigned to the Appeals, Major Crimes, and Economic Crimes Sections of the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Judge Luck tried nineteen jury trials before the federal district court and argued three appeals to the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. In his final year in the Office, he was a Deputy Chief in the Major Crimes Section.
Earlier in his career, Judge Luck was a legislative correspondent for two United States Senators, a law clerk and staff attorney to Circuit Judge Edward E. Carnes on the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, and a part of the Greenberg Traurig firm’s appellate section. Judge Luck received his Juris Doctor from the University of Florida Levin College of Law magna cum laude and was asked to join the Order of the Coif. Judge Luck also served as Editor-in-Chief of the Florida Law Review. Judge Luck received his Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of Florida with highest honors.
Senior Partner, Reed Smith LLP
Hugh has both written and lectured extensively on insurance issues, including as a presenter on scores of occasions for various national and local bar associations, insurance brokers, and educational institutions.
Chief Financial Officer, State of Florida
Jimmy Patronis is a native Floridian born and raised in Panama City. He earned his associate degree in restaurant management from Gulf Coast Community College and a bachelor’s degree in political science from Florida State University. He is a partner in a family-owned seafood restaurant called Captain Anderson’s that will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2017. His public service career began with experience as an intern in the Florida Senate and the United Kingdom’s House of Commons. Following his college graduation, Governor Lawton Chiles appointed him to the Florida Elections Commission, and he was later reappointed by Governor Jeb Bush.
He served in the Florida House of Representatives from 2006 to 2014, representing his hometown region in the Florida Panhandle. He was appointed to serve on Florida’s Public Service Commission, as well as the Constitution Revision Commission, which meets once every twenty years to propose changes to the state constitution.
He is recognized for outstanding leadership in his hometown of Panama City and throughout Florida. Committed to active civic engagement and business development, he has chaired the Greater Panama City Beach Chamber of Commerce’s Economic Development Council, served on the board of the Bay County Economic Development Alliance, the Salvation Army Advisory Board, the Bay County Chapter of the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association, and as national president for the Florida Vocational Industrial Clubs of America. He is a former trustee of the Gulf Coast Medical Center, and former director of the Bay Medical Center’s Foundation and Gulf Coast Community College Foundation Board.
He was instrumental in the establishment of the Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport in Panama City and has served as chairman and a board member of Bay County-Panama City International Airport and Industrial District.
He and wife Katie are proud parents to two sons, Jimmy Theo III and John Michael.
An Inside Look at Judicial Appointments Under Governor Ron DeSantis
Tampa, FLOpening Remarks with Governor Ron DeSantis
Ron DeSantis, Leonard A. Leo
On November 14, 2019, The Federalist Society opened its 2019 National Lawyers Convention at the...
Opening Remarks with Governor Ron DeSantis
Ron DeSantis, Leonard A. Leo
On November 14, 2019, The Federalist Society opened its 2019 National Lawyers Convention at the...
Opening Remarks with Governor Ron DeSantis
2019 National Lawyers Convention
Washington, DCTopics
2019 National Lawyers Convention Digital Survival Guide
This "Survival Guide" is your one-stop-shop for all things digital at the National Lawyers Convention....
An Inside Look at Judicial Appointments Under Governor DeSantis
Jacksonville, FLTopics
Governor Ron DeSantis Gives the Florida Supreme Court a Conservative Makeover
Shortly after taking office as Florida Governor, Republican Ron DeSantis wasted no time in filling...
House Reform Proposals
Tom Davis, Ron DeSantis, Nathan Kaczmarek, Barry Loudermilk, David M. McIntosh
Even though the Founders conceived Congress as the most powerful of the three branches of...
House Reform Proposals
Restoring Article I
Washington, WADepartures from the American Rule on Attorney’s Fees
Bruce J. Berman, Elena Isabel Crosby, Ron DeSantis, Brian T. Fitzpatrick, Hinda Klein, Robert J. Luck, Richard Hugh Lumpkin, Jimmy Patronis
2018 Annual Florida Chapters Conference Welcome and Opening Remarks: Elena Crosby - Director of Constituent...